The times., 1898-09-08
GAME AS PHEAsANTs.
Uncle Sans Boys Who Make Light
of Hard Luck.

The pluck OF the regulars has been in
cidentalIy mentioned in the stories Of
Camp Wikoff, and an example of it was
shown not long ago by a sergeant of a
cavalry regiment There are few men.
in or out OF the army. who would have
tried so manfully TO keep up appear
ances" on next 10 nothing. The New
York Sun tells the story:
las one becomes familiar with the cir
cumstances of this camp the admirable
spirit shown by the regulars grows con-
stantly more impressive Thou shalt
make no complaint seems TO be their
chief commandment, which they scrup-
uIously obey. If one of them is ques-
toned regarding conditions in his resi-
meut the answer is almost sure TO be that
they are getting on very well and lack
nothing. 1t is only incidentally that the
privatiOns to which they have been sub
jected have been made public; such an
incident, for instance, as that of the sol
dier who tried TO sell a civilian some
Mauser bullets for 10 cents. so that he
could buy something to eat OF another
soldier who wanted to borrow an egg
which he promised to pay for as soon as
the paymaster arrived-fOr his sick tent
mate, who had not had any food that he
could swallow for twenty-four hours.
Since people have come TO understand
this the needs of the backbone of the ar
my have been greatly relieved In some
cases the volunteers have helped, and il
is to the generosity of the Second Mas
sachusetts, which leaves today, that the
Of na TyyanfN--Sarnud rocrT1larE vvh m
are encamped next to them, are now re-
joicing in tooJhsOme additions TO their
regular ratiOns. Restaurants and lunch
rooms are increasing, which means u
chance for all.
Before the regulars had anything but
the very bad government rations Ger
tain young woman from New York well
known for her philanthropy, was down
here seeking the best opportunities for
the advantageous distribution of food.
Going along the main road the visitor
met a squad of cayalrymen who looked
so pinched and pale that she stopped
them and asked what regiment they be
Ionged 10. Having learned she said:
q You look almost starved. Aren't you
getting enough to eat?'
THE men looked at each other with
some embarrassment until one Of their
number touched his hat and said, apollo
getically:
We've had the fever. ma'am. and
that's what makes US so thin
Not satisfied with this explanation she
drove over TO the encampment of that
regiment. dismounted and presently en-
countered a sergeant:
Il want you to tell me- she said, If
you are getting good food for if you
aren't l should like to send some To the
regiment
e Thank you kindly. ma am said the
sergeant. we don't need thing We got
500 here that We don't know what to
spend on. CThis $500 was, of course. en-
tireiy apocryphaD
Still the visitor was not convinced
She said she would like 10 see the
kitchen.
g Begging your pardon, ma am, 'tisn't
a likely place for a lady
" Still / should like to go there unless
il is against the rules.
Reluctant. but polite. the soldier took
her to the kitchen, where the cook was
discOnsolate regarding the rations She
asked him what he had. He told her
hardtack and coffee. The hardtack was
moldy. The coffee ran about four beans
to the quart. There was no bacon for
that particular meal The young woman
said nothing. but went away. A bystan-
der who had heard the conversation be-
tween her and the sergeant took the lat
ter TO task on the matter.
well. you see said the soldier. it's
all right for the volunteers TO kick when
they don't get enough stuff. / don't
blame EN-. They're used TO good food
and variety. It's different with US
We're the army. and it's our business to
take what comes and say nothing. That's
the way we feel about it
Tive days later $500 worth of food came
to that regiment, and the sergeant had to
admit, to use his own expression, that
he was a liar and had been caught at ii
and was glad of it."