CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1899-02-23
LETTERS FROM HOME
Chsery Nissives Have Done Nush
for Soldiers in Camp.
GFeat Credit Il Dus the Pess 00ss
Department for Its E0sasat
SeFviee-Leasers fron Preo-
fneDt Persons.

8eYvtee-Letters fr0n Pre0-
f.est Persona.
During the civil war the magnitude
of the military operations often pre-
vented the delivery of mail for long
periods, and -mail day became as a
consequence one of the great events in
the soldiers career. Letters from home
meant a celebration in which all par
ticipated. By the unwritten law of the
| camp all painful or pathetic letters
were read in silence and afterwards
pocketed, while the contents of inter
esting, witty, poetic or nonsensical
missives were, after perusal by the re-
cipient. retaiIed to his comrades. Some
letters became popular favori.es and
| were read and reread as a standing rec
reation.
In the present war the post office
department deserves great credit for
the efficiency of its mail service at the
camps both in Florida and Cuba
Branch Offices are established, posfmas-
tiers appointed and regular business
transacted, the same as at the pernna-
nent establishments in the great cities.
The postmasterx at Tampa, Fernando
ma. Jacksonville, Guantanamo and San
tiago have received very high praise
from officers and privates alike. The
mails are received and delivered with
eomrnendable promptitude, and very
few complaints have been heard of
respecting mail matter gone astray.
In most of the camps mail is delivered
once a day and generally at an hour
re<.l l<z. .r& -
tine duties of the troops.
For the first ten minutes after the
delivery every man is absorbed in read
ing his own letters. and those who are
love-lorn generally take twice that
time. Then comes the interchange of
letters and the reading aloud of good
stories and jokes which have been sent
from home By degrees the camp
comes to know which of its members
have the brightest and most amusing
correspondents. and to look to them for
regular amusement. A soldier boy who
has two good correspondents at home
with taste for fun and humor soon
becomes one of the favorites of the
place His comrades take as much in
terest as he does in his letters and are
just as much disappointed when an ex-
pscted letter fails to arrive. Many of
the noted writers have sent CHEEKY
epistles to the men in the camps, and
these become priceless treasures.
James Whitcomb Riley has written
at least two, which have been read
and reread 70 delighted groups of in
fAntry ard cavalry; and several from
l11E 3 4slsU>un0pr rure
skin At story telling. have doated
from one camp to another. The orr
famine of Texas. Col. Tom Ochiltree.
II credited with three very entertain
ing letters. and Chauncey NJ. Depew
has displayed his remarkable literary
ability in the same field of work
One of the funniest letters at Tampa
purported to come from Rev. DR. John
Jasper. the colored preacher of Rich
mond, Va. author of the famous ser
mon; THE Sun. He Do Move II
was dialect composition in mock he
roic style, in which the American SOL
diers were hkened to the armies of
the Lord and the Spaniaris to the
cohorts of Satan The missive was full
of involved metaphors, and the clum-
~ but funny comparisons for which
the Virginian divine is justly cele-
brnfed-
II may not be eaay for the home
folks to fully comprehend the hunger
of troops in camp for letters. but those
who have experienced the monotony of
life in the canvas cities. the desolation
of campaigning in the Cuban jungle.
will understand full well the joy Of a
letter that links the soldier to those
left behind. Nostalgia is the medical
term for she complaint of homesick-
ness which, it has been proved, attacks
soldiers in the field in so violent form
as to result in death There has been
found only one remedy for ito send
the sick soldier home. II this is i'm
possible then the man pines away and
dies Ii is not common complaint.
although there have been several we'll
authenticated cases of il in connection
with the Cuban campaign.
There is no doubt, however. that the
thoughtfulness in providing a post Of
fee in the camps was the means of
saving numerous lives. The letters
from home proved more satisfactory
tonic than any medical compounds
could. The post offices have been the
ounce of prevention that is worth q
pound of cure.-Detroit Free Press-
Black dotted Swiss gowns are made
up OVER color and trimmed with rows
and rows of black lace insertion.
Robe dresses and skirts without ma
terial enough for the bodice. of white
and colored batiste prettily en-
broidcred. are temptingiy displayed in
the shops. There are straight around
skirts which gather into band, and
skirts composed of a series of narrow
cores set together with the tiny en-
hroidered insertion SO much employed
in the finest lingerie.
The Sandringham Jacket of knitted
wool. worn as a vest underneath the
tailor coat, is one of the fads of the
season. II is completed with silk
sleeves. fastened with brass buttons
and comes in the national colors-piAin
red. white and blue.
Everything military in style of trim
ming which can be applied in Jackets
for young girls is very popular.
The old-fsshioned idea that II was
bad taste to use two kinds Of lace on
one gown has no weight in the fashions
this season Two and sometimes three
different varieties are combined on one
bodice, narrow valsnciennes being very
Generously used with the heavier lacee.
PRETTY collar bands for our silk waists
AFe made Of narrow bias bands of the
An A~