Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-24
LIFE IN THE CAMP
Mrs. Custer Talks Of Garrison
Life on the Plains
ITS JOYS AND HAaDsHlPs
How the Wives Of the Army ofiesss En-
dused the Dull Routine Of Camp
Life In the Far West.


Nearly every seat in the Ladies' Lit
erary club house was taken before 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon. the hour
assigned for the opening OF the lecture
by Mrs. Elizabeth b. Custer, widow Of
the famous and gallant solder whose
life Was sacriticcd at the Little Big Horn.
The stags was beautifully draped with
the national flag. and Was further
adorned with red and white tulips.
Mira Custer Was introduced BY Mrs.
Smith w. Osterhous, the lecture being
given under the auspices OF Mrs. Oster-
houts "Ten" Of the Park Congrega-
tional church.
Mrs. Custer IL a modest, unassuming
little woman, and che speaka without
any attempt at elecutionary effect. She
was attired in . simple gown OF black
with white collar and cuffs. She wore
black gloves and . bunch Of white
roses. She announced tho subject OF
tho lecture - talk upon Garrison
Life" and proceeded directly to the
topic. She said:
A military day begins with the boom
Of the gun. The reveille is . beautiful
sound or would DO If is came At any
other time. With the boom of the guns
the garrison flags are unfurled TO the
breeze. II seems small affair for so
great . ceremony. but the sergeant
and his men do not think %, for precis.
ION on the field 10 attained by precision
in the garrison. The day ends much
- 1t began and the stars and stripes
are almost obscured BY the smoke Of
the powder. The sun rises and sets by
tRe boom OF . gun and the twelve
hours which intervene arc we'll filled.
Their ARsction for Horses.
It would take volume to tell of an
old soldiers affection for his horse.
Oftentimes on . cold night he will
deny himself the shelter of his blanket
and wrap it about the shiyering
animal; then again when water IL
short and there seems hardly enough
to moisten the tilroats of the soldiers an
old man will slyly clip HE canteen into
. stream, then empty it into his hat
and offer it to his horse, who 10 clever
enough to drink from % small recep.
tacle, even though tine drops are suffi-
cient only to cool his parched mouth.
1t frequently happens on long march
that the backs of the horses become
tender and sore; then the riders will
descend and tramp many weary mile
to relieve the horses. It 10 impossible
to convey to you more than an idea Of
the affection of IN old soldier for his
horse. Transportation out west 10 very
difficult. Trains of "prslrie schoon-
ers" convey supplies, and "a these
trans have 70 be guarded by soldiers.
transportation 10 very high. Many Of
the houses are mere adobe huts,
made of undried bricks, and
in continued rains are apt to
slip down. There is one consolation
in these houses. The material,
such as it is. is plentiful and the adobe
which entere into the construction of
the chimney often amounts to 20 much
40 that In the remainder of the house
90 that the building often looked as
though it were tackled on to the
chimney. Then there 10 another style
of house, If it can be called such. occu-
pied by army people. It is called the
'sdugout," and consists of q hole dug
into tho ground and rooted over with
boards, these boards being the remains
of the boxes in which. bareback and
They Need Their Wives,
It never becomes an old story to .
military man that bis wife makes sacri-
fees for him. They are the best hus-
bands in the world and are free to ad-
NIT that their wives are needed. When
the snow fell early in October the soil
Was invisible until the May following.
OF course, during the winter,
sleighlnG was q great resource and
it was of no use to protest
that you did not like it. You always
went when the invitation was extended.
Military men have an etiquette of
never speaking Of their wounds. But
their wives are not 90 hampered. They
can retail every ache and pain. Our
life was one largely of leisure. Living
the simple life that we did with the
servants to do the work We had no
opportunity to become accomplished
housekeepers, and the officers we're
always averse TO our doing any work.
They expected us always 10 be ready to
90 Tor walk or drive. We could not
study, for we had no library. The
paper covered novel was always with US.
The difference between social and
official conference between officers is
very marked, and after the close of
official troubles no one would ever
refer to them any more than be would
to the family skeleton.
Change In Garrison life.
When We could leave garrison and
20 east for visit the officers would be-
seech US to have q good time and then
come back and tell them all about 1t.
Frontier garrieons are not now so in
accessible owing 10 the five lines of Pa
cific railways which cut up into com.
paratively narrow strips the Great
American desert. l have purposely
avoided all reference to the sad part
the other SIDE Of our life.
No one can know what We suffered
by way OF anxiety-anxiety all through
the winter that the spring was COM
ing--the spring when the regiments
were 10 march away without knowing
when they would come back. Then
the months and months when we would
hear nothing OF our loved ones, months
Of anxiety that aged Us prematureIy.
Mrs.. Custer spoke RAPIDLY and at
great length. but every word was fol-
lowed with close attention by the large
audience. Her voice il exceedingly
musical, and witty illustrations of gar
r1son life told simply hut effectively.
created ripples of frequent laughter.
BACK FROM THEIR TRIP.