The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-16

thronged, and the attendants kent busy
filing up high balls, schooners and shapers
as the large glasses of beer are variously
called according to the section of coun-
try that the soldiers come from. Some of
the men of course patronize the mushroom
saloons that have sprung up on the out
skirts of the camps, but as we have moth
ing to do with them in this letter let US
look around and see what an army can
teen is like
The structure consists of merely four up
rights with two huge tent flies for roof.
Behind primitive bar are piled dozens Of
kegs of beer surrounded and topped by
tons Of Ice. A half dozen blue-shirted extra
duty men with perspiration streaming
down their faces are drawing the dis
turbance as fast as human machines can
do 1t. In front a sea of extended arms and
chorus of voices in staccato, pianissimo
and allegro-pleading, plaintive or COM
manding, according TO what tone they
think will bring the desired beverage the
quickest, denotes the stalwartness of their
owners thirst. Those fortunate enough to
have been waited upon back out and lounge
beneath the trees, and the scene becomes
animated by men engaged in song, in
horse-play and noisy argument. Here Is
group of veterans of the Franco-Prussian
war recounting their adventures and toast
ing one another in cultural 'prosits."
There, in the midst of a throng of admirers
stands beardless young soldier with
pronounced New York accent reciting the
virtues of Rosy OGrady," in a high fall
setto that is entirely lost upon his hearers,
while perched high upon a pyramid of
empty beer kegs a stocl1ily built English
corporal is discoursing upon the relative
merits of the American and Spanish armies
and, evidently inspired by a recent cartoon
in Punch, declaring that "Uncle Sam and
Johnny Bull can lick the ole blooming
hearth" The scene presented proves that
private Y. Doodle, when discipline is re-
Taxed is a sociable fellow indeed.
Attention! In a twinkling the clanking
of glasses has ceased, the babel of voices
hushed, even Rosy O'Grady'' meets sud
den death, and every man becomes in
stantly soldier in the position of atten-
ton. 1t is the officer of the day come in
to remind the canteen steward that it
lacks but a few minutes of 10 o'clock.
Without any delay glasses are drained,
| scores paid, the place deserted and every
boy in blue is double timing for his tent
in order to make Check No sooner
have they reached the haven of their re-
spective company streets than "taps," the
most musical of all the army
calls, is blown by the mu-
stefan of the guard. The men
go to their tents, lights are out and quiet
fSiBHS WITH nduBnI 10 disturb IL out the
Flooding of footsteps of the sentries
through the deep sand. The day is done.
This letter would not be complete with
out a reference to the relations existing
between the troops and the citizens Of
| Tampa and surrounding towns. When it
is remembered that from six to ten thous-
and of the former have been camped in
this vicinity for the last few weeks and
| that virtually no restrictions have been
! placed upon them, it is something that
rebounds to their everlasting credit that
! in that time, with the exception of some
dsorderly conduct on the part of a few
/ of the negroes, who presumed on their
uniforms, no word of complaint has been
lodged against them by either the mill
tary or civil authorities. The conduct of
the soldiers has been exemplary in the
! extreme-their gentlemanly department
only paralleled by the uniform courtesy
and kindness with which they have been
treated by the citizens of Tampa and vi
cnlty Harry j. Thorpe.