The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-08-17

war. He got eighteen Of US boys
friends Of his, too-killed in battles
that he stirred up himself, and that
didn Z seem to me necessary at all. One
night he took twelve OF us and waded
through little rill about 100 yards
wide, and climbed a couple OF noun.
tains, and sneaked through a mile OF
rock quarries and into q rye straw VII.
lage. and captured a Spanish general
named, as they said, Benny Veedus
Benny seemed TO me hardly worthy the
trouble, being blackish man without
shoes or cuffs, and anxious 10 surrender
and throw himself on the commissary
OF his foe.
"But that job gave Willie the big
boost he wanted, The San Augustine
News and the Galveston, st, Louis, New
York, and Kansas City papers, printed
his picture and columns of stuff about
him. Old San Augustine simply went
crazy over its gallant SON The News
had an editorial tearfully begging the
government TO call of the regular army
and the national guard, and let Willie
carry on the rest of the war single
handed. II said that a refusal to do so
would be regarded as n proof that the
northern jealousy OF the south was still
as rampant as ever.
off the war hadn Z ended pretty
soon, don Z know to what heights OF
gold braid and encomiums Willie would
have climbed. but it did. There was n
secession of hostilities just three days
after he was appointed colonel, and
got in three more medals by registered
mail, and shot two Spaniards while they
were drinking lemonade in an ambus.
cade.
"Our company went back TO San Au-
gustine when the war was over. There
WASH t anywhere else for it 10 90. And
what do YOU thinki The old town mott;
fed US in print, by wire cable, special
delivery. and a niger named Saul sent
on a gray mule to San Antoine, that
they was going TO give us the biggest
blow out, mplimentary, alimentary
and elementary, that ever disturbed the
kildees on the sand flats outside Of the
immediate contiguity of the city.
81 say 'we' but il was all meant
for ey-Private, Captain do fncto, and
Coloncl-elect Willie Robbins. The
town was crazy about him. They no.
going to put up would make the Mnrdi
Gras in New Orleans look like an aft.
erpoon tea In Bury ST. Edmunds with
n curate s aunt.
Well the San Augustine Rifles got
back home ON schedule time. Every
body was at the depot giving forth
Roosevelt. Democrat-thcy used to be
called Rebel-yells. There was two
brass bands. aud the mayor, and school
girls in white frightening the street
car horses by throwing Cherokee roses
in the streets, and-well, maybe you We
seen celebration bv q town that was
inland and out OF water.
"Thev wanted Brevet- Colonel Willie
70 get INTO carriage and be drawn BY
prominent citizens and some Of the city
aldermen TO the armoTy. but he stuck
70 bis company and marched az the
head OF II up Sam Houston avenue.
The buildings on both sides was COW
cred with flags and audiences, and eV-
erybody hollered Robbins or Hello,
Willie. as we marched up in dles Of
tours. ! never saw a illustriouser look
ing human in my life than Willie was.
lie had at least seven or eight medals
and diplomas and decorations on the
breast OF bis khaki cont; be was sun
burnt the color Of a saddle and he
certainly done himself proud.
They told us ST the depot that rhs
courthouse was 20 be Illuminated at
haif- past seven, aud there would be
speeches and chili-cou.cnrue at the
Palace hotel Miss Dclphine ThOmp-
son was 10 read an original poem by
james Whitcomb Ryan, and Constable
Hooker had promised us a salute Of
nine guns from Chicago that he had
arrested that day.
After we had disbsnded IN the arm
ory, Willie saws to me: