Happy Days: A Paper for Young Americans — page 6: what you’re looking at

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“THAPPY DAYS ee ‘Speech! Speech!” yelled the crowd, as Harold stood blushing and looking very much confused, It had to be, but it took all Harold’s self- control to steady his voice to speak. ‘Fellow townsmen, you have taken me entirely by surprise,” he began; ‘ I—I hardly know how to thank you for this display of confidence, and all I can say is that if I take the contract for the High School again I shall try to do what I al- ways did, and that is my best; but I—-—” ‘* Hold on, Harold,” broke in the judge, ‘* you’ve got to take it—understand that!” ‘*You must! You shall!” shouted the crowd. ‘But what has become of Mr, Plank- man?” Harold broke out, ‘I don’t under- stand this at all.” ‘Why, haven’t you heard?” said the judge. ‘‘Plankman got his payment last night, and he has. run away—deserted his family and left all the men unpaid.” The cat was out of the bag at last. Of this, of course, Harold had heard nothing. Nor Pad the Dillsburg people heard of Harold’s success at Risley, and when it came to their ears he was congratulated on every hand. Old friends who had not spoken to him since his father’s death, now came crowd- ing around him, full of offers of help and sympathy. pee : Marvelous was the change which Dr, Walton’s announcement had _ brought about. The next day Harold started work on the High School bright and early, and at noon, leaving Murphy in charge, went up to Ris- ley to meet the town hall committee, He was most cordially received, for the news of the doings in Dillsburg had trav- eled up the river. It would have been hard to find any one willing to admit that he had belonged to the mob, and before Harold left cavwit es had the contract signed, seal. ed and delivered, snugly resting in_ his pocket. : Next day the drummers for the material men came crowding into town. This was a surprise to Haroid, for he had expected trouble in this direction. e was deeply moved when he found ’ that Mr. Fortescue had written to each firm offering his name as security for any indebtedness Harold Holly might contract, ‘‘T’1l show myself worthy ofall this confi- dence,” resolved the boy, and during the next two weeks he worked with a will, making wonderful headway on the school, and actually getting his excavating for the foundation entirely completed up at Risley. | But it was hard work, and kept Harold on the hea Ae ; : During all this time nothing was heard of either Mr. Conklin or Duchy Moore, It was every morning at Dillsburg, and every afternoon at Risley. One night, when he landed at the wharf on his return to Dillsburg, Harold found himself in trouble again. Dick, who always went up with him, was just pee a parcel out of the boat, when a rough hand seized Harold b the collar and jerked him violently around, Harold dropped the parcel and faced about, to find himself in the clutches of Detective Mulvey and another man, ‘Ha, ha, young feller! Just the man we want!” sneered Mulvey. ‘‘I s’pose you know the grand jury have indicted you for the bank robbery. My orders are to run you down to Whitmanville and lock up in jail!” 3 O BE CONTINUED ‘ART YOUR COLLEC=- PRESIDENT AND CEN- ERAL BUTTONS. SEE [6th PACE. o-o————_--—- This story conunenced in No, 124.) TUR, FRIENDS: THE CUBAN JUNTA’S YANKEE DEAD SHOT. SToRY OF THE FAMOUS BLOCKADE RUNNER, ——_oeC- By CASTON CARNE, ‘Author of ‘‘ Maceo’s Boys,” ‘‘ Cal. Carter, the Boy awyer,” “Young Karl Kruger,” ‘ Maceo’s Boy Guerrillas,”’** Two Yankee boys Among the Kaffirs,” ete., ete. (a CHAPTER XVI. IN WHICH THE DEAD SHOT REACHES GOMEZ’S CAMP, WHEN Horace uttered the word *‘ never” he ae back and drew his revolver. Burns, Boyle and Arcas did likewise, to the astonishment of the insurgent captain, who exclaimed ; sist.” ‘In that case we will die with arms in our hands,” Horace retorted. “I won't give up my arms to anybody. We have come here with a message to General Gomez, Is this part of his force ?” _ “It is, but you can’t go to him with arms in your hands,” **I won't go to him in any other way. I am an American sent to him by the Junta in New York with important dispatches. I don’t know that you are insurgents. I won’t give up my arms, If you want them take them,” ‘**Captain,” said