Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-27

travellers while there are all sorts and styles Of
puddles strewn around in the most promiscu-
Gus manner in the most unexpected places,
causing vast deal of profanity and transform
ing the once trim, neat national guard of the
District into an army Of the toughest looking
individuals this community has seen since
the war. Camp etiquette-that respecting
the matter Of dress-is entirely ignored;
wisely SO, indeed, for q strict adherence
to the laws of decorum in raiment would result
IN an even sadder drop in the use of polite
language. Trousers are worn decollete just
now at the camp. The degrees of turning up
indicate various and individual ideas of COM
blned comfort. The man who rolled his neither
garments up to his knees last night and waded
in happy indifference to how it looked is now
at peace with all the world except Gen. Greedy,
who has received enough anathemas during the
past twenty-four hours to last any ordinary
ago of Methusaleh.
HOW IT WAS LAST NIGHT.
1t rained in Camp Ordway last night. This
statement is made as matter of news for the
reason that there is serious doubts here to
whether there is enough water left to enable it
to RAIN anywhere else. 1t would verify seem
as though the Potomac had crept up on its edge
and then had letitself fall over upon the reser-
Walton, every drop remaining where it fell, fill
ing gullies, roads, paths, company streets,
tents-everything hut guardsmen's stomachs.
1t may be remarked that these aforesaid stom-
achs are not built for Potomac water and take
more kindly to fluids, even darker in tint than
the Potomac.
THE MUD.
There is Just one other element here that
deserves mention in the same day with the
rain, and that is the mud. 1t is real nice sort
Of mud-soft, luscious, accomm odating to any
sized foot, but sticky. 1t gets everywhere. 1t
Is not satisfied with shoes, stockings and the
lower rims OF unmentionables, but splashes up
on coats, into faces on hat crowns, over UNI
brellas, until the pilgrims in the camp are
gradually transformed into symphonies in vel
low-gray.
This mud was in its glory last night and lay
In wait for unwary passers on every square inch
on the reservation, except where the artificial
lakes had taken possession. Progress through
the camp was not only difficult but dsappoint-
ing. Five minutes meant no more than min
ute would under ordinary circumstances, and
navigation was slow, very slow.
PICTURESQUE NOTWITHSTANDING.
But yet the camp presented a most pictur-
esque appearance between supper time and
tattoo-which a visiting civilian cynically said
ought to be called waterloo-with the tents
half-lighted with their dim yellow tones from
candles within and great steamers of smoke
and sparks darting skyward from the camp
fires the men had built along the road side.
Some of these fires were works of art-great
piles of rails, logs, cord wood, trees and
branches built into pyramids that reached high
above the tent ridges. The blaze sprang
through the stuff with snap and a crackle
and as the fire was stirred volumes Of sparks
went darting off like carrier pigeons, going out
in a minute after leaving. The men huddled
close around the blaze. warming themselves
Some of them took off large part of their
clothing and dried it by holding it up to the
heat, while they shivered in the cold, misty
rain. clad in costumes that were neither elegant
nor warm but extremely picturesque.
wELL-FILLED TENTS.
The tents were unusually well filed, the men
finding more comfort there than in the rain.
The canvas roofs were perfectly water tight.
and the tattoo Of the rain on the roofs sounded
distinctly, if not pleasantly. There were several
congenal gatherings here and there in the
camp, and from some of the tents came sounds
of mirth and cheer that contrasted rather
strongly with the surroundings. Up in the
cavalry camp there was probably the jolliest
crowd on the reservation. Orderly Sergt
Mitchelrs tent was the headquarters for the
fun, and here a hungry crowd collected to
make rapid Roadway into that genial officers
store of provisions. There WERE besides the host
Sergts. Smith and SWEET and Private Hester of
the Pension Office guards, Sergt. Moore of the
Treasury guards, and Sergt. Flicker and Cor
poral Pittsburg of the cavalry. Deviled crabs
canned lobster, sardines, sandwiches, fruit,
and liquids disappeared with wonderful rapid
ity, and from the tent there emerged an atmos-
phere of comfort and enjoyment that made
several neighbors' mouths water. The pet of
the occasion was the cavalry mascot, "Appy
Any,"a diminutive kitten that crawled into
the camp the other day and has been adopted
by the troop.