The Press., 1911-08-30
THE PRINCIPAL WINNER
 By F. A. MTTCEIEL Copyright by American Press Asso-
 citation, 1911.

When the American troops were fighting their way across Cuba, Cap tain Timberlake, commanding a party of hankers, noticed @ coffin lying not far from the road. That evening in camp Captain Tim berlake was chatting upon the events of the day with the adjutant and the major of his regiment, talking about who had been killed, who wounded, how the Spaniards fought and how they had the advantage of the Amer icans in the matter of arms and smoke less powder, when TiInberlake spoke of the strange sight of a coffin lying beside the road.
 If men have not the curiosity of wo- men, and the statement has been de nied by the latter, they have trait equally peculiar. Men, especially those who lead eventfuI lives. are prone to bet about everything which is a mat ter of opinion or hazard. The Ques- ton came up between these officers whether there was corpse in the cof- fin or whether there was not One of the party had noticed cemetery on the way not far from the line of march and suggested that a funeral had been interrupted by the fight, the mourners had fled and the coffin spilled out of the hearse There was doubt less an unburied corpse in it.
 Now, the outcome of this suggestion did not result, as might have been ex- pected, in the burial of a corpse, but a bet. The major made the suggestion, and Captain Timberlake offered to bet him $1O even that the coffin was empty.
 The stakes having been put up, Cap tain Timberlake called Pat Mulcahey, a recruit picked up just before leaving the States, and told him to go back half mile and look out not far from a bridge over a creek for a coffin. He was to discover whether 1t contained corpse or whether it was empty. A full moon stood about an hour high and made all nearly as light as day. A desultory firing was still going on, but had nearly died out Pat crossed the bridge and about a hun dred yards beyond saw the moonlight reflected from a number of points on the brass ornaments on the coffin. Pat went on till he got near enough to see what the object was, then stopped. A coffin probably with dead body in Il at night in a lonely spot did not appeal to him. He was wondering how he could determine what he had been or dered to discover without getting any closer to the casket when the lid seem ed to lift of itself. and the gaoOn light ed up white face.
 'eHowly mother!' cried Pat, crossing himself, and, turning, beat nasty re treat. Reaching the other side of tho creek, he paused for another look be hind him. What he saw froze the marrow in his bones. The corpse was coming with its coffin on its shoul. der.
 Pat tried to run, but for time his legs refused to carry him. It was only Il when the specter reached the h1theI side of the bridge and seemed to be coming right down on him that his ter TOT had a different effect, and with howl he set off like the wind for camp
 Captain Timberlake, the major and the others were sitting in circle wait ing for the decision of the bet when Pat approached. As he drew neal them the soldier reasserted itself, and he slowed his steps till he came down to a walk. Approaching the group. he saluted.
 'sWell, Pat," said his commander "who has wonT
 If ye blaze, sir, what's the betF
 "The major bets the coffin has corpse in it. bet that it is empty"
 ''The corpse was in it when win there, and now it's out of it."
 "What do you meanT
 '"The corpse got out when wal Iookin' at the coffin, and now he's com in with it on his shoulder"
 There was a burst of laughter.
 "Oi got me pay in me pocket" pull ing out a roll of bills. "Oi'll bet it al that he is."
 Several men standing about, ready t take advantage of the greenhorn. GOV cred his money 10 to 1. The bets hat barely been made when a man with coffin on his shoulder approached ant asked half in Spanish and half in Eng fish where he could get pass.
 There was another burst of laugh ter. @.#
 The captain looked around for Pat He was nowhere to be seen.
 sI've won and Pat has wOn," sat' Timberlake. "Now we'll hear this man story. But first let me tell you some thing happen to know. The poo class of Cubans hire coffins for thei dead. The body Is placed in the coftil before the funeral and taken to tn cemetery in it. There 1t is removes and buried without any covering Since the lid is not screwed down the use hinges. This man was not goin to funeral; he was carrying the caf ket away from cemetery after tn corpse had been taken out of Il"
 "You are right" said the Cuban. was carrying the coffin from the cemt tery when the battle began. To escap the bullets lifted the lid and got fl side. stayed there till the firing ha nearly died away, when I proceede on my journey. But now there ar soldiers everywhere, and I would lik a pass to get home"
 He was sent Qeaving his load till hi return) to headquarters, where he g cured his pass. @ Pat was the chief winner, all bel
 being decided in his favor.
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