Arizona republican., 1899-09-25

that 1aziness is another product of tht
tropics, and 20 exert yourself in the
wet season is to violate one of the frs
rules Of health. Rest all you can and
eat little, say the army doctors.
cheerfully obey the first injunction
but am Indifferent to the latter
think there is considerable sarcasm
conveyed in the request to eat spa1ing-
Iy. We did i'm the field when com
munication could not be established
with the comnissarliat 1t WAS then
from necessity, net from choice, that
we obeyed. Now that we are in touch
with the commissary stores we are
trying TO regain all that lost time l
| have read many accounts in the paC2rs
| that the soldiers in the Philippines are
in want It's true soldier always
| wants something or other, but as to
| suffering for want Of food | deny We
live in grand style now and even our
most ordinary menu is not to be de
spised. On one occasion q will not
forget the day. for it was on the glor-
ious FCnrth of July, when you people
were celebrating in the states) we
also observed the day in a more fitting
4
works we needed fer several nlonhs
past, we dispensed with pyTotechnical
enthusiasm and treated the inner man.
That is tc. say. cur faces were snoth-
cred in pie. [ am now waiting for
Xmas to come to repeat the perform
ance.
In the field we do not live so elab-
orately, our regular bill of fare mot
subject to change) consisting of
canned corned beef CT salmon in lieu
thereof, bacon, bareback and coffee
This was what the government fur
ntshed. but those soldiers who were
en>erprising managed occasionally to
introduce a chicken into the mess
The country is alive with chickens, but
it is dangerous for a soldier to be
caught in possession of one. for it
comes under the head of ''l09ting,' the
extreme penalty being death to the If
fender. Fortunately no one was SHOT,
but even the fear of such punishment
did not prevent the disappearance CT
the fowl in great numbers. This re-
minds ME Of an instance that occurred
during the advance on Galumpit. One
day while three hungry troopers, 1 be-
ing one, were returning to camp from
scout duty, a flock IF chickens OBJ
and partially removed tie obstruction.
When we arrived in camp our saddle
bags had a suspicious appearance, and
q short time later threoAtrooper5 were
greedily dAspatching pot Of Chicken
stew in a remote corner of tbs camp.
While thus engaged we were kC7cifiad
to nCte the approach Of an officer 1t
was too late to remove the evidence
CT our crime, and mentally l pictured
myself standing in front of squad of
soldiers who only awaited the com
mand to usher me hence. The officer
locked closely at our guilty faces. |
shifted the air suspiciously, and said: /
What are you men eating? Chicken?'' /
He stirred the mass In the pot an6
carefully examined q wing with 4
and L thought, hungry eye. I
We remained speeches. fer a second. /
but Coste1Ia's Irish wit Cnme to the
rescue. He saluted and said: No |
sir; those are 'gumDs.' a species Of wild (
chicken that abount on the island" /
The rest of us gasped, but the officer
merely smiled and asked US if he could /
sample a dish Of our ''gump" stew.
His sample was finished and was fCl-
lowed 10y another sample. He sInacked
his lips and vouchsafed the infoGma-
ton that 'Egump' stew was far better
than chicken. That officer knew that
Costello was q liar, but his hunger got
he Better of discipline. [ remember
another instance where appetite set at
defiance all dietary laws. Tie day our
command marched into San Fernando
after a hard days fighting we were not
only tired, but hungry, for cur adj
vance was SO rapid that our commits
ary wagon was distanced. The pop
1lation had fed and left everything
2ehind in the mad flight. We took
possession Of some shacks and pre-
Jared tc3 camp for few days. Five
,thar troopers and myself opened
headquarters in an imposing structure
md a close search failed to develop
Lnything edible but sack CT sugar on
he premises, SO one of our number
vent foraging. He soon returned,
cllOWed by a Filipino carrying q large
Iasket filled with wild duck eggs. We
leld a council of war, but as there
vas no money in the treasury we
ould not purchase the eggs. The Fill
pino ssttled the difficulty by Offering
o exchange the duck fruit for some
rcckery in the sack. The cr1ckery
vas virtually ours by reason Of con-
uest and we were scon in possession
f the EGGS. 1t did nCt take long to i
[
ave a fire going and soon we had
trictly an egg bill of fare, fried.
oiled, shirred and Cmele.1te. 'Tis true
hat many Of the eggs were IN a sta>e
f incubation, but there was enough
, relieve that vacant feeling. l hest
ate tc' say how many eggs we disposed
f, but at any rate I'VE all went on sick
eport next morning.
While NV mind is wandering in an
Unless. Kaleidoscope fashion, 1 7
rould like to say something on the
ubject Of fame. Some people are
orn tc greatness, others achieve fame
nd are therefore HObsoniZed by The
sminine portion Of a grateful nation,
Ut 1 am one of the modesc kind who {
ave greatness thrust upon them Y
hat fam:e sometimes imposes vicari- V
us hardships upon a lauGed hero. [ /
an testify to from my own expert q
nee and the reader will aprfa WI. n Y