The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-12-20

rade. Already one begins to observe
flushed look among some of the more
reckless characters, for, though the
canteen will not open till noon, and
the barrel in the corner will not be tap
ped till after dinner, yet the soldier
that wants a drink can always procure
it from some mysterious source, no
matter what the visible and outward
restrictions may be. But today that
unmiStakable look passes seemingly I'M
noticed by the inspecting officers, and
Immediately after service every man
has his work cut out to assist in the
barrack room. Here the tables are laid
out, clean sheets for tablecloths and
the crockery borrowed from the mar
ried women of the regiment. Every
knife, fork and basin is polished till it
shines again, and when at last the
Steaming hot dishes are brought in by
the cooks mates, both the nostrils and
the eyes are pleasantly assailed. Be
fore the brave fellows can begin the
repast, however, it is necessary to re-
ceive the officers.
First comes the officer of the day,
with his customary brief visit. Then
enters on the scene the colonel, at
tended by the battalion major COM
pany captain and SUbaltern officers. Al
ter the usual inquiry as to complaints,
the colonel in a few pleasant words
admires the decorations and wishes the
men a merry Christmas. In response
subdued same to you. sir, and many
of Them is heard, and the officers are
invited to partake of wine or spirits,
as they prefer. which the sergeant Of
fers on a waiter A hearty cheer is
then given for the colonel and another
for each of the officers, in the midst
of which the latter hasten on to the
next room, though you will generally
find the fashioned subaltern tagging
I behind to hear his name eheered and
rejoice in his popularity.
( And now they fall to- those hungry
( devils, for many a one ate little or no
breakfast in order to have the more
| room for dinner and the roast meat is
washed down with the officers quarts
of beer, followed by the glorious plum
pudding and more beer. Then the tuck
/ cart man, who has lain in a large sup
ply of fruit, sweets and other delica-
cies provides the desert from his
cart, and preparations are made for
/ the afternoon sitting. Beds, forms and
tables are crowded round the roaring
| fire; the barrel of porter so wistfully
! eyed all the morning is preached at
! last, and a large tin pail filed from it
/ is handed round to replenish the yes
sells which do duty for mugs.
BRIEF. HAPPY PERIOD.
Tobacco and pipes are put in requisi-
ton, and Tommy Atkins enjoys, for a
brief, happy period the delight of his
/ life, an unlimited quantity of beer,
openly consumed in barracks. By and
by the married men and their wives
| drop ina little something hot" is al
ways ready for the womenkind. Songs
are the order of the day always SEN
/ timental be it noted for Tommy de-
! spises your comic song, and has only a
passing fancy for those of the bac-
chanalian type. Beer and sOngs-sOngs
and beer-that is his summum bonuln.
/ Speeches are the exception, for those
that would cannot, and the few that
could will not waste their time in mere
words And when at last the key is
emptied-another dead marine says
Tommy turns his attention to levying
sufficient funds to lay in a supply of
the necessarily inferior canteen brand.
And so it goes on till lights OUT
sounds, and another Christmas day is
gone over to the majority Among the
/ officers the celebration of the day is
conducted on a quieter scale. A sup
per. of which the exhibition of the reg
mental plate is quite a feature, speech
making and dignifed jolity all around
! are the order of the day.