Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-12-31

dyspepsia, rheumatism,
Catarrh, scrofula,
And all forms of
Impure blood
intrenchment the depth OF a man, and
in that trench the countless Spanish
dead were buried in an unciyilized
manner. About one hundred yards
back from the first line of intrench-
ments are the second where our boys
lay during the flag of truce which last
ed several days. You can still see
tricks of the inventive Yankee mind,
how they built little Notifications so
that they could better protect them
selves and yet get Spaniard oc-
casionally.
A Cuban giving the description OF
the fighting qualities of our soldiers
and the Spaniaids says; "A Span1ard
boom, boom, runs away; an American
boom, boom, runs at them. | dor t
believe human tongue can describe the
approaches through which our sol
iiers fought and won such laurels. If
Billy Bower could have seen those
roads in and about Santiago, where
our wounded soldiers were hauled in
army ambulances, he would never say
ANYTHING about roads as long as he
lives. The trip from Santiago to the
battlefield was made i'll one OF those
wagons, drawn by four OF the indis-
pensable army mules Half the time
we were sitting on each others laps,
and at other times the mules were
trying to keep out OF the way OF the
wagon. After this trip, we spent an
hour in town taking in the sights in
and around the plaza.
The Cuban knows what good coin
is. He takes Uncle Sans money at
par, but all others, not backed by
gold standard, at two for one. The
only money l saw in Santiago was
United States coin. visited the post
office there and found a lot of hard
worked men. They have only about
half enough to facilitate the handling
i. . a., .,,o;Ie ~, the leland
On the following day, in company
with a number of ladies and gentle
men, we hired boat for three dollars
and fifty cents, Spanish, and had two
natives row us seven miles, there be-
ing fifteen in the boat. l had the ex-
IRENE pleasure of cutting splinters
from the masts of the Merrimac and
treading the deck of the half.sunken
Reina Mercedes, and climbing the hill
to Moro Castle. In our crowd was
the first American baby that ever Wis.
tied the castle. | cannot describe 1t.
| was in Hobson's cell, in the pillory
and dungeon. 1t is no wonder Spain
is in her decline, as the wrath of just
God is asserting itself. A trip through
MORO will repay any American tor
his outlay. l will simply say the half
has never been told. l have in my
possession relics from that historic
castle that l will be pleased to show
to my friends upon my return to the
States in July.
I will not write anything more this
time not wishing to tire the good peo-
pie in old Berkeley. In my next let
ter l will give a description of Porto
Rico, as l see it, and tell you of this
land of perpetual summer. l arrived
here Nov. 80, and it is perfect flower
garden. l have not been sick single
minute and have gained fifteen pounds.
Cayey, where l am at present, is 1900
feet above sea level, and it is never
colder than 40 degrees, nor warmer
than SO degrees.
Hoping this will find you all well,
/ beg to wish the Herald and all its
readers a merry Christmas and hap
Ply New Year.
+. w. VAN METRE.
Terrible plaques, those itching, pes
ter;rg diseases of the skin. Put an