OFFICER AND MAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7434, 21 June 1902, Page 2

OFFICER AND MAN.

(By H. IRVING HANCOCK.) Ta-ra-ta-ra-ta-ra 1 The blatant^ peremp^ lory notes of the army " alarm clock," blared out on the bugle at the lips of a young soldier sounding the "first call to teveifie," roused the infantry camp to in- - atant if reluctant action. -... "Confound 'em aill" growled Private Haskins, as he slothfully crawled out of the little tent that soldiers call a "pup- • : liouse." " Who?" eleepily inquired Kochman, his tent-mate, who was already seated on the 'grass, dressing by the first light of dawn. "All the idiots who wake us up at. daylight," came the angry answer, as Haskins, liaving adjusted his trou*ers_ began at the •ids-lacings of hia leggings. " A soldier ain't much good if he can't .ileep all night and day too," sarcasfcicallv fejoined Kochman, standing up .and pulling •on his fchaki blouse over bis tfoick blue ■ Shirt. "What did you come into the army ;ior if you're a sleeper?" "I didn't know that the officers treated ti- like dogs — unlicensed dogs at that," gowled Private Haskins as he finished lacg the second legging. Kochman snorted «-r«ather tolerantly, to be sure — and glanced •round to see all the inhabitants of the dog tents but four. The four tents belonged to ilia eight men who had gone out on the _u#tour of sentry duty in the night. They ; ; mere still out, guarding the camp against V .the sudden surprise that meant death. Captain Miller and Lieutenant Gilbert, the two - -officers with the company, were out of their tent, looking over the camp with the keen glances of officers who know their full duty y' *nd mean to do it. - With a speed in dressing that would seem to civilians tne entirety of F Company was in its khaki field clothes, Mobeerfully ready for the work, fatigue, and fortunes of the day. The little camp lay . ina> tiny clearing in a forest of Samar. All iiUmt the Philippine jungle stretched f : thickly away. One solitary company of inf f*ntry, twenty miles from the coast and ..fifteen from the nearest town, was on VJfarail of unknown numbers of the active \ little brown men who employed death as their argument against Uncle Sam's ewav An tie far-eastesn archipelago. There had been a cftiaee, a skirmish, the day before. JTo-day iher© was every likelihood of a jmarderoua pitched combat, the advantage to be with the side that saw the other first. of course, the Amerioan soldier is ■ the better fighter, but there have-not been wanting instances in which Filipinos have lured him into ambush and treated him with shameless deadliness. "See here, rerokis," admonished Kochman, his ordinarily good-natured Teutonic ■face betraying some distrust of the other's industry, "do you {know that we've got ■ sibout fifteen minutes for breakfast? Yon - ! get your share of the wood 1 or you'll cook no coffee over my fire." Witih a scowl Private Haskins followed bia "bunkie" into the jungle. Within two aninutes they had a brisk fire going, while yj£>sth, men, squatting on the ground, used Ithe butts of their bayonets to grind the 'coffee beans furnished! by the commissary {department. To the grounds in their tin ieopa waa added water enough, end the cups set over the fire for boiling. Strips of bacon fwexe spread in ration cans, and these, too, ?were placed over the embers. In a very . 'short tuns odours rose as aromatic ac those <tStat oome from the kitchen of any first- j <elaas hotel. Hardtack wss added—that's ]•& there » to n Boldier's breakfast in the _U_d! Olttfe to the two men already intro'ttfueed Bffuatted other groups of the lean, men of F CompanyPrivate Haskins swailowed--"hi«-,drink and lood in aileoce ab first. He was a recruit »— a "rookie"— who had- reached F Oomtoaoy only Wo daya before. The first day . Wi bfew bad enoogfc-Ma day of marching fCurtoub • sun-blistered country. Yesterfiay there bad been a fiaht-^nwrely a guerrilla affair ih which, two men of ifihe cexm- . ffiany had been sUgßtly hit. , But Basking,, kk lUjjf^rydover ana mtdoontent combined, Steady despised this" oweer of abso&utely ,W work under the coJoura. As he ate, ite wondyed what would be the real risk in {deserting. 'Tin thinkin'," said Sergeant Mlullina*, r* little lem, grizzled) main, of age imposta£bie to guess, who had followed the forof tite army for twenty years on- tha v western plains, "that we'll see but little Wore trouble the next few days." "I, should hope not," came disconsolatelytram Private Haskdns. " Now, rookie, wbo asked ye to cay anyjthing?" tartly inquired Mullins. ''New tten in tho army should 'be seen — not heard." "After the battle yesterday—" begani Haskins. . " Battle be-— whanged I roared MuQinsr. . ''You're a ooid-foot-^a.maa that's afraid |to smell powder, I'm* thinkin'." ' Or aek ! A half-mile away a rifle spoke. The Filipino bullet, aimed too high^ described an arc, striking Haskins's plate'between his knees and burrowing in the ground. Though' bis sullen scowl did not .vanish, Baekins picked up thb plate, stall 'smeared with the creese of his scattered bacon, poised the,, dish for am intf-gcit, them launched it f__L in the face of Bergecunti Mcllh*. , Slowly the sergeant wiped his. faoo witbi ..Ihe imffler sidtt of hds haversack. Next, : good-naturedly &c tossed back the plate, feawridng: "I mad»a pisteke, ma boy. You're na Wd-foot, Bullete dott't rattle ye. If it's *ny satisfaction to ye, ye have the apology, W Jh» MulHns." '« • • .*•.-•■ • JJaakips. making no audible response*,. (jiWerad tyw* gtmui. Recruit though ha ■was, fie ta^T be bad committed a serioup fcnub' of pMfelMe. He cancfaded that' jMnfl^na ws« ft . TVo, ebotf, taanfetaka-bly from "Kiag" jrifle% s_aptted' oat in tho distance. Not -tone of the F'tnen paid any beed ; they were JBccaetdindd to these little affairs •between ipe-taries eariy in tbe morning. As they Ifinithed eati_i&, eadh tafcn washed bis cup head Wsi<& oep, Vwitb a little water poured! feraOk bis eauteeor. \ .' *♦ liook here J Wihoteiifle is thia?" spoke £ Atocp voioe behind the men. Captain TOmer, looking as spruce as though ho had kjtwt Itepped Out of the tailor's, though ha -Wmi twelve days away from dvilieation, <\ioo6d /ruwrungily pointing at a gum that lay fan t&e groflnd b*fcfe one of the pup-houses. "It's mine," admitted Haskins, in no) flnery amiable tone. "Say 'aii 1 / when you «n«fer mej" came Hhe oaptain's firm rebuke. U lV* none, air," Haskins almost growled. "What ia it doing in that shapo, my pact" demanded the captain. "Do yon Understand that a soldier's first duty is to •ieeepjus rifle in oondition focr its work?" . "Yee," fiaskins grudgingly admitted, -ffir?" "Sir!" " Yet tbe* muzzle is sticking, in the ground and ohtijeed with damp soil," continued Captain Miller, picking tne piece up and slowly examining it. " The barrel is as foul as a city sewer. JPre never seen a worse gun." Haskins remained sitting on the ground, scowling ahead of him. The other men had risen to their feet, sfao&ng respectfully at attention. * o - • "My man," mßVned the captain, severely, "you do* <Mfly!keep your piece in the •worst possible condition, but your uniform, though you've been with us but two dayer, shows gfoss slouchiness. Moreover, though you've spent rthree months ait recruit cam£, you don't seem to (know enough to rise in the presence of an officer. Get up !" Grudgingly, Hasina rose. "Tm sorry -for you, my man," said Captain Miller, toftidng away. "I fear yon'U t »rove ttjdtfi^race to the American Armf.

