The Portland daily press., 1897-08-13
TROOP F.
Resume Their March to Portland aud En-
counter a Ikain Storm.

counter ikain Storm.
The correspondent of the Boston Jour-
nal writes from Wentworth, N. H.. as
follows: Troop F, of the Third Cavalry,
U. S. A, broke camp Monday morning
and resumed their march to the sea. AS
the soldiers filed out over the Connecticut
River they followed road made use of
by General John Stark, who came to the
valley to visit his comrade in arms,
Samuel McDuffie, who had settled there
From such scenes, with the best wishes
Of the local company of National Guar ds-
men following, the troop crossed the river
and entered the Ceramic State at Pier
mont.
The little train wound up over the high
hills headed for Plymouth, and here be-
gan new existence. Hitherto the march
had been over low and easy hills, easily
surmounted, but this time the order Dis
mount" was given and the troop. each
man leading his horse, labored up the
hill. 1t was weary climb, but it was a
rest to both men and horses, and when
they reached the top they encountered a
woman, who gathered up her children
and fled from her home to the next
neighbours before word of direction was
given.
Presently boy on bicycle was seen
coming up the road; he, too, saw the new
sight and turned back.
"Come up here!" called Lieut.. Tate,
who commanded the advance. 81 want
to talk to you," and he returned to his
original course and in reply to Lieut..
Tate's interrogations informed him that
there was another hill. Cup noun
tain. about mile long," he said the road
continued, and the troop resumed their
march. At the foot of the mountain"
they dismounted and led the horses until
the summit was reached, only to continue
down the plunging side into deep valley
and along the shores of Browns Pond.
| Here another new experience came upon
them. Hitherto, the skies had been one
continual smile, but as lunch was being
aten low mutterings of thunder warned
them of approaching wetting, and in
| few moments brisk. shower began to fall
In addition to his other paraphernalia
each trooper carries (if he is wise) an
cvercoat or sticker of rubber on his saddle
pommel. And in this case those provi-
dent ants Immediately produced these
protecting garments, and putting them
on defed the raindrops. Some of them,
and the Journal man was one of those
needless grashoppers, had trusted in the
4 l. IL A1s~ Ill boo lie
the rain eds.stead1ly. There isia world
of comfort in riding in the rain when a
broad brimmed hat sheds the water on to
heavily capped long overcoat which
covers the entire body below the knees.
Snug under its protecting folds the rider
can laugh to himself, but oh the misery
of it if that overcoat has been left in the
wagoni Drenched from head to knee, the
boots serving snuppers to receive the
clippings from above, the pocket lappels
doing their best to initiate sponges, and
the.wet wetting through everything in
pockets, the condition of the unfortunate
| is deplorable in the extreme.
But.it was happy day for Capt. Dodd' s
boys. Their mouths had been closed
tightly by clouds of dust on previous
days, but the rain had wrought witch
ing change; every tongue was unloosed,
every lip was puckered into a whistle,
and musical force followed the Captain
patriotic airs crowded one another or
those happy lip. Marching was pleas.
ure, horse as we'll as men rejoiced in
breathing the fragrant air of the shower
and rejuvenated they crossed the bills OF
Oxford and moved down through the
smooth roads of Wentworth into thai
little hamlet where hospitality reigns.
In front of Maple cottage was another Of
Lieut.. Moses's ideal camp places, and be-
fore the appreciative eyes of a pretty group
of Boston girls the troop entered the field
and pitched their nightly camp.
There is one feature of camp life which
few of the outside laity are acquainted
with. 1t is the Captains camp fire.
The camp fire of prose and poetry IL
still in vogue among the enlisted men.
and Ethey still gather round it when
weather favors, but the use of the Sibley
tent has made possible as unpoetical q
feature of camp life as is the "hole in the
floor in the home.
Instead of the fire Of rails or kissing
pitch logs with their Iresinous aroma be-
fore the Captain S tent on cold evenings
is set up in hideous image. 1t is the
Silbey stove, cone of sheet iron about
two feet high, surmounted by a slender
funnel of sufficient height to insure good
draft. In this little volcano a fire is built
and soon Its rosy sides gives wealth OF
far reaching comfort which penetrate
even the further side of the tent an6
spreads around to those sitting near.
The magnetism of the fire is gone, but
the heart unlocking heat is there, and al
the officers gather and bask in the
warmth, tongues are Embossed and stories