Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-05-07


Five years after the Spanish-Ameri-
can war a party OF young persons was
making merry together at Fort Mon
roe One OF the young ladies. Miss
Julia Hulet, was receiving some at
tention from a young officer, Captain
John Foster. who had been promoted
from the ranks, or, rather, Captain
Foster, was Offering his attentions,
which Miss Hulet was chary OF ac-
cepting.
Since It wss near the hour for dress
parade. one OF the party proposed that
they so into the fort and see the cere-
mony. AS they moved along q gentle
man Joined Miss Hulet. who seemed
very much pleased to meet him. She
introduced him to her friends as Mr..
Berkeley.
On hearing the name Captain Foster
looked fixedly upon Berkeley as
though trying to recall some memory
concerning him. From the moment
of the latter's arrival he devoted him
self to Miss Hulet, who received his
attentions graciously, evidently to the
annoyance OF Captain Foster. The
Spanish-American war was mentioned,
and Berkeley spoke OF having partici-
pated in the affair.
Beg your pardon, Mr.. Berkeley"
Foster spoke up; with what corps did
you serve In Cubar
"The til New Jersey infantry"
There was a Lieutenant Berkeley
Of that regiment, but he died in Cuba"
81 was the only Lieutenant Berkeley
in the regiment" replied the other,
and did not die in Cuba" The
words were spoken sharply since Eos
ter had implied that Berkeley was
passing under false colors.
I'm sorry to differ from you as to
Lieutenant Berkeley's DEATH" said Fos-
ter insuitingly. II know for a fact
that Lieutenant Berkeley Of the tn
New Jersey died in Cuba. The reason
! know 1t is that l came home with
the last departures from Santiago, and
Surgeon Fergeson, who was with us,
spoke of Berkeleys death. regretting
that he was unable to remain In Cuba
to attend to the officers burial"
81 will call upon you tomorrow" re-
| piled the man who claimed to be
Berkeley, land will convince you that
Mr.. Berkeley Is alive and very much
In evidence"
This ended any further reference to
the matter at the time. but there was
not a person in the party who did not
think about 1t intently. Miss Hulet
was the one principally affected by 1t,
and during the time the party were
witnessing the parade she showed by
her manner that she took sides with
Mr.. Berkeley, being especially gracious
to him and cool to Captain Foster.
After the parade was finished and the
party were walking toward the hotels
Berkeley stopped to speak to an officer
whom he had met In Cuba.
''Who is this Captain FosterT asked
Berkeley.
He was a hospital steward during
the war. After it was over. through
influence at Washington. he received
an appointment as lieutenant in the
regular army. He has recently been
promoted to be captain"
That was enough for Berkeley. The
same evening when party were gath
cred IN the principal hotel, Foster and
Berkeley being present, Berkeley said:
Captain Foster, do you remember
going into a ward In hospital In San
tiago where two men were supposed to
be suffering with fever"
Foster started, but made no reply.
81 had been in that ward at the point
of death, but in the gray of the morn
ing the fever left me, and / craved
water. l got up to go for 1t. Where
| went l don't know. but few days
later | found myself In a Cuban hut.
not knowing how | got there. | learn
ed long afterward that a hospital stew
ard had reported me dead and that the
other man. d sergeant in cot beside
me, had been buried under my name.
After my return to the north 1t be-
came necessary to prove my Identity,
which / did to the satisfaction of a
court But l believe that TO the pres
ent day | am on the rolls of the dead
of the army at Santiago"
While Mr.. Berkeley was making this
statement Miss Huet kept her eyes
fixed on Captain Foster. When Berke-
ley finished Foster stammered some
thing about an unlikely story" then
turned and began TO talk incoherently
with one OF the young ladies OF the
party. Miss Hulet, with look OF
contempt at him, walked away with
Berkeley.
Thus ended an episode due to the
hurry of two officers to get away from
benighted land. one Of whom was
eager to meet his fiancee and the other
to avoid being left behind. The third
man-the hospital steward doubt
less too lazy TO make certain as TO the
identity of a dead man.
Nevertheless the saying murder will
out" is true IN less important matters.
The story that has been given here
Sas repeated in the army. and Foster
vas finally called TO account for de
.inquency of several years before. Sur
geoD Fergeson was involved. and both
officers after an investigation were
J reprimanded