Sergeant Mullins, you're an old soldier.. See what you can do with him." "Yes, sir," replied the sergeant, and saluted. Then, as the captain walked away, the sergeant wheeled about, put his arm through the recruit's and led him a few paces anvay. "Ye've got a few things to learn, me boy," quoth, the older man. ''One of them, an the army, is that your own opinion don't count.. The next is " '"Look here," cried Haskins, angrily, breaking away from the friendly grip of his counsellor^ I 'don't want any nonsense. If the United States want men to fight their battlies they've got to treat them like men!" "And don't they?" demanded Mullins, his eyes kindling. "'»'■». " Pezhaps the country intends to, font tha officers " J ' ' ' "Well, what — ?" demanded {Sergeant Mullins, halting under the shade of the nearest maze of jungle- His eyes ehould have warned the reoruit. " Captain Miller—" began the new man, passionately. " Is finished Mullins, gravely: "He went to West Pointy but that was fo learn how to be an officer — not a gentleman. I don't know his father oi mother, but Captain Milled, was born a gentleman. " "He '.cussed me out' before the company." "And ye deserved it. It's no disgrace to be a green rookie, but 'tis a eryin' shame to be a Moker — an army lawyer !" {Haskins's fist clenched, his face taking on a deeper purple hue. ■ > "Miller is not a gentleman, he cried, savagely. "He's a cur! He's-: — ". "Whump! . Sergeant Mulin's fist sW out straight, catohing .the recruit under the chin. Haskins went to the ground like a felled tree. But he was a powerful young fellow. He leaped to his feet with murder in his eyes. Sergeant Mullins was so slight a fellow that ihe seemed like a snowflake in the way of a lightning-bolt. • Yet he caught -fche reoruit with a left swing that he had' learned at , Fort Snelling. Haskins now realised the meed of caution. Trained fairly well in the ways of personal encounter, ' he rose as if groggy, then suddenly plunged' his head at the sergeamt s abdomen. 'Mullins lightly Taised his foot — a trick acquired from the (Mexicans on the Texas frontier— caught the man in the jugular, and keeled him over decidedly dazed. ""Vyhat's the meaning of this row? Sergeant, this is no way to break in recruits," sounded an angry voice. Mullins turned just in time to perceive his captain, striding up, while fifty interested men hovered in the background. "Nothing but a , bit of sport, sir," replied the sergeant saluting, while Haskins painfully regained his feet. "We had a friendly dispute, sir, about the relative values Of different methods of sparring, and stepped over here to find out which had the best notions." f'ffm!" quoth the captain, gravely. "Don't cany it too far." With which admonition he turned and Strode back to his own tent. By the time that he was under canvas some of the onlooking men raised a faint cheer. Haskins made a move 'as if he would chance another blow. "Hold up," commanded Mullins. "Go back to your bunkie and try to be a real man. I've patience with a green man if he's got any real stuff in him." Saying which he turned contemptuously on hie heel, leaving the private to follow him back to camp. In the meantime ten men and a noncommissioned officer had started to the front. As the two late belligerents made their way toward the tents a dozen shots quickly rang out. These shots were fired by "Krags," the American guns, as every old Soldier knew. Fifteen seconds later there came a rattling volley from Mausers. The little reconnoitring party from F Company had struck the enemy ißjgforce. In an instant Captain Miller was outside his own canvas. .' "Strike your tents, men!" he shouted. "We must go forward at once." ' Three minutes later the " assembly " blew out. All ihe while there had been intermittent American firing , a little way off. with steady replies of Mauser fire. Many Of ifoe Filipino* bullets, aimed too high, had struck the ground on which the soldiers laboured. At "assembly" the men fell in. heavily 'burdened with tent-rolls, blankets food-laden haversacks, canteens and ammunition. Off they went at a swinging gait, in column of twos. They were going into a matter the issue of which was life, or death, but they didn't look it. The -American infantryman marches into action with the easy indifference of a gang of labourers strolling to their work. As they struck the jungle path single file became necessary. Fiach man had to keep one hand in front of him to fend off swinging twigs left in motion by the passage of his oredecessor. And so they plodded on, coming soon within the zone of fire that the excited Filipinos were keeping up. A man was struck in the leg, sinking