Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-12-21
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Ger of the First Kentucky Volunteers.
1t was during the recent arrival Of
that gallant organization from Porto
Rico that we warriors were brought
together. The officer presented me
with numerous souvenirs and relics of
historical interest, appertaining to the
war. I left his hotel with a pound of
Mauser cartridges and bullets in one
pocket of my overcoat, two krag-J Or
gensens of the same in my vest, frag-
ments of several shells that had been
fired into Moro Castle done up in a
newspaper and small square of bark
from the tree under which the release
papers for the exchange of Hobson and
his gallant crew We're signed in the
other. From that day I became
relic fiend." In common with seven
or eight million other idiots, l began
collecting relics. The most treasured of
my collection was the bit OF bark
The officer upon presenting it to me,
explained that he came into possession
of it through 4 brother officer who was
with the third detachment Of troops
that landed in that neighborhood
pinned my faith fast and tight to that
bit Of wood. Money couldn't have
bought it. I went around among other
relic collectors and sneered at their
treasures. 1 was the envy of the entire
bunch, and when they saw me coming
they stopped talking relics and turned
their conversation upon another topic.
In the meantime, l accumulated from
returned soldiers vast quantities of
ether war relics. I bought fragments of
cloth. torn from Spanish uniforms. ma
chetes picked up on the field at Fl Ca
ney, after the fight; epaulettes formerly
worn by Spanish captains and lieuten.
ants; buttons that once decorated the
coats OF the men who fought under
'Cervera. l acquired bayonets, gunlocks,
spanish coins atoms of ship armor
splinters from the mast of the Maria
Teresa, sections OF battle flags, a pair
or brogans that had been removed from
the hoofs of dead hero. and bullet
riddled hat that had been worn by
soldier, whose third cousin had a casual
acquaintance with the nephew Of the
woman who used to wash shirts for
Second Lieutenant Casanova's nephew.
II while inspecting the relics of other
collectors I discovered in the lot any
thing not included in my own collec-
ton. I never rested until had 4 du-
plicate of it. In short. I bought relics
until the Citizens and Marine Bank re-
fused to honor my checks.
1t was my ambition to possess the
most complete outfit Of war curios held
by any individual in this part Of the
country. Yesterday I met q man
named Kelly-W. c. Kelly. Kelly had
seen the tree from which my hit of
bark was represented to have come.
He had been over to Cuba in La
Grande Duchesse. as a machnist, hav-
ing enlisted from the Newport News
shipyard. IIe had seen the tree, say.
and he had beheld it about three weeks
ahead Of the date that my bit Of bark
was torn from it. 1T was as bare as
4 bone" said Kelly. There wasn't a
bit of bark the size of q dime on it
from top to bottom. Every limb was
broken off and there wasn't anything
much left Of that tree, except the roots.
That tree was disintegrated and carried
off by Spanish officers the day the pa
pers We're signed
l am still collecting relics and l am
satisfied that l have the largest and
most valuable collection extant When
ever learn now of new style of relic
that has just been turned out, 1 get
one just like it, and at much less cost
than have heretofore expended upon
additions to my collection. In fact, I
have ceased to lay out money on war
relics altogether. see by the Philade-
~ in ~ mo-
hibiting spar taken from the flagship
first off day have am
axe, HE me out into the wonds of War
wick county and get me one OF those
spars.
THE CHRISTMAS STOCKING.
The days intervening between now
and Christmas are few and short, but
to the little folks there's week in
every twenty-four hours, and the hours
are filled with torturous anxiety. The
problem of the Christmas stocking, how
much it can be made to hold and how
best the prodigal Santa Claus may be
enticed into freighting it with a Law
ish hand on the occasion of his noe
turnai visit. is the all-engrossing sub
ject of debate, and reflection as we'll,
in the juvenile world. Those are beau
tiful traditions. those legends of the
fine old gentleman in the snoW-covered
fur cap and great coat, riding over the
house tops in a wonderful sleigh be-
hind a spanking String Of neet-footed
reindeer. Those are fine old legends
that cluster about the Christmas sea-
son. and one of the saddest days in the
he discovers that they are but fiction
he discovers that hey are but fiction.
REIGN or THE DOLL.
Newport News seems to have gone
doll-mad Never before has there hean