The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1899-01-11

About this time the General riding
by, noticed the foreign flag and
trouble for the Maryland fellows be-
gan at once. The Michigan boys,
learning of it went over and COM
pleted demolished the arch. It
was quite a dramatic affair and is
not yet ended.
President McKinley's visit here
was an event of great significance
to the Southern people. The demon
stration in his honor was the real
thing, but they don t know how to
decorate here so unused are they to
such occasions. tits like the work of
children-so very crude. The
papers too are very bucolic in the
way they present the event. The
comparisons are so ludicrous, for
instance, our review was referred
to as a s'show, bigger than Barnum
or Forepaugh or Buffalo Bill ever
got together. This, not in sarcasm,
but as conception of whatanything
calculated to awaken emotions and
fill the breast with those quicken
ing throbs that come from lofty and
patriotic perceptions. Oh, they are
narrow in their ideas of the great
ness and grandeur of this country
and the presence of the troops here,
the coming of the president and the
getting in touch with the real
thing" has opened the eyes of many
and unveiled a proposition that will
take this slow going people a gener-
alton to demonstrate.
But the people are friendly and
the boys, myself included. have
found some homes in Augusta into
which they have found their way
and met with people whose delight
seems to be in making them enjoy
themselves. was compelled to re-
fuse three different invitations to
dinner Christmas day because OF
having to remain in camp, one OF
which was from the mayor of the
city before the last election. So
you may know that if one who is as
slow to form acquaintances as / sue
ceeded SO quickly there must be
some who are ready to be married
by this time. Still, il is very un-
satisfactory life and we are begin
ming tobe restless for another move.
Yesterday Henry Gullette, OF
whom most of you know, received a
box filled with variety of all the
good things to eat that such people
as Marion Johnson can provide, and
several things that bore card say
ing "a Merry Christmas from Miss
Hannah. . I was present at the
opening of the box and shared in
the first meal taken from it. The
good people who packed it thought
wisely and did we'll and Gullette is
the envy of the entire company, and
his generosity is liable to make him
the loser by many pounds.
It is warm enough to be without
fire to-day but at night it gets cold.
Last night it froze some but Christ
mas was a lovely day. I am in
charge Of the construction of one ol
the bath houses, but managed to
steal away long enough to write this
letter though it is quite unsatis-
factory. The next time l write
trust it will be from the land oil
Free Cuba. But | cannot close
without saying that i think Bryan
is about right in his theory of what
the United States should do with it's
acquisitions. I am afraid of such
wide expansion. A protectorate is
my idea, and I feel that this country
will live to regret the day it makes
these possessions a part of its
domain. Good luck to you all under
the reign of q Populist governor.
Am sorry l left the State until after
election.
A Happy New Year to you and
my many friends.
ASA P. Brooks.
Camp Mckenzie, Dec. q.