to the ground ■with a word or a moan, .while the acting hospital steward, in the absence of a. surg eon, hurried back to him. Kocrhman received a bullet through the brain ; he never stirred after his limp form struck the ground. Haskins frowned, twitched- at the mouth, but quickly closed up the gap in I the line left by his dead' "bunkie." Sergeant Mulline, a little |way behind in the line, noted the conduct of the rookie, and nodded in semi-approval. Through the hollow trunks the Mauser bullets came crashing, making the worst, most, nerve-racking aound then audible. There came an instant's halt. As quickly as it could be done in the jungle, the men were deployed out into. thin skirmish line, the soldiers nine feet apart. In this order, though minus two more men hit, they came upon the little reconnoitring party. It took Captain Miller but a few moments to locate the position of the enemy, entren- ' ehed at the military crest of a hill that lay iust beyond the.- clearing ahead of them. There was no we in lying there, firing at seven hundr,eds]fyards range. \ " Steady, \ men !" . Then : " Sound the charge, bugler!" . With a yell as gleeful as that of schoolboys turned loose foj^jbhe rest of the week the men of F Company leased into the clearing, received a volley that staggered them for an instant, and then on up the hill they rushed, like the rising of a summer storm. As they ran, some fixed theii bayonets ; others slipped cartridges into their rifles ; still others gripped their pieces by the muzzles, ready to bring down the butts upon the heads of the little brown men when the two' forces met hand tc hand. The kharki-coloured line, thin as il was, did not falter once, even if three hundred brown men were firing at them from behind the shelter of a deep trench. While the Americans were still seventy-five yard/ away, the little enemy broke and fled. MiUer'B men of F Company gained the trench and jumped into it, though thej had left behind three men killed and feighl wounded. As the men leaped into the . trench they paused a moment to regain their breath, then began to fire at the Filipinos, vanishing over another earthwall at the top of the hill, two hundred yards away. It was now a fight between two entrenched forces— but a trap. Ths wall on the side toward the enemy was a "blind" embankment — a mere thing constructed of bamboo splints and loose rub bish, that did not stop a single Mauses bullet. A deafening volley from above, and four men were wounded. "There must be fully eight hundred ol the rascals above," grumbled Captain Miller to his subordinate. 1 "Fully that, sir," coincided Lieutenant . Gilbert, shouting in order to make himselj heard over the din of the rifles. "We can't stay here in the open. We'l [ have to get back to the jungle. There we may be able to trap the rascals." Gilbert nodded. Quick orders were . given to the wounded to make their escape *.*. to the rear. Ninety seconds later, witl L i two more wounded added to the list; H I

Company made its wise retreat down the hill. As they rose a wild cheer came fom , the enemy. The hill above was dotted . with exultant Malays swarming after them. i Miller had gone forty yards when he heard ■ a despairing yell above. Without an instant's hesitation he turned and sped back ' — alone — to the trench. He gained it, with four bullet-holes in his uniform and a 1 bloody scratch on his left arm. The enemy were now close at hand, firing wildly as they advanced. Most of their prac- ( tice was directed at the solitary figure \i the captain, standing well defined against a ' sky-line. It was miraculous that Miller did ' not fall with fifty bullets in him, but he paused ''long enough to glance down the ditch. There lay Haskins, shot through , the left leg, unable to rise. A few bounds carried the captain to the rookie's side. * "Put your arms around my neck, my ' man," ordered the commander, as he ■ stooped and picked up the recruit with a skill and tenderness acquired; from practice. Burden and bearer left the ditch, Miller's agile legs doing their best in the mad raoft between himself and the foremost FilipU ' nos. Haskins, groaning slightly with the ' pain, lay passive, but he was conscious that 1 the captain was carrying him, so as to ' shield him with his own body from the flight of bullets that overtook them. Mullins and a half-dozen other soldiers, i realising what was taking place, turned, i threw themselves face downward, and fired as fast as they could to check the Filipino i horde. In five minutes more F Company was safe in the jungle,' annoyed only by a scattering fire from the little brown men, who did not dare follow into that maze. ' The