The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1899-02-17

.
then-you know soldiers life is not
spent in a cushioned chair. Comforts
are few and far between. lhey are
usually conspicuous by their absence,
and when "A soldier does get something
out OF the ordinary, you can guess II Is
appreciated Christmas comes out once
d wear, 50 We decided to spread it on a
little, and had "swell" dinner. We
have three regular cooks whom we pay
out OF our "princely" salaries, but yes
tertlay We all had a hand in it 1t is a
true, ii welI-worn saying that Necessity
is the mother OF invention" We don't
have any tables, in fact have not seen
dining table for 50 long, that I've al
most forgotten what they look like. We
get our grub and drop right down upon
the ground and light in" This being a
special occasion We thought we couldn't
get along without tables, so we carried
our hunks out into the yard, spread our
pouches over them for table cloths, ana
50 Tor the lack Of better, they made very
fair substitutes and our dinner-how
shall describe such an affair? we
we're all dressed in white, and just be-
lore eating. as we were standing around
the tables, Harry Coombs took US
and ii the pictures are good will send
one home We proceeded to do ample
instice to the sumptuous dinner. There
we're so many things that am afraid l
could not find room for them in my
memory, though did in my stomcch.
We had delicious chicken soup, then
beefsteak and gravy, broiled chicken,
sweet corn, tomatoes, potatoes, chow
crow, pickles, tapoca pudding, peaches
hlackberlies, cranberry sauce, jams and
iellies galore and fried bananas a la es'
panco for desert, ending up with grand
finale OF nuts and bananas. We all ale
until we w-re too full for utterance, and
voted it the best and only meal that we
have had in Uncle Sans army. One oil
the boys handed his plate to the cook
and said you can keep this thing,
won't have any more use for it, as l am
never going to eat any more" All that
was lacking, to my notion, was mother S
and Elias delicious bread, with some
fine butter, and Edna's cakes and pies,
then would nave voted it the finest
meal ever ate We ate lunch at 10 and
the dinner was not served till i, SO vou
see We had lots OF time to develop ar
appetite. At s o'clock l attended the
endeavor meeting at the I'd Battalion
quarters. We had fine meeting and
taking it all in all | managed to pass a
very pleasant day. Everyone whom
, talked with seemed to have enjoyed
themselves very well. The natives cele
brate the same day that we do, but n ore
! on the order OF Chinese, firing crackers
exploding bombs, etc. The native band:
played all night long Christmas eve
They dispense fine music too, playing
! entirely by ear. They are natural borr
musicians, and can pick up almost any
tune after hearing it once. They play
/ any OF our American pieces. CATER the
Bali" is their favorite.
The other morning out at blockhouse
| II the Insurgents tried to drive ou
Gentry off the bridge. We had sentry
at one end OF the bridge and the Insur
gents eabe one at the other only few
feet apart. The Insurgents drew W
/, their line in battle array and we were
called out in post haste. 1t was JUS
after breakfast. two minutes after the
''call to arms" we had strapped on oul
| $50 rounds OF ammunition, buckled on our
belts und formed in line ready for bust
ness. Every one was crazy to go, as one
OF the boys expressed it, III there's go
| ing to he any fun, nine thousand miles i.
too far to come and then miss it," One
OF the nnlucky fellows who had to sta,
in quarters offered more favored com
rade IS to let him 20 IN his stead. W.
were as impatient to move as mettle
some colt on a cold day, and marched
out half mile only to learn that :
compromise had been patched up, S,
we marched back, not SO eager as W,
went, some OF the boys swearing Xix,
troopers because they didn't get a chanc,
to "slug bullets"
Until received your last letter l di,
not hear word for over two months
and half Many OF the boys 60
Xmas boxes, but l was not expectin,
any, SO will not be disappointed.
would rather get Il big fat letter from vol
than anything YOU could send me.
There are the pre,tiest birds and but
terf1es here | ever sawln my life. | saw
butterfly the other dav almost 81,
inches in diameter, and it was beauty
have been running Il race with my
candle which is almost out.
Yours truly,
| RALPH NANBUsKIRK.
s-o~(