The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-17
Boyle s. MuCklow|
40 LaCkaWanna Avenue.


sagging part, making with his fingers
a path for the water to the caves.
Then along that whole path the water
comes through in streams. The re.
cruit moves his bed and bumps his
head against the room. Instantly
there is another leak. At last the tent
is leaking like a sieve, and the bitches
around it's walls are running over with
water, which comes II and silently
steals under the soldier bunk and COW
ers his floor and creeps up the primi-
tive legs of the bed. He discovers his
feet hanging in the water and realizes
that his shoes are soaking wet and
that the rain coming through the roof
has soaked his back. He has no place
to go. and the song and cherry words
have long since stopped.
The cook, who knows what to eX-
peCt, for he is an old Campaigner,
drums away on his dishpan and there
by announces dinner. He has few
guests. Those few come in, splashing
water with their bare feet and with
| dripping ponchos and hats. 1t takes
q very wet and disagreeable day to get
| the cook out of humor. The soldier
| who can face the elements for his
bacon, beans and coffee is greeted
cheerfully by the chef and draws an
extra portion as a mark of distinction.
| The roaring fire is comfortable to look
at, though it spits and sputters at the
rain which falls upon its blazing logs.
| SO the soldier eats, perched upon box
| of canned tomatoes, and cracks his
| jokes about the weather and the
rockies" as the raw recruits are
| known.
NO REST FOR THE WEARY.
There is a let-up in the rainfall az
| sundown and the sky becomes purple
| and crimson and all the shades be-
| tween. The soldier comes forth like
| the robin after the storm, and he is
| gleeful again, although he is wet. The
| supper is eaten with greater appetite
than the MONDAY meal. At night the
wind and the rain come again and re-
| main throughout the dark hours Per-
haps the tent falls, for the ground be-
comes soaked and loosens the tent pegs
Then awry goes the whole affair, coll
| apsing in clammy despair upon the
head of the unfortunate recruit. who
would not take advice and drive his
tent pins farther into the ground.
Where the outpost stands the rair
falls and the water rises, but an eye
| must be kept on the enemys lines
whether it is dry or wet. In getting
to their posts the soldiers often &C
with trousers rolled up to the hips The
outpost" splashes out and the officer
with it. Sometimes the latter rides or
horseback and again he walks. The
I t,,s,. n.Iy q
the majors permission for his men tC
go barefoot. The next morning the
captain appeared barefoot and bare
legged Of his trousers were rolled up e
his hips, a poncho and hat completing
his attire When the soldiers fell in L
splash their way to duty, every mai
wore the regulation uniform-shoes,
leggngs, trousers, coat and hat. SOM
wanted TO laugh at the queer appear
ance of the captain and some did smile
But the experience of that day told
them that the captains was the mos
comfortable style of 6ress. The mex
day the men wore the garb of the Off
Ger and set a style that has been fol
lowed all over the camp.
When once in the fields or bamboo
thickets there is nothing to do but t.
watch and wait sometimes waist deel
in the water-two hours con" and tw,
"off" for twenty-four hours and twelv,
hours in reserve, The reserve finds
dry place, usually a nipa hut, an
wraps itself up i'm comfort to wait ant
sleep till the hour comes for duty
Probably the outpost has the hardes
time of il. He must go out regardles
! Of the weather or condition of tn
roads. At more than one place in tn
. region of the lake the shelters are un
. der water to their caves and new shell
ter places have to be formed, general!
nearer the enemy's line and closer &
danger. 1t seems impossible to carr,
on a campaign in this kind of weather
and officers consider it lmpracticable L
, move troops over the roads and acros
, the fields i'm their present condition.