Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-08-23

@EN - 80 tNNRAHA'AAEH az
wore both waiStcoat and trousers, but
at other times he dispensed entirely
with the latter, and his legs went
naked. They were naked now, as, with
the modesty of complete unconscious
ness, ne squatted in the shade, putting
~thoughtfully Mt his giant cheroot.
Once Jackets mind was fastened
upon any subject, it remained there,
and after a time ne continued:
did l told you about that battle Of
Pine Bravo? EhT He turned his big
brown eyes upward to O'Reilly. "Crls-
to! skill more'n a dozen men that
day."
ut was n hot s~crimmage," JuGHnn at
tested. "Some of LuQue's niggers, those
tall, lean, hungry fellows from Saati.
ago, managed to hack their way
through Il wire fence and get behind q
detachment of the enem3 who had
made a stand under q hill. They
charged, and for a wonder they got
close enough to use their machetes. It
was bloody work-the kind you read
about-nO quarter. Somehow Jacket
managed to be right In the middle Of
the %hutchery. He's a bravo kid, all
right. Muy malo !"
At that moment Branch approached,
his long face set in lines of discomfort,
ever deeper than usual. He had been
wandering about the camp In one of
his restless fits, and now he began:
"Say, what do you think I've been
doing? I've been looking up some grub
for Miss Evans, and l can't find any,"
"Can't find anyT
"Nothing fit for her to eat. You
don't expect her to live on this infer
nal, eternal beef stew"
"Dldn't Major Ramos bring anything
alongT O'Reilly asked.
"He says there's a famine at Cubl.
tas."
"We'd better look into this" Judson
exclaimed, and, finding that his clothes
were dry, he hurriedly began to dress
himself.
Together, the three men made an In.
vestigatlon Of the camps resources,
only to discover that Branch was right.
There was, indeed, but little food of
any kind, and that little was of the
coarsest. Ordinarily, such a condition
Of affairs would have occasloned them
no surprise, for the men were becoming
accustomed to n more or less chronic
scarcity Of provisions; but the pres.
ence Of Norine Evans put quite a DIFF
ferent complexion upon the matter.
They were still discussing the situation
when Miss Evans, having finished her
afternoon nap, threw open the flaps OF
her tent and stepped out.
When she had listened to tho &c.
count alphabetically submitted by her
three friends, she drew her brows to.
gether, saying. plaintively: ooh dear
We've been going short for q week,
and Major Ramos told me we'd fure
better when we got here. l had my
mouth all set for a banquet. Couldn't
you even find the poor dog a bone?"
"Tm afraid the cupboard Is BARE
O'Reilly acknowledged.
"Do you know what I want for din.
ner?" Norine inquired. "Lamb chops
with green peas. some nice white bread,
a salad, and coffee"
The three men looked at her anxious
ly. Judson stirred ~uneaslly.
"That's what I want. l don't expect
to get It,"
With a sigh Of relief the captain ex.
claimed, II thought you were giving
your ORDER"
Goodness, no" With a laugh the
girl seated herself upon her one camp.
chair, inviting her callers to dispose
themselves on the ground about her,
IF you can stand the food, l dare say ]
can. Now then, tell me what you've
been doing since you left Cubltas. I've
been frightened to death that some of
you would be hurt. That's one reason
why I've been working night and day
helping to get the hospitals In shape.
l can't bear to think Of our boys beipa
wounded. Everything Is so different
to what I thought 1t would be, and I'm
so weak and ineffective. The medical
supplies l brought are nearly all gone,
and I've learned what hard work II ID
fitting up hospitals when there's moth.
ing to fit them up with" She sighed.
II imagined l was going to work won,
ders-I thought 1 was going to be q
Florence Nightingale, and the men
were going to idolize me-"
Don't they?" Judson demanded.
mo. That is-not In exactly the
way I expected"
"They all want to marry her"
O'Rellly explained.
"Insolent bunchw growled the cap.
tain. Then he swallowed hard and
said, "But for that matter, so do l."
"How silly you boys can be !" Norm,
laughed. II dare say the others are
joking too, but"
"JoklngT" O'Rellly grinned. mot al
all. I'm the only single map In camp
who isn't in love with you. When you
arrived this morning there was a gen.
eral stampede for the river. I'll bel
the fish in this stream will taste Of soar
for years to come"