Filipinos knew" the danger from American ambush. Haskins and some of the other wounded were sent down to the-town of OBasingan, on the coast, where they were treated' to a military station that lay safe under the protecting guns of a little "tin-clad" gun- ; boat. Sergeant Mullins, who had been hit in the shoulder while -covering the retreat of the captain and his rookie, was ordered, much to his disgust, to 'the same station. Haskins lay in bed. Mullins, lying off in a big bamboo chair in the same room of the large nipa house that served as hospital, addressed the recruit: . * * * "(Now, me boy, what do ye think of your officers?"' ' "The same as ever," grumbled Haskins, wealdy. '"We (men are dogs— or, at 'best, machines." , "Is it so?'!, roared Mullins, wrafhfully. "c say that, and, yet the captain saved your life." .vgfcS-' " Probably $P|*bought he might need me another time'^f^V;.--"l'm soiTy^lpPnim. if he does," retorted Mullins, promptly.- ".-"See here, me lad, ye've no more manhood, in- ye than a goat has— beggin' the goat's pardon.; I've i a shoulder that's a trifle bad', but tif ye had two good legs to stand on .I'd teach ye a decent American spirit towards your officers—them that's gentlemen, I mean. Captain -filler has a wife and three children. He staked their happiness on saving a dog like you. That's all I've got to say to you now !" For two weeks Haskins lay in bed', nursing his ; grievance against officers. Even the surgeon irritated him. Mullins left hospital before the recruit was up. The sergeant's last words conveyed the expres-. sion of a belief that the recruit would ever be 1 worthless as a soldier! He advised the private to leave the army for ever as soon : as his three years were up. "Be sure that I will," retorted Haskins. "And "meantime, keep . your mouth closed," snapped the sergeant, just before leaving the room. "There's some of us that's been long enough in the service to know 'that our officers are men. If you keep your mouth closed you may save your teeth." . - Left behind, Haskins resolutely and sul- ! lenly went over every rebuking word that had ever been said to him by an officer. These gentlemen with the shoulder-straps wer-e prigs, snobs, and bullies. Once he was out of the service he would enjoy meeting as many of. them as possible and offering his opinion of them. (Haskins had once been a school teacher in a New England village, but had thrown up that em; ployment because the members of the school committee thought they knew more than he did of the requirements of his position. He had hoped to find men in the army, but was satisfied now that the officers were overbearing brutes, while the men who submitted to their discipline were fawning curs. It was five weefks later when Private Saskins, travelling with an escoi.fc train, rejoined his company, now stationed twenty miles further inland. As a matter of course he reported to Captain Miller, quartered in a comfortable nipa house in -Hie towm of Paltog. Miller, seated at a table and scanning the company's clothing report, looked up as he heard the man enter. " Oh, it's you, Haskins?" asked tho captain, As tho private sullenly saluted. " I'm glad to see you back. v Hope you didn't) leave the hospital too soon?" And he held out his hand to the private. That would have been a very unusual procedure in a home barracks, but the captain,, who loved his company, was willing to defy the regulations laid down, for the social nonintercouree between officers and men. Haskins took the outstretched hand, clasped it lightly, clammily, then stepped back again* and saluted. " Shall I return to duty, sir?" he asked, abruptly. " X"es ; go to your sergeant," returned the captain. Surprise showed in his 4ear grey eyes as the recruit walked out. Haskins had apparently forgotten to express thanks for the gallant rescue that had saved his life. ..Nor did Haskins improve in any respect during the next few days. He still hated all officers and regarded himself ac <* man who had written himself down a dog by . entering tbe army for thre» years. Haskinfl kept as clear as possible of Sergeant Mullins, but tried to find one or two other •■ malcontent spirits among his feUow-prt- > vates. Within three days he had succeeded Tin making himseflf the man without a friend in F Company. He wondered why. Only. Miller and Gilbert, while keepine; strietty within the prescribed limits of their dignity ' as officers, tried onoe in a while to break down the sullen reserve and undercurrent i disrespect of the dissatisfied man. They failed repeatedly, and now and then found necessity for more or less rtern rebuke— : but they did not cease faying to make good * materia, out of this unpromising rookie. 