The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-10-28
The Man
Who Thought
By DONAL HAMILTON HAMS 1
.'''s'-'-s'a''.,rs1 FlQl TIT !
oorrmeHr. 1910. ny rHu rAAKsos rvnusHsO co.


lcil ye 1 SOl 10 unu III, ne com
planned as the men about him attempt
ed to hurry him along. Il left my
pen and paper in there. an my wife in
Bangorll raise thunder il ! don't write
to her"
Far to the rear of the moving mass
came a sudden sputter of firing and
a chorus of yells. while few harmless
bullets hummed overhead.
"The cavalry" yelled hatless cor
poral.
"Shucks!" answered Burke reassur.
-ingly, but the damage was done. Men
craned their neeks and showed the
men in front Of them. A single gray.
clad trooper was seen to splash his
horse into the shallow waters Of a
creek and fire his carbine into the
densely packed mass The corpc n
who had shouted went down with q
bullet through his lungs
For Gods sake run!" yelled the
Kansan.
In an instant the orderly retreat
became rush. then mad scramble
an utter rout.
The crazed drivers of battery drove
their lathered horses madly through
the stream of fugitives One of tho
gunners fell from the seat of the gun.
carriage. clutched the rail with his
hands dragged for a few feet looking
wildly back at the bobbing caisson be
hind him, then went under The wheels
with a scream. Through the din piped
the shriIl voice OF the man from
Maine, still hurting his blanket.
Let me through there-let ma
through"
A gray battery, the only force whica
the victors had dared to send forward,
went into action on the knoll above
the shallow creek. Its shrapnel did
no great damage, but the sound Of its
hammerlng maddened the fugitiyes
still more
Burke fought only to keep his feet
in the rush. Twice he just managed
70 dodge he wheels Of guns: once he
Knocked The cooked revolver from the
hand Of madaened. weeping lieuten-
ant OF New York troops. He stumbled
once and only saved himself by dive
into a fence corner Finally stretch,
ina aeeoss the fields close to the vii
Iaae, lie saw the steady firm lines OF
TAX reserve regiments, ana drew a
Gasp Of relief He crawled over the
-ance, went ont into the field and sat
lown
For a few moments he sat still, his
lands pressed 10 bis heaving chest,
he air cutting his overworked lungs
lt every breath After a time he be-
ame aware Of a captain of regular
Infantry sitting on the body of dead
mule calmly smoking a cigar and
cbiur tho endless stream oil fugi-
ives pelting down the road
Lovely SIGHT amt it?" inquired
3nrl,c usually
TRa officer raised one fist IN the air
na cnrsed steadily the war, the Off
crs the army everything he could
hink of Burke listened in open
aoUfEad admiration.
"It aiut so had as that he said
chen the officer paused for breath
TO tcll the truth we needed a good
ioan an I'm glad il come early
i0ti hem armies are green, an they
ouldut either Of em fight without
aamin' how One Of 'em had TO gel
cked an we was iti I amt sure
ut itll do us more goodn it viii
1em"
The officer looked at him with sud
en interest
20 YOU think so?9 he asked.
why sure. continued Burke,
Them fellers-" and he ierked his /
i3mb toward the road, *will run til
lafe amt no more run in EN- But
heu they stop they'll be good soldiers.
"A fhey needed was a chance to think
liuss ont Tor themselyes-an' they're
atun it!"
They watched the rout in silence
~ time. The gray pursuit had
.ased entirely.
The officer turned toward Burke who
q uuc5ncernedly filing his pipe. eye
g the road with casual interest
What are YOU going to do?" he
ked V
"Me2" returned Burne. cooking his
,ad on one side and scratching 9
aich on he sole Of his boot I'm
in % sit right here an smoke an
cen til the army comes back an
rs me.
The officer laughed with an air OF
This isn't so bad. he confessed, III {
g rest Of the army are all like you
Sure they are. srinned Burke
ut they had 70 get it licked intC
NJ an come by it natural"
Again The officer laughed, then he
Sc from the body OF the mule and
ld out his ham.
I beiiete you he said u guess
d siand for onr green system--and
.yfM it'l work as gou say. Im 80, s
{ now 10 bring back the army You .
right here and wait for IT, And
] buy You a drink ia Hornburgh the
j we take IT.
Burke grinned then ne deliberately I,
loisd The captains shoulder Straps. 3
IT'D be there Colonel" he prom s,
q
And he wasl
tzzs E.sD - -
NJ