Evening star., 1898-07-15
SOLDIERS PLAY HOCKEY
Volunteers at Camp Alger Take Liberties
With Regulations.
Duties of Guards at Falls Church
and Dunn LOrtng-Trains Search
ed for Truants.

Passengers on trains of the Washington
and Ohio division of the Southern railroad
get good idea OF army life from contact
with the volunteers on duty at Camp AL
ger. Seldom does trsin move over the
road that there are not a dozen or more
soldiers aboard. AS a rule, the men are a
sociabls lot IF fellows, and are more than
willing to take a seat beside a civilian and
enlighten the latter rron the question Of
how to win victories. Soldiers leaving
camp are invariably in condition which
renders them unobjectionable, but such is
rot always the case Upon their return.
At Dunn Loring and Falls Church, from
where vehicles make trips to the camp, the
trains usually make stops much longer
than at other stations, and these stops
have delayed trains and caused complains.
At Falls Church there Is a scene Of ac-
tivity presented always upon the approach
OF train. 1t is here that all the old
'night-line" appearing vehicles are stand
ing, and the scores of drivers gather about
the ends of the cars soliciting fares. There
are perhaps hundred vehicles of all kinds
and descriptions gathered about the sta
ticn, and the person who wants to go to
camp experiences no difficulty in the mat
ter of transportation. Vehicles of all
grades, from the ordinary road cart to the
big omnibus. may be engaged, and the
same price is paid for the service in each
instance. Twenty-Five cents is the uniform
price, although a reduction is sometimes
made ir cases of large parties. The ride,
although short. is anything but pleasant,
on account Of the long siege of dry wealth
er, and those who return from camp are
invariably covered with dust.
Soldiers in Waiting.
Upon the arrivals of trains at these sta
TORS there are always scores of men in
uniform. :eady to greet the passengers.
Newspapers are then in demand. and al
rnost every man who can spare the money
makes a purchase. Those who do not prr-
chase papers gather around those who DO,
all anxious to learn of the latest news from
the front. When the headlines of the war
news have becen read to the little group
of men, the owners of the papers get an
opportunity to devour all the information,
and then the papers are passed along the
line. Some of the passengers on the trains
carry reading material with them occa-
sionally. and hand it over to the soldiers.
A FEW deltcacies are sometimes handed out
IN the same way, and the men on guard
are usually the recipients of these favors.
The soldiers are appreciative, and what
is given them by the passengers on the
are kept on duty at all times. and each
train is searched when it stops These
searches are made for soldiers on the way
fTom or to the vicinity of the camps and
unless man is able to show pass the
chances are that he has wasted the money
spent for railroad ticket. While most
of the men. upon leaving camp, come to
the city, great many of them go up the
road in the direction of Round Hil!-to
their homes or to visit friends Seldom
does 1t happen that men returning after
the expiration of their leaves or in an in
toxicated condition are not made prisoners
and marched OFF TO the guard tent
ObiiviOus to SURROUNDINGS.
There We're two men on a train one after
noon this week who had been in the city
celebrating past victories and drinking in
anticipation of future events, and had it
not been for second look by the guard
they would probably have gone to the west
ern terminus of the road. They were in
the front end of the smoker and had slid
down in the seat until their heads were
below the top. They had been dead to the
world ever since the conductor had COL
lected their tickets and it was a matter of
little concern TO them whether thev got off
or remained aboard
All right said the guard, after glance
IN the car, and the train had just pulled
out, when, after second investigation, the
sleuth shouted to the conductor:
stop the train
The train was promptly stopped, and be-
fore the engine had ceased putting the ex-
cited guard called at the top of his voice:
corporal of the guard!'
This call was repeated several times and
the passengers in the cars back Of the
sleeper rushed forward to ascertain the
cause OF the commotton. The corporal and
several soldiers responded and the tire
some task OF bringing back to life the an
parently dead men was begun.
1t was several minutes before the pas
sengers realized just what was the mat
ter. They saw the drunken men lifted
bodily from the seat and carried to the
station.
Wanted Information.
Where am i at?' asked one of the men.
when he had been jostled about enough to
open his eyes; and, although his question
was answered, it was some minutes before
he could comprehend the situation.
The old sport will carry water all right
now,' remarked one of the men in uni