The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-02-03
Continued from page p
JOHN MESSMER.

of his comrades, lay stretched on the
bare ground, worn out with fatigue he
saw pair Of legs in the distance
which seemed familiar. Sprlng1ng to
his feet he ran as fast as he could to
the spot, to find his father, unWound-
ed and unframed, in serious converse
ton with the colonel They clasped
hands in silence: in that moment they
were nearer to each other than they
had ever been before. The colonel
and Captain Messmer had been close
friends all their lives. Said the former
to John:
Corporal, I have just been telling
your father that | shall recommend
you for promotion He's a born sol
Ger" continued the grizzled veteran,
with a smile, turning again to Captain
Messmer.
That's what / went in for, colonel"
replied the boy touching his cap-"to
do my duty and get up by degrees"
You did not expect to do it so soon
though; did your said the colonel.
mo, sir replied John. THE Maine
hadn't been blown up when | en-
listed"
Father and son had very few words
together, as duty called them both in
contrary directions But the captain
found time to say:
Were you frightened at first, bOy?"
Il was indeed said John, without
hesitation.
And what did you do?"
Il prayed said the boy simply.
Mrs. Messmer and Jennie went to
Ohio to spend the summer with a
cousin. This was after the surrender
of Santiago, when their minds felt in
some degree relieved, and their anXi-
ETY. about the dear ones in Cuba was
not so keen as it had been few weeks
before.
John is such a strong fellow" his
mother would say; and I'm sure he
will be prudent about drinking water,
and all that"
Then news came that the regiment
was returning home; and they began
to make preparations to go to Phila-
delphia, where Mrs. Messmer had a
sister, and where she hoped both
father and son would be allowed to re-
cruit. Her other children were estab-
lished in the vicinity, and she counted
on the family's being reunited for a
short time at least. They saw by the
papers that the transport had already
started, that it was due on a certain
day. Then there was delay; it had not
been heard from, and the hearts Of
mother and daughter were filled with
new anxiety.
One evening, as they were all seated
on the piazza, that sometime welcome
and often dreaded messenger, the tele-
graph boy, made his appearance, bear
ing his ubiquitous yellow envelope. 1t
was q summons from the captain TO
| hasten to Montauk. 1t read:
| Come as soon as possible. John
| down with fever"
The next morning found them on
their way. On the evening of the sec.
ond day they reached Montauk. 1t had
| been an intensely hot journey, they
were almost exhausted To add to
| their anxiety the captain was not there
TO meet them, and they began to fear
| that he, too, might have fallen q vic
! tim to the fever 1t was almost dark
when they arrived. No one seemed
| able to give them any information,
| and they walked helplessly about for
some time, until suddenly they espied
a burly negro standing beside an army
ambulance.
Are you waiting for some one?" in
| CURED Mrs. Messmer.
Il was, lady; but they haven't come.
| LeastWays | can't find EN-
DO you know Captain Messmer-
can you take me up to his quarters? ~
| asked the lady.
Don't know as do; but reckon
can find him, lady. This here camp is
pretty big, and I'm a stranger myself;
| but if you're willin' to ride round till
we come across him, I'll take you"
The ladies readily assented to this
| proposition, and for the next hour
were driven up hill and down dale,
| through heaps of dust and hundreds
of ruts and holes, till night fell with
| the blackness which portends severe
storm, and they began to think they
would never be able to find the cap
| tain. But just as they were about to
| despair they heard the sound Of ia
! miliar voice. Jennie leaned out of the
ambulance, calling, Papa! papa!'
The next moment she was in her
| fathers arms.
He had not received their telegram.
| Everything was yet in confusion at
| Montauk
They followed him to his tent, meant
for one person only and were glad to
| find shelter there. He soon treasured
them about John, saying that there
was no immediate danger, but also in
forming them that they could not see
! the boy till next morning. To this
his wife demurred at first; but when
the captain explained that the hospi-
| tai tents were at considerable dis
lance, and that visitors were not al
! lowed there after dark, she made no
further protest
The captain then took them over to
the mess tent, where, seated on crack
er boxes, they drank tea from tin cups