The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-28
OUR SOLDIERS
MISS HAMM WRITES A LETTER
FROM CAMP
Thimbles Are Wasted on the Troopers
and Small-Eyed Needles Are
Delusion and Snare


Cuba. August IL. Especial cores
pondence Of The Herald) - The
way to find out the needs Of our
soldiers is by talking to them after
they are broken in and accustomed
to camp routine. The raw recruit wishes
for many things he does not need, but
after q couple of months in camp he
becomes wiser If not sadder man.
In this class are the young men of fash
lon, who yearn for collars, scafs and
handkerchiefs; the fastidious youths
who demand q hairbrush, nall brush and
toilet soap; and the lover of good living
who protest vigorously against camp
fare. The real soldiers have risen above
these wants, but nevertheless they have
many little cravings of their own.
Several of them told me that a very
acceptable contribution would be large
and strong safety pins. They do not
want the little ones, or the medium
sized, but the largest made. They will
repair suspender, belt or anything else
subject to constant strains or sudden
damage. Those with a metal cap at one
end to cover and protect the point are
preferable to those made wholly of wire.
They are Of special use on the battlefield
in fastening bandages and impromptu
tourniquets. In the hospitals they are
employed to fasten mosquito nettings as
we'll as for other purposes.
Another popular article with soldiers
Is a box of what are known as "bachel-
or's buttons" those that are put on with
an awl or darning needle and held in
place by metal disc. One soldier asked
me II any were made that you could put
,, no nd tck, dcto
until the cloth wore out around them.
Army contractors, 1t must be con-
feesed, do not waste thread in sewing
buttons on uniforms. I inspected some
coats and the work on the button holes
and buttons was disgraceful. The for
mer, as boy in blue remarked, had been
chased around with sewing machine
and had already split at the inside point.
The buttons had been secured by three or
four passes of the needle and three twists
of the single thread around the through
stitching. One came off the first day
it was worn and three the second.
Partly for fastening buttons. but
chiefly for other purposes, small needle
book or sewing outfit Is very acceptable
Don't send fine needles. The average
man cannot thread them; they simply
draw blood and profanity. Nothing
smaller than sharps, although even
this size is too fine for most men-1, ~
and 2 sharps are what are wanted.
With these should go a few darning
needles, a spool Of black thread and one
Of white. Don't send thimbles. Men
won't use them, and when they do they
lose them the first time they sew.
What a soldier likes best of all are
good cheering letters from home. Here
is the story of little boy which was
written to a man in Siboney. His small
brother had pet dog which suffered so
much from the mango that it was dis
patched with strychnine. The dscon-
ISOLATE owner insisted upon a funeral.
and the body was duly buried. During
the interment the youngster walked to
the edge of the little grave. threw in a
handful Of earth and said in a mournful
voice, Remember the Mango"
Another camp story is of little girl
who wrote her brother here. POINTS
missed you very much a day or two,
but when told him you had gone to
shoot Spaniards and sicked him on a
piece of red and yellow calico and said,
Spanish rats he felt great deal bet
ter"
Then there are such wretched home
made jokes as these: There must be
lots Of chills and fevers there If they call
It Santi-ague."
Having more O's than they can use.