Don Miguel, ‘‘I am well known to his excellency. ‘take me to him. Ihave noarms, I can explain it to him.” ** Lieutenant, take this man to the gen- eral, and tell him I have others of his party here who refuse to give up their arms,” The lieutenant went away with Don Miguel, and the captain turned fiercely on lorace with: **T’d like to shoot you, senor,” “Which desire speaks very little for your love of Cuba,” returned Horace. ** There are plenty of Spaniards on whom to exercise your prowess. Why not save your wrath for them ?” ‘** I shall keep some of it for you, senor,” Horace laughed, Quick as a flash he raised his machete to strike him, Horace caught it on the barrel of his rifle, breaking it in two pieces, ‘Captain, you will be court-martialed to-morrow,” said Arcas. ‘“* You don’t know what you have done,” ‘** Who are you, senor ?” cried the enraged captain, turning on the Cuban, ‘*.Tama Cuban, you fool!” said Arcas. ‘*If you are anxious to fight, get another machete and try it on me,’ Somehow the idea got into his head that he had gone too far. Arcas had mentioned court-martial and the words worried him. He turned away and asked one of the men to get him another machete, One was not convenient, so he waited in moody silence for the return of his lieutenant from head- quarters, »\ In the meantime the mother and daugh- ter stood by and heard all that passed, Boyle and Burns stood ready to use their weapons at the first hostile movement on the part of the swarthy insurgents, The lieutenant finally returned with the | t the party to headquarters at once. Horace smiled when he heard it, and the party set out at once, Their arms were not demand- ed again. They found the old general awaiting them at his quarters. He had been in bed, but arose and dressed himself as soon as he heard that Don Miguel Plavano was at the door. He knew the Don well as the most influential man in Matanzas province, Horace was presented to him by the Don. The general looked him full in the face for a few moments, and then extended his hand toward him. Horace drew a packet from a pocket inside the breast of his coat and passed it to him. Then they clasped hands, and a signal grip electrified the old warrior, ‘Ah! Ah!” he ejaculated. ‘‘ Comrade Barbour, I am glad to see you. I salute youl” and he gave the young American a salute such as none of his staff had ever seen him give to more than one person be- fore, and that other one was the President of the Cuban Republic. Horace returned the salute with easy grace, ne, the old general bowed to Don Miguel, sayings **Pardon me, Don Miguel, but I am com- pelled to look over these dispatches. My chief of staff will see that quarters are grorneed for yourself and family, I shall o myself the honor of paying my respects to the ladies in the morning.” The Don bowed low to him, The general bowed low to Horace and then retired with the packet to an inner room, Don Miguel was puzzled over the respect paid the young American by the old rior, Senora and Sencrita Plavano looked up at him with awe plainly depicted in their faces, The captain of the guard was thunderstruck. He understood then why cour Arcas had mentioned court-martial i0 him, As the general had given him no orders, he went away with his soldiers, The chief of staff had procured quarters for Don Miguel and his wife and daughter, in the house of a citizen near the general's headquarters, They bade Horace good- night and went away witha guide, Hor- ace, Burns and Boyle were then provided with beds in one room, while Senor Arcas was given quarters in another place, The next morning Horace was up early. He wanted to see the camp and army of the old warrior, who had been more thana match for the best generals of Spain, He found it a queer campindeed. ‘There were but few tents to be seen, and the soldiers he saw were as unlike soldiers as any band of men he had ever heard of. There were men of every color of the human race there, nearly all armed with the machete, Even war-| W “You will be shot to death if you re- | those who had rifles carried the national weapon. There were no uniforms save among the officers, and theirs were simply to designate their rank. For all that, they looked like a crowd of men who were ppeiiog for a fight. Spanish officers feared them more