Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-07-14
A Goldsboro Boy Writes Back
FromSan Francisco a Charm
ing Letter to His Pa
rents Which We are
Permitted to
Publish.
The Father Wore The Gray.
Odd Fellows Headquarters,
Camp Merritt,
San Francisco, CAL,
Inly 1fb 1903


NY Dear Mother and Father:-
To-day is the glorious fourth, and
while the tremendous population
of this great city + celebrating
it, along with the victory of Samp-
son and the anticipated occupation
of Santiago by Shafter, with the
booming of numerous cannon and
the braying of bands, | have stol-
en- away from the throng for q
short time in order to hold an
hour or two's sweet communion
with the loved ones at home. This
is a great country, a great city, a
great people, and [ have never been
more proud of my American eiti-
zenship in all my life than | have
for the last few days. | am sure if
the Queen Regent of Spain were to
take a trip across this continent,
and g our great resources in
men and money, they would
stike the national colors of their
native land, and with one voice vote
for peace. Do you know that
from Raleigh clear through to our
destination, here at the Golden
Gate, we e confronted on every
side by the sight of boys in blue,
and for nearly every n hun
dred miles we passed, we ran by
train after train of soldiers and
horses. From every depot we
passed, whether from large or
small station, there was sure to be
the ''Star Spangled Banner float
ing from the mast head-or
rather [ should say flag staff, and
the sight of a blue uniform called
for cheer after cheer from the
crowds who saw it. This coun~
try of ours is not to be conquered
by any nation on earth, much less
Spain, we are inYincible, as it were,
and [ am, as | have said before,
proud of the fact of being an
American. I declare l have so
much to tell, so Lluch to write
about that [ don't know exactly
where to begin; but first [ must
tell you of the good women, the
good Samaritans of our camp.
You will find good women every
where, in the South, the North,
the East and the West, but you
will never find any better women
in the world, "Mother alone being
excepted" than you do here on the
Pacific coast. They are veritable
angels of u camp life and but
for them, life would 60 very hard
indeed with some of US poor PEG
pie There is nearly every Reli-
gious and masonic fraternity in
the world represented by the good
women of this city in camp, and
you can mention nothing too good
for them to do for US. You will
find the Odd Fellows, the Masons,
Knights of Pythias, the Epworth
League, the Christian Endeavor
and the Red Cross Society, and
those black-robed angels of mer-
cy-the Sisters of Charity, all
busily and pleasantly engaged
striving to do the best they can
for the good comfort of the SOL
diers. Most of these ladies, be it
understood, are Catholics, but to
my mind, there is not a more de-
vout, more charitable people On
earth than they are, and they are
honored, respected and loved by
all they come in contact with.
Another thing-and this is for
papa's perusal-Yankees or no
Yankees, they treat US square. Out
side of a Texas regiment we are
the only boys from the. South, and
never a word of ridcuie or ieer
have we heard from these Yam
KEGS of the North and West.
Our crowd made me spokesman
when we arrived here and rported
to the Adjutant Generals head
quarters and here is about the way
the conversation went:
Adj't General-'tSo you are
from North Carolina, Mr.. Slo-
cumb?p
Mr.. slocumb-..Yes, SIR"
A, Ga tar heel. eh?"
Mr.. ST have that honor.
sir"
A. G.-'tYour full name.
please.
Mr.. S-s.Ashby P. Slocumb,