Brookings weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1898-1903, 1899-03-02
LETTERS FROM MANILA.
r. n. Aldrich Receives = Letter From
Prof. 7. NJ. Halstead.

| Prof. r. NJ. Halstead.
A Soldiers Exciting Experience with a
Murderous Native.
MANILA, p. l., JAM, go
DEAR FRIEND ELL.
want to acknowledge receipt OF
the good things which you sent me fol
Christmas and thank you in humble
way.
To be remembered by friends so fal
away is surely one of the bright spots
in soldiers life, but my happiness
was complete when l got your box. II
was so good of you to send 1t, and
Frances--she sent me that cake. Or.
dinarily don't care much for cake,
but never tasted anything in my life
that tasted so good as that cake. i
was nearly sick from eating too much
of it. Everything came through un.
blemished and it arrived just "a the
correct time. Got my package Dec.
23rd.
Many of the boys expected Christ
mas boxes, but they are not here yet,
but are on the way, so tbs said.
l read In the Brookings Register the
account Of Mrs. Ravenscroft's visit to
Brookings and its sad ending. The
very thoughts of such makes me
uremble, it must have been an awful
thing. My sympathies at once were
aroused In favor OF all concerned.
Minnie wrote that she went to Ripon
to the funeral.
Doubtless you received letter from
me soon after you wrote Oct. 18th. l
wrote to you about Oct. lst. 1t takes
about five weeks ordinarily for mail
to reach its destination from here to
South Dakota.
1t was great treat to US band fell
lows to get all that reading matter
you sent, especially the Clipper and
the Dominant.
We have been playing the two
marches ever since, they are both
good. Any other old reading matter
you may see fit to send-remember
we read the ads and all in every Amer
ican paper we get our hands on here.
The weather here now is Of very
fine quality. 1t is just fine. Not too
hot, neither will we need any extra
clothing, but ''poco tempo" we will
get it again, when it will be hotter
than ever.
My band is getting along nicely, we
are in quarters with the headquarters.
We have to play long and often, but
don't mind it much. Get used to it
you know. am playing petite clari-
onette again, was playing B fiat for a
long time, but have got native In
the band now playing solo b fiat.
Think shall take him back to the
States with US. Out of sight clarionet
player. We play nearly all the music
that is going, or all l could get in
Frisco.
We think some of making a short
trip around the state when we got
back, but whether we do or not will
depend on circumstances. Think l
will duck for Waupun, Wis, 'poco
tempo" after l get into the States
again.
I'd like to see that big tuba Of yours.
l have two tubas In my band but they
are both e fiat. Couldn't get double
B bass in Frisco. Can get monsters
here, but haven't man to put on ii
without doing away with one Of the
other tubas, which we cannot afford
to do. Clyde Allen was sick for a
week, but is again all right. He plays
good solo cornet, as you will find
when he comes home to Brookings.
This boy practices about eight hours
each day steadily.
/ understand we have got to scrap
Aguinaldo here. That he refuses to
accept McKinley's proclamation. This
is Qf truel great surprise to us
Americans, as well as Disappointment.
1t seems to me that the President diG
the square thing with the Philippines,
but il they can't see 1t that way VIC
can lick rhe everlasting stuffing out OF
the whole cheese as fast as we can get
to 'em, "by gosh"
Harry Hegeman was just in my
Office to call. He wishes to be remem'
bered to you. Harry is apparently
enjoying life here. At any rate he Ii
getting awful stout like yourself. Or
the contrary / am not getting stout.
am very thin. Don't weigh over IN
pounds now, but for health I'm In the
front row. / haven't seen sick hour
since left home.
We are having all kinds OF fruit
here. Bananas at this season are i'm