Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-30
At POST POWERS.
Continued from page ~

anu 'iie circular tent bottoms only
served to bring more wildly than evel
the scenes of the previous Sunday
When the head of the weather depart
ment had served up the best he had in
store for final Sunday.
| AS result of these conditions the
members Of the battery were more
eager than ever before to receive the
orders to be stationed at some place
other than Post Powers. Nothing was
right, yesterday, and the men were in
condition to find fault with everything,
whether it was the piano playing in
the Y. NJ. c. A. tent or the failure of
the Sunday papers to arrive on the
grounds on account of a fear that a
market would be lacking.
On account Of the departure of
| Chaplain Estabrook with the troops
there We're no religious services at the
| Post al any time during the day. In
order that the men might be given a
chance to attend Divine worship all
who wished We're given the liberty of
| leaving the camp. AS the result of
this liberty about co men left the
grounds. These were in three divi-
sions. The first squad under the COM
mand of Lieut.. Collins attended low
mass at one of The Catholic churches,
another under the command of Sergt.
Johnson attended the Episcopal church
and the third under Serge. Harkins at
| tended one of the Protestant churches.
The departure of these men for the
| churches was the only unusual in
! cdent during the day. During the
afternoon the greater part of the men
spent the time in the Y. NJ. c. a. read
ing room tent writing letters. Letter
paper was at all times in great de-
mand and there was hardly an hour
when the tables for writing We're not
| filled.
! The manner in which the men wrote
their letters is a story in itself. Some
went at it with the air of a professions
al and scrubbed away as though the
only object was to get disagreeable
and necessary task off their hands
Others took as much pains as possible
and were perfectly willing that any
one should look over their shoulders il
so disposed.
There We're a few who were more
cautious about their writing. These
carefully concealed what they wrote
While they were in a position to see
the approach of any one. Should any
one come near faint flush stole ovel
the checks of the author as he covered
his production in such a manner tina
the contents would be hidden from thu
SIGHT of careless observer. Nor
than one held the letter below the edge
of the table as he read what he hat
written.
In spite of this attempt at conceal
ment there was no rude jeering from
these near by. Rather there was
bond of sympathy as one realized tina
his companion had written to some on
very near and dear to him and t
whom the separation came UNUSUAL!
hard from the fact that it might be ;
long one. even to the end of time
These were the men who wrote care
fully and awaited themselves Of all tn
weight the government allows in {
letter for a single stamp.
Now and then there was a slight at
tempt at a joke as comrade woul'
suggest that it would be good ldei
for his companion to use mail pa'
for an envelope as it would be pos
sible to get more into it. The ma
ioritv. however. had fellow feelin'
for their comrades, and laid aside al
thoughts of joking.
Those who did not spend the time il
writing read the day away, or wen
out and talked with the guard In
men who were doing guard duty nae
= large fire near Post No. l and seated
on the boxes and piles of wood mere
the time was spent in spinning yarns
When the men were tired OF teiAn}
warns they moved out to the camp llr'
and here talked with the guards apou
the probability of being moved to some
different post. \ few spent the Univ
in making button boards for the pur
pose of cleaning the buttons on thei
uniforms Some few grumbled ailer
nately about the weather ana the 100"
During the day word was received
that it would in all probability be ON.
a question of time before the sigma
corDs would be moved. Inc Iep'i
WAS that the corps would be sent L
the Philippines. What 1onhda''o'
there was for this report 1t WAS LII
nossible to learn. 1t has nnaiE Dee