Evening star., 1912-11-03

toned at Iloilo, and held line of six block
houses along the banks of the Salo River.
The enemy held a line of trenches and block
houses parallel with the river, and frequent
skirrnishes occurred between the two armies.
Blockhouse No. 6 had been the scene of
dozens of skirnnshes and night attacks, and
had witnessed many deeds of valor and hero
ism; but none to compare with the one here
told even though the Congress of the United
States had awarded medal to one of the
other men for special bravery under fire at
this blockhouse.
For several DAYS there had been no activ-
ity on the part of either of the two armies,
and during the long, hot days the men on
outpost enjoyed the relaxation from conflict.
One afternoon when a light breeze from the
sea cooled the sultry air, Sergeant Jones
came down to Blockhouse No 6 for a friend
ly chat with friends then on duty at this
post. Being Ordnance Sergeant, he had lit
tie opportunity to get to the front, and had
never had the chance to participate in an
engagement.
As he sat in the blockhouse and heard his
comrades tell of the exciting events that had
transp,red at this outpost, far across the
fields from a pole on top of the insurgent
earthworks defiantly futtered in the breeze
an insurgent flag. Immediately in front of
the blockhouse ran the little river, which at
this time was low and could be easily forded.
From the banks of this stream it YVES perhaps
six hundred yards across an open field to the
insurgent Notifications, there being only
now and then an anthill and two or three
clumps of cocoanut palm trees. During a
hull in the conversation Sergeant Jones
looked out across the river and field toward
the enemy. Apparently without any more
serious intention than languid enjoyment
of the tropical landscape, he sat thus for
several minutes.
Lifting his hand above the parapet of the
blockhouse, Sergeant Jones quietly asked,
Boys, do you see that hag9'
"Yes,' was the answer from one of the
boys, eve have been seeing it for weeks"
NOTHING more was said on this topic,
- and Jones sat quietly contemplating
the scene in front of him. Without word
indicating his intentions, he stepped down
out of the blockhouse, went to the bank of
the little river, and clambering down the
incline to the water started to wade across,
when the Corporal in charge of the post
called to him to come back.
Iones halted in the middle of the river long
enough to shout back, "I'm going to get that
flag over there and take it home with me as
a souvenir"
"You can't go outside the lines without a
pass, and you know you will never come
back alive if you attempt any such fool
thing was the Corporal's reply. "Come
back, or l shall be compelled to place you
under arrest.
Jones started forward saying, "You can
arrest me when | come back; but I'm going.
And up the bank on the far side he climbed
and with long, slow strides started off across
the field directly toward the flag and the
enemy. The men in the blockhouse shouted
at him, begging and pleading with him to
return, when they realized that he was not
joking, but really meant to attempt alone a
feat that hundred men would hesitate to
undertake
Jones carried no rifle, having only his belt
and pistol. At distance he appeared un-
armed, as he walked leisurely across the field
toward the flag, his hands swinging naturally
at his sides When he had covered about
half the distance between the lines, the SOL
diers in the enemy's trenches saw him, and
there was commotion among them. Those
of us in the blockhouse expected every mo-
ment that volley would cut him down with
dozen wounds; but Jones drew nearer and
nearer without hesitating or altering his gait
or course. The intense suspense and alarm
of his comrades became almost unbearable
as they saw him walking directly toward the
muzzles of two score or more rifles leveled at
him, and we turned our faces away unable