The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-10
Special TO the Scranton Tribune.


antics of the invisible "rumor commit
tees" of the camp. For a while yester-
day morning the temperature must
have gone up to hundred degrees;
later in the day it began to cool off
and heavy, though short, rain show
er in the afternoon, marked a very de-
cidcd drop. From being comfortable,
the breeZes became chilly-so much so
as to make even the army great-coat
quite desirable; and finally, for the
first time since the PENNSYLVANIA
troops We're cncamped at Mount Gret-
ma last April. the sentries of this bri-
gade-the Third-had to don their
overcoats and capes, as a matter of
necessity while on their tour of guard
duty.
The scenes enacted this morning at
o'clock would remind one forcibly of
the days spent on the mountains and
cold culm piles near Lattimer year
ago. The boys were cold in their tents
and got up even before reville, lit the
fires, and danced, jumped and ran
around them in order to get their blood
in circulation. The distance between
freezing point and the degree indicat-
cd by the thermometer at o'clock this
morning, was so very small and mar
row that the men who see visions of a
months siege here, were not much in
clined to Joke about it. Today, how
ever, the cold wave seems to have
passed and the air is warm once more.
THEY ARE HAPPY.
There is not a man in the Twelfth
Pennsylvania, sick or WELL who is not
walking smile today. This is not due
entirely to the fact that they are get
ting their pay, but because they have
received word that they will be mus
tered out. When the news was pub
lished, the men sang, danced, yelled
and flung their hats high in the air.
When they read in the morning pa
pers that they had been selected for
mastering out they could hardly be-
lieve 1t, but IT was soon given out from
division brigade and regimental head
quarters as beyond a doubt. 1t was
then that the JOY and the enthusiasm
of the rank and file were made mani
fest. The Twelfth is now doing pro-
vost along the valley of the neighbor-
ing river and throughout the farms In
this vicinity, having been detailed for
that duty II short time ago for forty
days. They will be relieved by a bat
talon of the Eighth Pennsylvania as
speedily as convenient, and will leave
some time next week-the exact date
being yet unknown. They will receive
thirty-day furlough. at the end of
which time they will report at their
armory in Williamsport in order to re-
ceive their discharge.
The mastering out of the Twelfth.
together with the report that the Fifth
and Ninth will also be discharged is
full of meaning for the two remaining
regiments Of the Third brigade, the
Eighth and the Thirteenth. 1t is a
powerful object lesson. The Eighth
has to remain, though it has been the
most favored of the three and, at the
same time, the most desirous of re-
turning home; and the Scranton regi-
ment is evidently intended for garrison
duty, while their friends from Wilkes
Barre will be enjoying rest. case and
all the comforts and conveniences of
life in the mother country"
The Fifteenth Pennsylvania and the
First Maryland arrived in camp YES
terday morning. The latter regiment
is located a short distance from the
Thirteenth and on the open field lead
ing up gradually TO division head
quarters. 1t is expected that the Mary
landers will take the place made va
cant in the Third brigade by the re-
moval of the Twelfth.
HAVE GOOD NEIGHBORS.
There is nothing heard here among
the boys only words of praise for the
people near the camp. They are hos
pitality personified. Soldiers are well
tion of the people, nothing is too good
Tor them. Already visitors from ev-
cry direction have begun to swarm
through camp. Today men and wo-
men, young and old, boys, girls and
little children have literally taken pos
session of the entire grounds, and this
is particularly true of the Eighth.
Twelfth and Thirteenth PENNSYLVANIA,
The members Of the Eighth are, of
course, the most highly favored, as a
large percentage of that regiment is
from Harrisburg and the adjacent
towns and districts.
For several days they did not stand
much in need of the regular rations
If one could judge from externals. be-
cause. for three or four days, bevies of
bright young women have been carry
ing to them baskets upon baskets filled
with every imaginable delicacy. The
people who live in this part of Penn
sylvania take very naturally to the SOL
diers, and the boys are, as a conse-
quence, delighted; but it is well under
stood that IL is the wearers of the blue
hailing from the Keystone state who
are particularly favored. More visit
ors call at the camp of the Third bri-
gade than anywhere else, and they are
pleasant in their manner intelligent
and friendly. They mix with the boys
and chat with them freely and never
fail to share up with them any good
things which they may have.
SOME EXAMPLES.
AS examples OF how kindly the peo-
pie here feel toward the soldiers sew
eral incidents might easily be mem
toned. Yesterday the Twelfth Penn
sylvania received orders to the effect
that it should at once go out on provost
duty for forty days, along the valley
of the Sweet Arrow river. When this
was known at the pleasant little settle
ment known as Hummelstown, which
Is about three miles distant from camp.
the citizens individually and the bur-
CESS of the town, made known their
wish TO the military authorities, repre-
senting that they did not desire any
provost guard there, that they did not
object to the presence of visiting SOL
diers, but would be glad to extend any
courtesy to them, and that they would
be very happy to have them call and
TO entertain them at any time.
over thirty boys of the Thirteenth
went TO Hummelstown Sunday morn