The Red Cloud chief., 1913-08-07
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LITTLE FIGHT ION THE SIDE"
American Soldiers In Trenches Before
Santiago Stop Firing to Witness
Most Amusing Scrap.


A scrap" between an 1rishman and
Teuton In the American trenches be
fore Santiago, while the battle was on
was SO funny that the soldiers stopped
firing at the Spaniards to watch the
dissension in their own ranks. sayl
volunteer In an exchange.
Rrivate Cassidy of company q. Six
teenth u. 8. infantry, Private Mueller
and Corporal Mulraney were facing
the foe side by side when Cassidy wal
hit by q Spanish don's bullet and sent
to that bourne whence no traveller
returns" Mulraney was 30 busy
pumping lead toward Santiago that
he failed to note his comrades death
until the poor fellow was being 70
moved from the firing line. Then he
saw Mueller in the act Of appropriate
eng two cartridge belts. one filled and
the other almost empty. Now ammu
milton was to be had In abundance
that morning. Every soldier in the
regiment was supposed to have all the
cartridges he could shoot away. re-
gardless Of accuracy Of aim. SO II
CALLED Corporal Mulraney to see an.
other-and a German at that-takine
possession Of what once belonged to
his chum.
IF ye had amy respect for the dead
ye'd lave thin cartridges alone" said
Mulraney with scowl on his face
that would have scared a Spaniard
into surrender. 1T isn't the likes OF
yez. ye Dutch duffer. that can fall
heir to me friend Cassidy's belongings.
Ill thank ye. an with q bad grace at
that. to pass me thin belts before I
take punch at your dirthy face"
Dot vas all right" replied Mueller
defiantly. his phlegmatic blood stirred
by the heat Of battle. Cassidy vas a
good feller. all right, andt he toldt
me l could haf dose ammunitions ven
he vas"
"Ye lie. ye Dutch robber!" cried
Mulraney. dropping his rife and shak.
Ing his fist under Mueller's nose.
"Ye'll put thin cartridges down this
minnit or I'll make yez wish a Mauser
Il vas no liar" retorted Mueller.
also dropping his rife. "undt can vip
any Irish dog robber who"
This pointed allusion to the fact
that Mulraney had once been q "strik.
er" for his captain was more than
Mulraney cared to stand. and his
brawny arm Strengthened with stun.
ming effect on Mueller's cheek. AL.
most a. quickly the Germans flst
landed on Mulraney's nose. and then.
to the wonder Of their comrades on
either side, the two men went down
together. striking. kicking and biting
with complete indifference for the
fierce battle in progress. Before eth.
er combatant had inflicted any par.
ticular harm upon his opponent .
young lieutenant interfered and or.
dered the men back to their places.
with the assurance that each would
suffer severely for such q fragrant
breach Of discipline.
For few minutes both men pulled
their triggers with q fair degree Of
regularity. Notwithstanding the con.
etant exchange Of civilities which they
could not forego. but Mulraney
changed the situation suddenly when
he discovered that no commissioned
ohhcers were near enough to balk his
scheme Of vengeance.
III ye're not q coward yell roll
down the hill . bit OF Q ways behind
the TRENCH" Mulraney muttered to bis
foe. AN whin meet 70 1t the bottom
may hivin hev mercy on 70 before I'm
Trough wid ye!"
Mueller looked to the rear and saw
p steep slope Of nearly ffty feet and .
tangled growth Of shrubbery at the
bottom. He glanced along tho line
In both directions and saw no shoul.
der straps nearer than Q dozen ales.
and then accepted the challenge by
casting himself out Of the trench and
swiftly rolling toward the shrubbsry.
Before he had traversed half the die.
tance Mulraney was descending In the
same fashion. and q resumption OF
hostilities ensued Immediately upon
his arrival at the foot Of the slope.
1t might be stated parenthetically
that big captain separated Mulraney
and Mueller and sent them back once
more to their places on the firing line.
where they acted like good soldiers
the rest of the day. After the lighting
twas over Mulraney lost his chevrons
and several months pay. and Mueller
suffered even worse punishment.