1- Then there oame a morning — a terrible * morning that must ever be regarded withl ■ distress by Americans. There had been ' peace for ttfceeks— ' no signs of an armed ' enemy about. It was all due to that fatal i error of over-oonfidence in " our " side and ' under-estimation of the enemy's abilities ' and enterprise that is . common alike to > Amesioans and to English- soldiers. Who* '> they the fault belonged to the officers or * the men of F Oompany — or was to ba ' equally divided! between officers and men-— > no one perhaps -will ever know. Certain » it is that, in the seeming security of life at * Paltog, outpost duty had been a good deal * relaxed. The native presidents of the * town, installed tn a lucrative office by Capt tain Miller, had during the night before led i a force of more than one thousand Filipino l insurgents to the town amd had posted them i as ceax as possible to the street occupied by ' tho officers and men of F Company. 1 WhilO the men of F Company wero eat--1 ing their bacon and sipping their pinte of ' black coßee around little Aires in tne main k street of tho town a signal shot whs heard. ' The bullet tore up the dirt, throwing* it * over three or four men. Not more than, : two seconds later a gust of bullets *wept * down tbe street, knocking • over seveial of the men ere -they had time to rise to their ' feet. Miller was first up. His oomm&nds * rang out sharp and clear. The enemy were posted on the slopes on three sides, the ' ranges running from two tq three hundred ' yards. Fully twenty men- had no chance to get upon their feet before they were 1 struck. J Selecting like a flash tbe point at which the insurgents seemed to be most strongly » posted, Miller tried to lead his soldiers for* i ward. The effort waa useless. Men dropped l co fast that it 'seemed as if the Command *■ waa being wiped out by -lightning bolts.

In a choking voice Miller ordered his men to lie down and fire as fast and straight as they knew how. But it was hopeless. " Gilbert," sounded the captain's voice, " this means extinction. It's of no use to fight. Tbe ravine at our rear seems to be clear. I think we had better get as many of our men as possible down that wa^. Some of them may escape." "You're right, sir it!" came huskily from the lieutenant. " The enemy -" That was as far as the lieutenant got. A Mauser bullet entered His brain. Miller {felt a sob choking at his throat. Then, rising to his feet, determined to save a portion of his command, if possible, he gave the order to rusfti for the ravine. The dead of F Company littered the street. There were nob enough unhit men to make any attempt to carry off the wounded. And the air, just above the street, was fanned into vibrating action by the passage of thousands of bullets. It was necessary for the bugler to sound the "retreat," that 'the small remnant of the company might hear the order. Miller's smoking revolver was flourished toward the ravine. Down the street fled the fugitives, dashed into the ravine, and still kept running. Haskins was among the last to reach comparative safety. Wonderingly he glanced) back, saw Captain Miller, the last of the command to leave, within fiffcv yards of the scene of the first slaughter, add with scores of the little 'brown insurgents in pursuit. Even as Haskins looked he saw his captain fall. There was a brief choke in the private's throat. Then, in sudden desperation he ran back, yelling like a Comanche and emptying the magazine of his rifle as he ran. Sergeant Mullins, a little nearer the ravine, turned and saw what was taking place. Though wounded in the hip, he gave a hoarse cheer and started to wriggle back, slipping cartridges into his piece.** From the houses of the natives brown women rushed out, hauling firewood after them and laying it in piles in the street. They and the insurgent soldiers dragged the bodies of tbe slain and wounded and laid them on the pyres. A dozen- matches were struck and the wood began to blaze. Sick at hearty with rifle empty, Haskins darted into this street of Hades. Dropping his rifle, he stopped but a second to pick up the body of his captain. Never pausing to see whether that officer still breathed, the, recruit turned and fled. He was but thirty feet from the nearest Filipinos when he started, but hia long sinewy legs rapidly made the distance 'better. Realising that their prey was escaping them, ths Malays stopped and began to fire. A single rifle — Mullins's— almost in Haskins's fice, gave the reply, at the rate of a shot every two seconds. Two of the Filipinos dropped-. "Pul>me down, my man, and save yourself," came the faint order