Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-08-08
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LITTLE FIGHT ION THE SIDE"
American Soldiers in Trenches Before
Santiago Stop Firing to witness
Most Amusing Scrap.

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Most Amusing Scrap
A scrap" between an freshman and
a 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
d%issension in their own ranks, says
a volunteer in an exchange.
Private Cassidy of company f. Six
teenth U. S. infantry. Private Mueller
and Corporal Mulraney were facing
the foe side by side when Cassidy was
hit by a Spanish don's bullet and sent
to hat bourne whence no traveller
returns" Mulraney was so busy
pumping lead toward Santiago that
he failed to note his comrades death
until the poor fellow was being re-
moved from the firing line. Then he
saw Mueller in the act Of appropriate
ing 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-
alulcS Vi - ~ $780,
CALLED Corporal Mulraney to see an
other-and a German at that-taktng
possession Of what once belonged to
his chum.
IF ye had amy respect for the dead
ye'd lave him cartridges alone said
Mulraney with a scowl on his face
that would have scared a Spaniard
into surrender. 1T isn't the likes of
yez, We Dutch duffer, that can fall
heir to me friend Cassidy's belongings.
I'll thank We, an with a bad grace at
that, to pass me thin belts before |
take a 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 Teller, all right, andt he toldt
me l could hat dose ammunitions ven
he vas"
"Ye lie, ye Dutch robber!" cried
Mulraney, dropping his rifle and shak-
Ing his fist under Mueller's nose.
YEN put thin cartridges down this
minnit or III make yez wish a Mauser
had sthruck ye instid of me fist"
Il vas no liar" retorted Mueller,
also dropping his rifle, "undt l can vip
any Irish dog robber who
This pointed allusion to the fact
that Mulraney had once been a 'strik-
err 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 as quickly the Germans fist
4 I,rdad IN NTrIro rnr'S nnCo and then
to the wonder of their comrades or
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 a
young lieutenant interfered n or
dered the men back to their places
with the assurance that each would
suffer severely for such a fragrant
breach of discipline.
For a few minutes both men pulled
their triggers with a fair degree Of
regularity. Notwithstanding the con
slant exchange of civilities which they
could not forego, but Mulraney
changed the situation suddenly wher
he discovered that no commissioned
officers were near enough to balk his
scheme Of vengeance.
If ye're not a coward yen roll
down the hill a bit of a ways behind
the trench" Mulraney muttered to his
foe, AN whin l meet We at the bottom
may hivin hey mercy on ye before In
trough wild yet"
Mueller looked to the rear and saw
a steep slope of nearly fifty feet and &
tangled growth of shrubbery at the
bottom. He glanced along the line
in both directions and saw no shout
der straps nearer than a dozen files
and then accepted the challenge by
casting himself out of the trench and
swiftly rolling toward the shrubbery
Before he had trayersed half the dis
lance Mulraney vas descending in the
same fashion, and a resumption o
hostilities ensued Immediately upoI
his arrival at the foot of the slope.
1t might be stated par~entheticallJ
that a big captain separated Mulranel
and Mueller and SEN them back once
more to their places on the firing line
where they acted like good soldier:
the rest of the day. After the fighting
was over Mulraney lost his chevron:
and several months pay, and MuelleI
suffered even worse punishment.