The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-04
MANILA'S DRIPPING SKIES.
JOYS OF LIFE IN THE Philippine
RAINY SEAsON.


censinE Efforts to Keep Out the Wet
Gen. Merritt Made Things Hustie-No
Nonsense from AEuinnIdo Accepted.
CAvrrE, July 2a.-The foolish cable that drtb-
hles occasional bits OF hnlf-baked news into
Hong Kong. whence they are filtered down TO
Cayit6. tells us that the Government has decided
10 suspend operations against Manila until the
rains are ovor. Thon will tho Government
please send us u few hundred nrks2 We have
urgent need OF them Mt once. and II they could
reach us by cable IL would beia godsend. by
the end OF tho rainy season. In October. there
will be nothing left OF us with which TO resume
carnations but our gun barrels, and they Will
be covered with rust. All the rest will be In 30
luton. We're saturated now. 1t beats oil creation
how Il can rain out hero. Rain Ia all right In its
way. Some OF 1t is n good thing. 1t keeps
things generally reasonably clean and FUR
nishes drinking water. But ono steady. I'M
disturbed, imperturbable. unccasing flood be-
comes tirosome after a while. and all the time
n is wet. You don't mind an occasional soak
ing. II gives excuse for taking a drink. But
one has something to do down here besides
change his clothes and drink whiskey. And
vet feet bring fever. Windows and shutters
olamped rs close together as Spanish rain
driven ingenuity can force them keep out
some OF the rain and all OF the sodden
air that courtesy calls fresh because u
moves. The mercury charges to the top
Of its glass case in the thermometer
and disappears from view in the
The wise men wag their boards and mako re-
marks about typhoons. With body and soul
burning up with fever. and the cinchona band
playing the Dead March from " Saul " in your
ears, somehow you sort OF lose focus. Things get
out Of perspective. and there Is a lack OF con-
aistent continuity. You wabble o bit, and the
rum you have drunk to help the duinine you
have eaten Is sinRularly ineffective for the de-
sired purpose. but powerfully active in the
wrong way.
KEEPING THE SOLDIER U OF MIscHIEF.
Over In camp they are enjoying themselves
miRhtily-if one has no regard for truth. uncle
Sans nephew in the ranks Is like the 'bloomin'
oosmopolouse." for his work begins at Gawd
knows when an his work is never through
And the rain hasn't anything to do with 1t. He
turns out at 4:45 in the morning and drills a
few ~hours-poco mas. POGO menos lmore or lessl
in the rain. Then he gets his breakfast. sea-
ooned with rainwater. After that he cleans up
his rife and coats It literally with oil. against
the soaking Il will get in the morning drill.
Guard mount interrupts other things. and IL he
happens not to be on the guard detail. or the
police detail. he gets a few moments In MN
soRRy shelter tent to consider the state Of q
weather and to speculate on the subogo III
patriotism considered as a business gather DC
After morning drill he gets 9 >bamboo. oorI
ont into the scrub with an ~ers as 1t Is. Of
some thorn-spiked ~bamb1nfaliible friend Sc
tough. wiry. and covere' ana MS wit hold c ~
is the only genuine Pr res1. he cuts down liz
he has. AS long Ijtt5o incnes In diameter. Let
out the bam55scuts it into Sonr.feot ana pig fly
I1nE p2snarpens and in the other he cuts EnT1I
uH~SSIed notch. He drives four of those rel
C%uHroot or more into the ground. ono M rr
<cornero Oh histent. The notchesin the upnar I "
Is serve as cradles for the long bamboos he of
8 across them as strinRers for fine bou.o Zig
means to build. These s~trinRers are inst no bei,
3 as mis- tent. The sticks that 20 with the TOW
1ent are not long enough now. so he IN
B couple OF bamboos to serve as tent no,ee M
at each end. At the back OF the tent he 10
nes a bamboo girder between the two the
myers. resting the ends in notches in tba SaS
neers and lashing them fast with fine atrino will
Inc surface OF green bamboo. tougher will
Iter' and more pliable than wire. His tent t Sae
'aos at the bottom about seven feet. and he Of s
one cnum to help him occupy it. Two feet opel
es another one on each side Ia rh hese0 are ne re Fl
o oSa on at sGD a also and across them he lays B Bar
mes N the girder at the back. This gives has
the framework Of two beds, eachtwo and who
Ieet vide and as long as his tent. Now ba ~ ~ 4
: some bamboo poles into thin strins days
Just the length Of his bed and others inst inc
"lutn OF 1t. The strips are perhaps an w wli
Wlde' and are trimmed down to about an Jul
N OF an inch In thickness. Hie Che Agui
HAe lS ms only tool. He weaves theushort fed a
: into the long ones. criss-cross. until he devil
? mat Just the size OF his bedstead AZ all to
DOT intervals along the frame he slins SnI
DAmooo slats in the bed strinRers. Over all rit
NO lays MS improvised springs, and he has them
'naS 10 cooi-comparatively, not even an fhone
achine Is really cool down here-and com Grove
oie. the W beds there Is a space me \
'V"oIeetW wide where he can stand upright tReIr
? roar end OF the tent he swings another even
woven mat about two feet wide between King
eos ana there he has q little tabIe on 5HS ~ ~
he can put the trinkets he wants h kaen meat
tine wet Above 1t. on the rear tent poIe 70 by,
APPS Q small piece OF board. secured some thro ~
} ana into shape for an arm -rack. stopT
tne Two guns rest In the intervals be- asig
drills and guard duty. Some pegs in the fod.
'oaes serve Us hooks, and the house ia hid TO
oomplete. There is space enough be- esaMDSt re :
nc nsos Ior the men to walk into the canned
az tor their feet whom they want to ait on1 Their
IDS and read or work. Aframe nm tIs the litt
ole. beside the arm-rack. holds n candh. deyiIs
lhe ingenious soldier is not t~brou0byet straggl
- devices for comfort. His tent IA only Omen
lckness OF canvas. and. although 4 will hustled
Nm It will not stand against the custom IN TthiS
ihppine deluge. He builds a light frame share.
lpoo over IL and covers the frame with q stick. a
OF banana leaves. Or narh,ns he No.. a brass
X. saithIrJ h.-kS 'PeiH''S' no uSos ing ma
'oiVniui oompoo' III front OF the tent The me
res a similar awning. II the sun should yard. al
" any chance. 1t would serve as a shade, Grsa1h
chief work is In turning rain. Altogether drew in
Her has built himself a serviceable house. q semie
IS him fairly dry when he can stay In it, Ih M u
bed is of the ground. The tent makes men ba
u. and the thatch protects that. 1t is oped at
as good az n natiya but repeatiI
ah,iISJSs W I" and the
,ouiuihs such Us thls Is not done, OF ordered
In ono mornings respite from routine keep tn,
r in an afternoon eitbar II aIIs nm ~ along I
between army duty for a couple each m m
and until 1t Is finished the soldier lies sidesteI
round and stands n az heat bo oor o. his plac
as stood n we'll Tbaro re- Sah. oo crackers