than they did the trained sol- diers of Europe, for they were men who could appear and vanish at unexpected points, always terrible in combat, and as savage in battle as so many jungle tigers. While he was going about the camp with his Winchester on his shoulder, the swarthy fellows eyed him curiously on ac- count of his dress, for there were very few men in camp so well dressed who did not wear an officer’s sword. ‘* What sort of a gun is that, senor?” an insurgent soldier asked him, ‘‘It is a Winchester,” he replied, The man had never heard the name be- fore. He asked permission to examine it. Horace showed it to him, explained its mechanism, but did not let it pass out of his hands, ‘** How far will it shoot, senor?” **T can killa mana mile off with it,” he replied, The man laughed, ‘They say the Mauser rifle will do the same thing, but it is never done,” he re- marked, shaking his head, ‘‘ No man can ae anything so far except by mere acci- ent.” “Why not?’ Horace asked, ‘*T don’t know, senor. I’ve never seen or heard of it being done.” * Well, you people down here don’t know much about what goes on in other parts of the world, Hang up your hat half a mile away and I'll make a hole in it for ““T would let you shoot at me all day at that distance, senor,” laughed the swarthy fellow, ‘*There would be a dead fool at the first shot,” Horace remarked, ‘* Maybe so, senor, “But I’ve beard men boast before. I know them when I hear them,” By that time a score of swarthy fellows were around him, ** You take us all for fools, senor,” re- marked another, *“‘ but you make a mis- take. We know afew things down here, eh, comrades ?” **Si!” chorused the crowd. me on that hill out there ?” and he pointed to a huge old tree, gnarled and leafless, stand- ing plainly to view in the distance, hey looked at it and consulted amon themselves for some minutes, after whic they agreed that it was a little overa half mile away. ‘ Well, Ill show you how to shoot and prove to you that you don’t know very much about it. Do you see that knot on the limb out on the right ?” ‘*Si, senor,” they all replied. ‘Well, keep your eye onit. Maybe you can see bark or dust fly from it,” and- then he adjusted the long range sight of his rifle. Turning toa man who was smoking a native cigar, he asked him to blow smoke straight above his head. The man did so and it drifted slowly in the direction o the old tree, ‘Thank you, senor,” and he raised the rifle to his shoulders, But ere he aimed, he saw two crows flying toward the tree. He waited a few seconds till they perched on a limb near the top. “ I'll take a crow instead of the knot,” he said, aiming and firing. Gas of the crows dropped straight to the ground, CHAPTER XVII. TEACHING AN ARMY HOW TO SHOOT. ERE the Cubans could recover from their astonishment at the shot, Horace turned and walked away. He was met by a mes- senger from headquarters who told him the general was waiting for him. He hurried on and met Burns on the a > Olee just given those fellows a sample shot,” he said to the Tennessean, ‘and they are probably declaring that I have a et with the evil one.” Burns laughed and started to go on and enjoy their surprise. But Horace inter- fered, saying: ‘You can’t understand them. Don’t go among them without an interpreter,” sig ere are you going now @” ‘‘ The general has sent for me,” * Had ee breakfast ?” ** No—have you?” ** No, and I am very ape 7 too.” “Come on with me then, Where is yle? “1 left him in the room where we slept.” ** Guess he’s hungry too.” ** Guess he is,” laughed Burns, They met Boyle ere they got to head- quarters, and all three were taken eharge of by a staff officer, and conducted to a breakfast set for them in a house attached to the general’s quarters, The meal over, the general sent for Hor- ace, and hac an hour's conference with him take you for fools, I know you | si sht on his rifle. ow far is it to that old dead tree |and fired. The ten shots were delivered ina private room. ‘The secret of that con- ference is yet confined to those two, That it was important in many respects is proved by what followed. ‘You must let the men see you shoot at once, comrade,” the general said to him, as they emerged from the room, “} shall do whatever your excellency may command,” Horace replied, ‘Thanks, Comrade,” the