fom Captain Miller. " There's no chance for both of us." " Then we're both doomed, sir," <pant«d Haskins, a new light shining in his eyes. Reloading his rifle i good old. Mullins struggled to his feet, and slowly, painfully retreated with them £ reaching the ravine last. . Here they found the survivors, eleven others, some of them more or less seriously hit, but all halted by Corporal Butler, the only non-commissioned \ officer not struck. The men set up a wild cheer as the~ caught sight of Haskins, his burden, and the bleeding sergeant trailing in the rear. "Don't crow, men," remonstrated Captain Miller, as Haskins laid him tenderly on the ground. " How many men are without a scratch? Five? Then Basingan is our destination. Forward t as quickly as we can go. Behind us are a thousand of the brown devils. We can't talk of revenge with much less than a battalion. Forward, sb soon as you get your wind." So the procession started, with thro* men. in advance and four as rear-guard, the rest, Haskins among the number, keeping with their captain, who lay pn a crudebamboo stretcher. They travelled as only men can who have whipped, and know that it is hopeless to try and retrieve the defeat. There were two or three alarms along the way, and not much time devoted for camping for rest. In the afternoon of the following day they reached Basingan. Within two hours the advance guard of a punitive expedition was on its way to Paltog, and two hours after that other troops, hastily sent for, were, disembarking on the beach. But every dead and living body left behind at the little town in Samar had been swiftly cremated by the brown victors, who, in turn, had safely xc treated from ihe wrath to come. Shot through the lower edge of the right lung, Captain- Miller lay in the best room of the nipa-thatched hospital at Basingan. He was certain to recover, the army surgeon said, and was permitted to have visitors. Sergeant Mullins, who refused to go to bed, and who was able to hobble about, was in! the same room with his captain. " Can I come in?" asked a voice, and Private Haskins, with "his hand at his sombrero in prolonged salute, stood at tha door of the room. Mullins glanced at his chief, who nodded, and the recruit entered softly. Going over and kneeling beside the bed, Haskins took his captain's hand gently in his. " I've come to beg your pardon, sir," began the recruit, huskily. "For what?" demanded Miller, in palpable surprise. "■ For not thanking you, sir, for that time when you saived my life." "I guess we're even, Haskins. You certainly saved mine." "But I acted like a cur, sir. I always hated you, sir— l suppose because you wers a captain and I was a private. I thought officers treated men like dogs. Now 1 know that you didn't treat me like a dog — but you ought to have done it, sir— for -I was one." "Hush!" commanded the captain, stretching his nearer arm around the re oruit's neck. "I know a good man, even if he doesn't know himself at first." "Will you forgive me, sir, and give mo a chance to show that I can be a decent soldier?" asked Haskins, almost inaudib iy. " There's nothing to forgive," replied the captain, qUietly. "As to your being a good soldier— Sergeant Mullins!" "Yes, sir," replied the old non-com., hobbling over to the bedside. " Can you find any flannel?" " I guess the surgeon has some, sir." " Get it, and when you feel able, cut out a pair of corporal's chevrons for Private Haskins." '* Yes, sir," replied Muffins, and gave the private a queer glance. "rtow old are you, Haskins?" asked the captain, after a few minutes' pause. "Twenty-four, sir." "And you've been weE educated?" "I suppose so, sir." "Then you bave four years in which to earn a lieutenant's commission from the ra#a. Gefc ifc, if you can. I'll help you as much as possible. If you win out— and God grant you may— then you'll know a lot more by that time about the old, old game of officer and man. Good-night." "Good-night, sir!" Haskins went out on tip-toe and softly closed the door after hini.

Rank and riches are chains of gold, but still chains.— Rufflni. The members of the Berlin "Society of Leap- Year's Children"— to which none are admissible unlesa born on Feb. 29— will keep their next common birthday in great style in 1904. They have had no opportunity for eight years, as in 1900 the extra February day, according to the rules of the reformed calendar, was Omitted. Herr Monteur, the president of the Society, is a septuagenarian, but in the seventy years of his life he has only had seventeen birthdays ; he hopes to celebrate his eighteenth birthday and seventy-second year of his life an the midst of his colleagues on Feb. '29, 1904. i;