The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-30
Seen by aSOIdier
Rube OIdfItIR.
sights IN IfiahIla.

Mia, Is having unique experiences, and
being observing Is taking 1t all in. Re
Gently his family received I'VE letters ali
at once They follow:
Manila, p. L, May Is, lsse.-My Dear
Father: I have Just been informed that
mail steamer leaves here today for the
States VIII write you hastily and IL this
does not reach the Office before the mall
closes, hope It viii not be long before
another win sail for the continent. re-
ceived your letter few days ago dated
April 18th. the first to reach me in answer
to any Of mine from here.
We still have that old prison guard
duty yet, and when we go on duty there.
take nothing along but travelling rations
You know about what that Is; so to
make good. square meal 1t is neces-
sary to go down into our own pockets for
1t. We buy eggs, and such other pro-
visions as we like, Of the natives. have
not created the dislike for this country
that many of the boys have. Their
cause of complaint, think. is on account
of the excess of guard duty we have to
perform.
am standing the heat Of the climate
very well. Have seen 1t fully as hot In
Kansas at times as have here The
nights are usually cool with a refreshing
breeze.
Clarence calls on me occasionally. He
has been transferred and is on duty in
one Of the departments Of the hospital
He says 2 Co. Is too tough for him.
had the pleasure OF going through the
orI
From the exterior one would not think It
a palace of much importance. but It is
grand on the inside. It shows wonderful
works Of art. 1 have gone through quite
a number of churches and find that in
beauty of architecture and design they
by far excel anything 4 ever saw IN the
States.
May 1S.-My Dear Sister Darl: Since
my last letter to father some changes
have been made that have proved favor
able to me, giving me more time to write
and think of friends at home. An order
was received at headquarters for the first
sergeants Of L F c and G Cos. to pick
the two best men of their respective COM
panies, men whom they could recommend
as sober and trusty, to report to tho
peace commissioners for duty. I was one
of the number selected. and am now en-
joying relief from my former overburd-
ened duties, but do not know how long
this will last. We are only on duty two
hours out Of fourteen, with nothing to do
for the next twelve but simply sit down
and rest. Our tents are erected on the
breakers by the seashore. THESE break
ers are built as a projection against the
water at high tide.
The house occupied by the commission
ers Is a Spanish residence and the swell
est place in the city. We have to keep
dressed up in our very best Sunday
clothes and almost walk on tip-toe when
on duty. but do not have to carry the
old gun except after / o'clock at night.
1 see Dewey occasionally as he drives by
in his carriage on the Lunetta. en-
close few kodak pictures of comrade
and myself. They were taken on the
coast in front of our quarters by our
second sergeant. We had Just came on
guardand were on our way to the bath
house when we met the sergeant, who
stopped and took snap shot. Good pic
lures or photographs are hard to get and
very expensive here. I visited some OF
the galleries and found that all the pic
lures that had been on hand for some
time were turning yellow and looked fad
ed. That Is why 1 have not had any
work of that kind done. After I send
a little more money home will have
YOU get me a kodak and rolls enough
that may take some views in and about
the city.
I do not see Claude Rogers very often,
IS we are separated so far. and when we
get leave OF absence our time is so lin
ted that we cannot make the trip and
have a visit.
1t rains here every day. and Is raining
low about as hard as it can.
You had better address me at the COM
)any as heretofore, as some Of us go over
here every day.
May 22.-Dear Bro Carl: While wait |
ng in my tent for supper will devote the |
ime writing you, and make sure OF a
etter for the next mail.
The peace commissioners met in ses-
ion today and we have been kept busy |
n attendance upon the people. carrying |
etters, cards and messages in and out.
The Filipinos were represented by FIVE |
legro officers. One wore a black blouse |
md red trousers, another had on a suit |
imilar to that worn by Spanish soldiers. |
'lue with a small white stripe through It, |
cry much like shifting. The other three |
we're dressed in pure white.
l had talk today with an old Wichita |
10Y, but had never met him before that |
remember of. He used to work in a |
estaurant on East Douglas avenue. He |
elongs TO the Fourteenth Z. S. l.: was
ne of the first to come to the islands
fter .hostilities were opened. He de-
cribes the city of Manila as having been
he dirtiest place he ever saw.
Last night 1t rained continuously
through the night, and It may seem
TRANCE to you that It was so cold that |
had to sleep under my blanket
May S0-My Dear Sister: l wrote you
n the 18th inst and presume the letter
; here In the office, as know of no mail
aving left here for the States since that
ime. To obey your iniunctions I must
Srite oftener and occasionally between
lines.
Last night ! participated IN quite n
oval affair, at least so far as my ca
acity as a L. 5. soldier would allow
frs. DENLY gave a very swell party It
would take a highly educated Spaniard
D describe It's granduer and pomposity.
~ knowledge of the English language
ould not do 1t Justice. There were pres
Mt American. English. Spaniards and /
ilipinos of renown. Our whole force |
ras on duty during the festivities. We
ad all We could do 90 prevent a bSpck-
de OF the street so numerous were the
ehicies. At the conclusion Mayor Saw
or. IN n very complimentary manner. in
tied the guard to lunch We would cali
a banquet in the States. There is 10
q another hish-tonai bIpvr-of,t 20 49, I