Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1898-09-08
UNKEMpT NEW YORK DANDY.
How War Levels All Social Ranks
Among the SoIdiers-Where
Mans a Man for n That.

Lying alongside the steamer Yucca
tan, government transport, on board of
which was the First regiment of United
States volunteer cavalry, otherwise
known as the rough riders, 1 saw an in
teresting incident. The deck was COW
cred with rough men, nearly all of
whom had a weeks beard on their
faces. l had been talking with some of
them, and they were complaining a
little of the travel rations they had
to eat, and more of the confinement on
board the ship, and still more of the
water they had TO drink. We were at
that moment filling the tank of their
ship; but they had as yet none of the
water, and had been drinking Croton
water which had been brought in the
ships casks from New York more than
two weeks before, and was hardly fit
to drink. OF this they were allowed
but very scant half cupful at time,
which they had to drink while they
stood in the presence of the men who
doled it out. That trey should be hot
and thirsty and not be able TO get
more than a drop of dirty water seemed
to these rough western riders very far
from the thing they had enlisted for.
Well, as our steamer lay alongside
the Yucatan, the purser of our boat,
who is always very well-dressed
young man. was walking. immaculate,
down the deck. He heard his name
called from the mass of rough riders:
"Denison! Denisoni" The purser
looked, and saw rider as rough as
sny of the rest advancing to the rail
of the other ship and looking eagerly
toward him. The man was dressed,
like the others, in clothes which were
like the brown drilling overalls and
jumper of a farmer, only dirtier than
q farmer ever wears. The mans face
was covered with weeks beard. He
was pretty tough specimen. The
purser did not recognize him. well,
I don't wonder" said the man. "but my
name Is B., and / am from New
York. The purser had to look twice
more to recognize the face of a young
New York millionaire who had ridden
several times on his steamer who had
treated him with good deal of con-
sideration and who, when the purser
was las. in New York. had given him
a fine dinner at Delmonico's.
The purser was certainly shocked,
and a certain hungry look in the million
sire private's face led him TO ask what he
could do for him. ''Give me drink of
cold water, for Gods sake!" said the
soldier. "Why, perhaps / might find
you a cold bottle" said our purser.
"That won't do" answered the New
York man. Its against orders 10
pass any liquor aboard the ship, and I
couldn't violate the regulations if you
could. But l guess they'll let you give
me q drink of water" Sc the purser
went and got pitcher of good, fresh
spring water, and put some ice in it,
and the soldier took a glass of il
eagerly, and gave the rest in the pitch
er to his comrades. There was no
drink Ia the world that could have
with that for deliciousness.
Even the officers of the regiment had
no better water than the old Crotcn
the men had been drinking. Ono of
the officers on that same day offered
the steward of our ship two dollars for
q lump of ice, and the steward had 10
refuse. Then the officer told the stew
ard of sick man on board who needed
the ice, and of course he got lump of
the ice for nothing for the invalid
Chicago Inter Ocean.