Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-26
IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Some Amusing Stories About Guard
Duty and Other Thinrs

From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
one OF the burdens of the enlisted man
Is guard duty. This sort of work is we'll
hated by all the men. for everything must
be done to order by the guard and If one
has an especially cranky officer of the day
one Is always liable to get belt pulled
ana repose in the guard house for a few
DAYS. Before he enjoys his liberty once
more he shall have contributed to Uncle
sam goodly portion of his monthly sti
rend. punishment which is known among
our boys as paying blind In this con-
nection the following Incident took place in
Manila. the leading character being n nri-
eate' Known rs No. l, and Lieut. Blank.
who CHANGED to be one of the most mar.
tai "shad tails" that ever came ont of
west foint 1t occurred during a threat
ehed attack by the insurgents and guard
duty IN consequence was particularly strict
NO was sentinel at the guard house Mt
the entrance of the barracks His orders
according TO the Manual of Guard DUTY
are prescribed and laid down for him as
foiows: After receiving an answer to his
challenge No. l calls 'CnrporaI of tho
Guard So-and-soi repeating only the ar
swer to his challenge" At this point there
happened to be the aforementioned pomp-
Gus oHcer, who possessed colored body
servant who was cordially dislked by all
the men. This dislike was probably caused
by the fact that the colored gentleman in
at all times Of night or day while the SOL
diers when on pass" had to report to the
guard house at o'clock. About II one
night No. l was walking his post and keep
ing his eye peeled for an expected visit
from Lieut. Blank, who was just at that
time officer of the day.
Suddenly he espied form approaching.
and, taking his visitor to be the officer of
the day, he brought his heels together with
click. his piece to port arms with
chanical Gracefulness and dispatch and in
a loud voice challenged: Halt Who's
there?" Out of the darkness came a voice
with an unmistakable coon twang, "Cullud
gemman Oh de post"
With a voice made strident by disgust
and rage, No. l cried out:
Halt. you bankety blank son of a gun!
Corporal of the guard. a nisger,'
Just at that moment the officer of the
day emerged from behind the guard house,
and No 1 knew he was in for it. The Off
Ger had heard the entire challenge, and
for his unconstitutional language No l
paid old Uncle Sam 80 and for ten days
swept the parade grounds.
All this, of course, simply goes to show
what l pointed out at the first. and that is
that the United States is not an essentially
military nation. 1t shocked an English Off
Ger here nearly to death To see a private
respond to his officer with a pipe in his
mouth Among the freeborn individuals
enlisted from all parts of the United States
for the war are, of course, great many
who trifle short on education. Occa-
sionally, it seems. one has slipped in who
is able neither to read nor write. OF such
a character was private nfcknamed Al
kali Ike 1t happened he was on guard
over magazine one night when clipper
young lieutenant. whom We shall call Lieut..
Stripes, was acting as officer of the day.
Now. Lieut. Stripes had never pulled a
belt. and the desire to do so was keen
within him.
He watched for his chance. and descend
ing on poor old Ike morning about
O'Clock, in few minutes had Old "Alkalf'
So tangled up that he could not explain
whether he was on post duty or on fur
lcugh.
Have you d MANUAL" snapped the
lieutenant.
Then why in blazes don't you know
your orders"'
Cant read. sir" answered Ike.
Cant read shouted Lieut.. Stripes.
Now what blankety blank fool
listed your?
Lieut.. Stripes, sir" said "AlbaIi,'' in his
sweetest voice.
After few hens and haws the clipper
young lieutenant stole quietly away, and
after that acted a little more decently to-
ward old Ike.
The greatest trouble with most of the
men is to keep them away from the fnSur-
gent lines. Some of boys will start UP
a game of base ball right in range of
Filipino sharpshooters, and IT is all the
officers can do to keep them in the trenches
where there is d chance of marking out a
temporary diamond and smuggling a hand
made base ball stuffed with Filipino wool
around the field During charge it Is
exactly the same. Boys and old bald
heads all fight and fret for a chance of
getting into a trench or over a wall or
through a jungle first The other day L
found young chap !imbed in the ankle
By a Filipino Mauser bullet. He cry
ing like baby. and when 1 asked him If
could do anything for him he said. No.
for his tears were of pure rage and disap-
pointment to think that Harry Jones. who
came from the same town he did, had