The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-17

at his camp, had not returned. 1t was
several minutes before she came in, but
l was so worried about her that it
seemed to me it was several hours.
When she did come she had a most
sensational experience to tell, having
had to crawl on her hands and knees
for some distance in leaving her hus-
bands camp. 1t seems that the inSur-
gents opened fire within a short dis
lance of where her husband was sta
toned, and several bullets came whiZ-
zing through the tent before she made
her escape"
Miss O'Brien saw none of the active
fighting, and she is provoked at the re-
ports that she passed cartridges to the
soldiers on the firing line. Il didn't go
near the firing line, "she said this morn
ing, because couldn't bear to see our
soldiers killed. 1t was bad enough to
see them brought into the hospital
mangled and bleeding. I must say that
no one who has not been in the vicinity
of active warfare can have the slightest
idea of what a terrible thing war is. L
know I didn't realize what was meant
until / took up my hospital work. 1t is
simply frightful, and it makes me shiv-
er now to think of some of the things
saw while at the hospital
Only once was Miss O'Brien exposed
to danger during her stay in Manila.
1t was on an afternoon that she and a
party of friends started to drive in the
direction of CalCCcan. where the Kan
saS troops were stationed. They stop
the way, and while talking to him an
other sentry came running up with the
information that Filipino SharpShOot-
erS were near. He had hardly given this
information when bullets began to whiz
above the heads of the party in the
carriage, and the horses were quickly
turned and all made haste back to the
city. In this connection Miss . Brien
says that one great advantage the
American soldiers have is the fact that
the Filipino soldiers are not marksmen.
Their rifles carry much farther than the
rifles of thH American troops, but little
damage is done by the Sharp-shoOters
because of their inability to aim cor
rectly.
The day after the war opened Miss
O'Brien made up her mind to enter hos
pitaI work, and volunteered her services
to one of the surgeons at the hospital
Il guess he thought l simply wanted TO
offer my services and didn't mean to do
anything more she said, Tor he SIM
ply thanked me very kindly, but sald
there was plenty of help. had made
up my mind, however, and was deter
mined to take up the hospital work.
Besides, 1 knew they did not have any
too much help at the hospital SO
went to Miss Humphreys, wealthy
lady who had started on 2 pleasure trip
and who on reaching Manila just at the
time that there was much sickness
among the American soldiers had Of
fered her services as nurse and mad
been assigned charge of the officers
ward at the hospital and asked her IL
she would accept me. She did so gladly,
and l went to work that day, and con-
tinued to visit the hospital up to the
time 1 left. 1 had rooms there and as
there was an order that no Americans
or Europeans should be on the streets
after Z O'Clock in the evening, l was
compelled to go to my lodging house
early. During the day l did what i
could and procured food and cooked 1t
for the wounded. If l had been trained
T I done
more than 1 did"
Miss O'Brien says that too much
credit can not be given the Kansas
troops. when I arrived at Manila /
found strangely enough, that the Kan
sas regiment was not like to any ex-
tent. The people seemed to think that
the men were rOUgher than the men OF
other regiments, and you can just I'M
agine how many fights 1 had on my
hands as a result. But when it came
time to fight. things changed altogether.
None of the troops, either in the Volun-
teer or regular service, showed the
bravery that the boys from Kansas did,
and the people in Manila now realize
the stuff they are made Of Everyone
there is striving to honor the Kansas
soldiers as much as possible, and any
day you can hear officers recounting
their bravery.
Miss O'Brien met several of the To-
peka boys who volunteered in the Tween
tieth Kansas regiment, among them
Lieut. Clad Hamilton and Frank Nc
Fadden son of ex-City Clerk McF'adden.
She says that young McFadden now
holds the position of assistant superin-
tendent of the Filipino railroad, which
t.has been renamed THE Kansas and
! Utah Railway" The line was captured
| by the Kansas troops. assisted by some
! of the troops from Utah, and hence the
| new name
The city of Manila differs materially
| from opinions held in this country, Miss
| O'Brien says. 1T is really nice place
| to live in she announced, land the
| system of electric lighting is far ahead
| of the system we have in Topeka There
| is also an excellent water system there.
In winter they say the climate is de-
| lightfuI, but at this time of the year the
afternoons are very oppressive 1t is a
/ very picturesque city, and there's a beau
tiful drive along the beach for miles.
The houses are very similar to those
| those of the lower classes of the natives.