The San Francisco call., 1898-09-23

think if the forefgners down here can find pleasure in speaking of them ev- cry hour in the day and if the Span iards themselves can continually praise their gallantry the people of their na- tive city can afford to read of them more than once. They are the men who, with Major Slime at their head, led the whole army and never once until they stood under the an- cient walls of Manila, atop of which foated the pallid sienal of surrender.
 The one question that is continually being asked down here is: "Will we have scrap with the Filipinos?" Some left to the rank and file it would be on ere this. The new arrivals long for 1t for they burn for a chance to dis ttnguish themselves. The old boys have the memories of past inhospitable treat ment to stir them up and make them crave one hour in which to square things. l think w will get our chance. We have several times since the sur render been on the verge of a mix up with our former allies and from re- liable information 1 have obtained, but which l am not at liberty to divulge, learn that even as l write prepara- tlons are going on which anticipate even more serious fighting than that we have already passed through. If it does come I hope these savages will stand long enough to allow the Frisco boys to get to work with the bayonet. If they do they will get a taste of fight ing such as they have not experienced during the whole four hundred years of Spanish occupation.
 The other night a drunken riot oc- cured between some men of the Fourth Cavalry, stationed at Cavite and the insurgents. One of the cavalrymen was killed, but his name Is not allowed to be made public.
 There is considerable discussion going on concerning the amount of expense, trouble and loss of life that will ensue when the United States Government tries to police the whole of this island, if it decides to hold 1t.
 The soil down here Is the best in the world and the fecundity of the entire place Is such as to fit it for most any sort of agricultural enterprise. Let the Government throw the island open for settlement and a swarm of American and hardy adventurers will flock down here. Each man will bring his Winchester and will look after the safety of his own sugar cane patch and 1 will guarantee that the policing of the island will be rapidly and thoroughly accomplished. With the arrival of the fourth expedition came a large assortment of wines and liquors, a present from John D. Siebe to the First Regiment. Delicacies of any sort are very rare down here at present and MT. Siebes thoughtful kindness is much appreciated by the regiment. It is pity that his exam pie is not followed by a few of those at home who have made money out of this affair.
 We are now comfortably quartered in barracks stretching along the banks of the Pasig River. The boys are allowed liberty all day long if they have not duty to perform. They go and come restriction Is placed upon their ac- tions. and it speaks pretty well for the regiment that no case of aggravated disorder has yet been reported. Colonel Smith has been made a marshal and placed in charge of the San Miguel district. He tries civil as well as mill tary cases, and is forced to listen to every complaint, and they are many. that arises in the territory over which he holds sway. He is possibly the hardest worked man in the entire regi- ment, but, in spite of his responsibili- ties, which include questions of life and death, he seems to be happy, and pursues the uneven tenor of his way, increasing daily in grace, wisdom and avoirdupois.
 Father McKinnon has entirely re- covered from his wounded foot and from the wound he received in his coat from a Spanish bullet, and now holds forth in the San Miguel church on Sundays, while on week days he occu- pies himself in thousand little acts of looking toward the comfort and convenience of his boys. There Is a comical adventure in which Father To ho central figures, which I will save for the subject of one of the many special stories I intend to inflict on the San Francisco public at later date.
 This place Is indeed the land of sun sets. I have seen many in many parts of the world, but nothing to compare with what we get down here. Every evening at about o'clock the whole sky is illuminated, and the horizon is with variegated colors un- til 1t looks like the path of love wind ing into the garden of delights. Un- fortunately the somewhat soiled and frayed soldier who gazeS upon it has no one to share his admiration of the scene nor to respond to the tender sen timents 1t calls forth. If he loses him self for a moment in romantic contem- plation of the scene he Is speedily brought back to earth by the harsh
  ing him to fall in for retreat, and pro- fanely informing him of the discom fort that will be his if he fail to in stantly obey. However, if the sunsets of Manila beat those of San Francisco, yet the electric lights of the latter place are very bright and twice as pleasant to wander under when there are two In the crowd.
 Save for the illnesses I have already spoken of, the regimental health is ex- cellent, though, am sorry to say, that since that bloody dawning of the first day of August I can never again write that all the brave boys who were cheered as they marched along the streets of Frisco are well and waiting for the caresses with which they will be welcomed home. There are some, alas, whose cold lips will never again respond to the affection which now weeps for them seven thousand miles away from where the palms and orange blossoms shadow their lonely soldier