The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-18

IN picturesqueness and beauty. He Is
not, on the parade ground, the prettiest
specimen of disciplined militarism to be
found in the world, but when il comes
to chasing Mauser armed oriental bar
barianss across ricefields and jungIes
the Yankee boy redeems himself. as a
fighting machine. His private life has
perhaps a great deal to do with his
characteristics and weaknesses as a
soldier. His republican privilege of
having his say" which the American
citizen never forfeits, sticks to him
even In the army especially with the
volunteers. among whom, of course, the
ideas of rigid discipline and respect for
officers have not been so deeply in
grated as with the regulars.
The soldier as we ourselves see him
fighting, eating. sleeping and swearing
side by side with us here-is no more
like the popular hero of the war CORE.
spondent than the real red Indian is
like one Of Fenimore Cooper's heroes.
] have soldiered in many times and
places, have lived and worked among
soldiers In camp, in barracks, i'm the
trenches and on guard and police duty
and during my campaigning have ex-
perienced all the various vicissitudes of
soldier life, and the result Of all this
experience is that have found the
hero" before all other things n "growl-
err" There is something radically wrong
with the soldier who does not growl.
They all do IL. A private would part
with his rations rather than with his
right TO grumbie. II doesn't make much
difference just what he growls at. Some
times II Is at the top sergeant" or Mt
all the 'noncoms." but his last and his
best growl he reserves for his grub -
] have seen men here in Manila come In
cut OF the field where they had been
living on hard tack and 'embalmed"
beef or timed salmon and sit down in
barracks 10 dinner Of suCculent Fill
pino chicken, stewed squash, mashed
potatoes with chicken gravy, topped off
with generous piece OF pie or a dish
OF pudding. It's not exactly n Delmon-
leo feast but It's a mighty good feed
Tor soldier To tuck in during active
service. one would naturally think AT
least, that feast of such n character
after their diet of the preceding few
days, would cause a company IN rise
up and wipe their mouths and bless tho
quartermastcr sergeant and chef out M
the fullness OF their hearts and ston-
achs. But do they do this? Not n bit
OF 1t! They lounge away from the fes-
tai BOARD, after clearing away every.
thing IN sight, and sit around and grow,
Tor the next few hours. telling eIo-
quently and bitterly how they "used .,
i've In the old days down on the rio
Grande." In fact. when a man can
growl 1t Is only sign that he is In
good condition. When Won find him
taxing what is given him without a
KICK, II is time 10 send fer the army
surgeon and see just what is the mama
OF the disease.
Another interesting thing how. NJ
lced Whlle examining the soldier IN.
DER snort range is the different manner
IN which different men act while updar
hre. l have had plenty of chances ~
make observations on that subject since
coming out here. though. as a rule ons
mas other things TO think about whom
ne begins TO hear Mausers whistle abo,,+
ms ears. Men who are Quiet and re-
served IN harraCks as soon as the b,,J-
le's commence TO sing around begin 10
grow talkative and Historically looua-
cious and in some cases start sinr,ips-
IN most surprising manner. Others
again, Keep up habble OF talk In tba,,,
serves like children and continue n, 3,
Just as long as the action lasts II -
SIMPLY. the different WAYS in which
oNertensioned nerves find relief fro,,,
the terrible strain. for no p,sttsr -.
0io ana experienced the veteran there