general said. One of the staff came in at that moment and reported that the men were very much excited over a shot made by Senor Barbour half an hour before. “Call out every man to witness some — of it,” the commander-in-chief order- e * Soon every regiment and company was in line, General Gomez. and his staff, accom- panied by Horace, Burns and Boyle, rode down the line. What a motley crowd they were ! But they were brave fellows who were willing to face the enemy at any time, day or night, They cheered the old warrior as he rode © by, and wondered who the newcomers were, After they had ridden down the line they turned and rode back to the center, There the old general, on whom depended ae hopes of Cuba, stopped and addressed them. ** Soldiers of Cuba!” he sung out in a clear, ringing voice. ‘‘ The Junta in New York has sent to us comrade Barbour and his rifle. He has brought two friefds with him, Senors Burns and Boyle. They are to show you how to make Cuba the burial ground of Spanish soldiers. Down the line and beyond stands the image of a Spanish soldier against a tree, The suit is stuffed with leaves, and on his breast is a target. There is no man in our ranks who can hit it at such a distance, A thousand shots might be fired in vain, and so much good ammunition lost to our cause, Comrade Barbour will fire ten shots atitin your presence, that you may see what can be done by a man when he tries. I know that a man can learn to do any- thing. Cubans are brave men, and if they were also good marksmen, I would lead 1,000 of them against 10,000: Spaniards, Hovase e dismounted and adjusted the t men looked on in athless silence. VYle took a quick aim inside of two minutes, The two men took the stuffed suit and bore it slowly along the line that every soldier might see the bullet holes in the target, which was mark- ed out on the breast of the suit. Every bullet had gone true to the mark, and the exclamations of wonder were heard all along the line. When it was brought to the old warrior to inspect he took off his hat to Horace, who saluted him as a soldier, ‘‘Senor Arcas says that a Spanish cav- | alry company of 60 men were defeated by them—these three men—yesterday morn- ing at the plantation of Don Miguel Pla- vano,” the general said, ‘“‘and that more than one half of them were killed, Com- rade Barbour will explain to you how to become good shots like himself. It is part of his mission to us to do so,” Horace held his rifle in his left hand va ee in aclear voice that was heard all, %e At no other time does a man shoot so carelessly as in battle,” he said. ‘* Thou- sands of shots are fired that do no harm to the enemy. It is all because men do not aim, nae fire in the direction of the enemy and trust to fortune. Of all people who fought for liberty you Cubans have less ammunition to throw away. With- out. powder and lead your rifles are of little use to you. With skilled marksmanship the long range rifle, like the Mauser, Win- chester and others, it is the best arm in the world. The secret is this, Cubans: Learn to shoot well, and then never pull our trigger till you are sure of your aim. xyive me two rifles like this and of a com- any of fifty men, charging at full speed half a mile away, not one could get to me, I can shoot from ten to twenty times a minute, and make every bullet count for one dead man, At long range learn to judge distances and raise the sight to that point. ‘hen, if the wind is blowing right or left of you, you must consider that. One thousand dead shots can whip ten thou- sand of the best soldiers in the world, Every man can become a dead shot if he tries hard, fora man can learn to do any- thing. Weyler has learned how to claim a victory for Spanish arms that was won by your machetes. That is the fine art of lying. If you will learn the fine art of 8 coping you will free Cuba and place her among the nations of the earth, for she is the richest island in all the world.” The Cubans cheered peongin “Now I am going to give every man who has arifle here one lesson in marks- manship., That will be one round of am- munition to each man, Your captains will detail twenty men at atime to come to me, I will explain to each one how to use his tg Cee ee ees > Uae ane a r ul . 2 , me et Caan 6 ee ee TN! ee oe Le ee CAM es *