Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-12-02
Manila, p. l., Sept. 30, '9S.
+. N. Aldrich,

Dear Friend El-It seems almos
impossible to get started on a letter.
l have resolved many times to write
you and others but somehow l can't
make connections. l suppose you
have heard all about the trip we
made, through the Brookings CORE
spondents. had pleasant voyage
on the ocean after the first three or
four days out. Before l became
accustomed to the ships motion l
was so sick / almost wanted to die
and be done with it, after that every
thing was lovely and the goose hung
high-so high that we could not reach
it and had to eat SOW belly. Here
let me advise you, FL, not to let a
chance slip to get good meal Of
victuals for there may come a time
some day when you will be hungry
and you will then think Of the meals
you have lost from time to time. 1t
was close picking coming on that
boat-a chunk Of SOW belly two
inches square, boiled, fat, and greasy,
and few pieces of hard tack-and
there you are. When we got to Hon.
olulu we''were treated royalty. that's
true. That is the one place l have
seen where l would like to remain If
had my family and friends there also.
| tell you its the garden spot of the
earth.
We were 81 days on the pond and
were getting very tired of it. Land
ed at Cavite and were quartered in an
old church that had recently been va
Gated by the Spaniards. BY the way
in the August Munsey you will find
an excellent article on the PHILIPPINE
Islands together with a fine picture of
this same church in which our regl-
ment was quartered the first three
weeks we were on the islands.
After having been there that period
we received orders to move to Manila
and be ready for trouble. We went
the same day and expected to be in
battle before this but the insurgents
thought better of their threats and
have given up their idea of capturing
Manila at present at least. Now all
we have to do is to sit round look wise
and draw our salaries. l have enough
to keep me busy repairing watches,
giving lessons on different musical
instruments and attending to my
duties as band master. Now that the
war is over the only topic that we
like to converse about is when we will
be mustered out. AS there is no
chance of d sclap here we are all
anxious to get back to the states.
"A man can make money here with
very little capital-that is in certain
lines Of business. You never saw
such lot of dummies in your life as
are engaged in business here. One
has to coax the clerks to wait on him.
There are opportunities where one
might become independent in five
years, but l don't want the chance for
at the end of that time | would be
under the sod. I'd hate myself TO
death if / couldn't die any other way.
SO far l have been in the best of
health-haven't even had a headache
while many have died and hundreds
of the soldiers are sick.
L have cracking good band now, 1t
was pretty hard work though making
musicians out of lot of raw material
but the boys are now the pride of the
troops. We play about the same
grade OF music as did the Brookings
band in fact We have several of the
same selections. When we return r
Will leave you my cornet player, G. w.
Allen, son of the secretary of the
agricultural college. He is nice
player and a very nice fellow as
well. 1t will be well for you band
boys to keep him If you need cornet
player. He just heard that his little
brother was accidently killed last
summer and feels pretty badly about
the little fellows death.
Geo. Roskie occupies the next bunk
from me In the officers quarters.
He is just as disgusted with things
In general as any OF us, Capt. Harry
Hppemap Ia uotfipp on pot .Lux q