The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1898-07-19

There are large hotels 10 st. Peters
burg, three Of which are used exclusive
ly as winter resort hotels; the other two
run the year around but hardly make ex'
penses during thu summer. The season
lasts from about October 10 to March 30;
some close March /. It was one OF the
hotels that are used only In the winter
that was donated TO us for barracks. We
guarded the lake, the cCmmissary ware
house, the ice plant, the docks and also
had two ontposts on some docks about
mile from town. The guard duty was
heavy enough so that we were on guard
every other day. the davs we We're oil
we were allowed 10 roam at Will over the
town and out in the country showing up
only for roll call. We had 80 many posts
that seven privates had to act 10 corpor-
als / had the good fortune TO be one OF
the seven. The detail had, 2d relief on
the lake, had s posts on It. The Sih was
right across the street from confeder-
ate "KuunePs house. / used to put in
most of my time there, aud three times
day we were invited over onto his piazza
and treated to ice cream, hot biscuits and
honey and claret lemonade. Each re-
lief was treated in the same way and the
amount of biscuits and honey we ale was
caution. Sunday We had fried chicken
In addition to our usual ration OF biscuit
and honey. After every meal cigars
were passed sround TO the whole COM
pany at the expense OF cuban cigar
maker there. Tuesday there was a big
picnic in the park and when the tables
were spread we were invited over. The
bill of fare consisted of chicken, several
styles, deviled ham, potted tongue, roast
beef, three kinds OF bread, potato salad,
sliced tomatoes on ice, lobsters, pies,
cakes and puddings galore; tea iced,
coffee ditto and lemonade. Talk about
eating! IL makes mo hungry to think OF
il. There was so much left that we had
good big supper out of IL also. At
4 p. m. they had lot OF speeches that
did not amount TO much, then 20 little
girls not over or 6 years old dressed In
white went through some calisthenic ex-
ercises, after which the captain picked
out sixteen men, all over 6 feet tall,
and put us through our calisthenic ex-
ercises with rifle. The difference be-
tween the size of the little girls and their
exercise and we with ours, although both
designed for the same purpose, was so
marked that everyone had good laugh
over it. Then we formed company front
and went through the manual and exe-
cuted the various movements for them,
all of which was more interesting to
them than IL was for Us.
The ice company supplied us with Ice
all the time we were In Petersburg.
Saturday they had big fish bake, and
other thing which we fully appreciated.
To have fish bake, large oven is built
out of doors, OF lime stone, then the
flsh are put in with lot of sea weeds of
several kinds underneath them, then a
lot Of seasoning is spread on top and the
whole is covered with more sea weed; a
fire Is maintained steadily for about five
hours, and then you have a dish seldom
equsled, The sea weed imparts an indie
scribable flavor TO it all. Nevertheless
it was the best fish | ever ate, and as
they had 300 pounds after they were
dressed there was plenty and to spare.
Oh yes, forget, there's lot of dressing
mixed In somehow, just how | don't
know as | was on guard that day and did
not see the process, but was there when
| it was ready TO eat. The girls used to
come over to mess and ask the boys TO
trade with them, /. e. the girls to eat our
rations, we 20 TO their house and eat
theirs. This the captain forbade; bu.
most of us had a girl or two Q had two)
and never called on either that | did
not get nice lunch. One funny thing
happened the day we arrived there.
When we left the boat four of US were
detailed with tho quartermaster sergeant
to 60 and get some supplies. It was after
y. IN. when we started back, all OF US
hungry as bears, and as we passed the
NJ. +. minister's house, he came out,
shook hands with us, invited Us to church
and gave US lot OF tracts. We started
on and lady came out OF the second
house from there and said "What did he
give your" l told her "some religious
literature She said, snow that's nice
stuff to give hungry soldier i'n't itY
You come with me-" And she took the
five of us into her house and gave us q
swell dinner. Oh cousTe thOse tracts are
all right, but the dinner was far far more
acceptable. All the time We were there