The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
II oMEsiCKYE,s nv THE PHILIPPINES.
Diversions of the Soldiers when There IL
No Fighting and Time Hangs Heavy.

| ippincs with the mails delayed and no fighting
going OH Just then The camp was In an open rice
/ field along tho railroad, tho only ono in the
! islands and extending only l27 miles from Manila
10 Dagupan, the port at the head Of the Bay OF
! Lngayen The battalion had been lying there
for three weeks, guarding tho rood, OF which
tho American forces had acquired, up TO that
| time only forty miles The duties were not
particularly dangerous or atduous. for Malclos
had been taken the road TO that place was open
and comparatively safe, and communication
between there and Manila In good working order,
oy both telegraph and the train daily that came
up In tho morning and passed tho camp on its
return trip In the late afternoon
/ But tho monotony Of II ali! The ptilcss April
! sun. the sevcicst in the year. had been beating
down upon the men with increasing daily in
tensity against which the little dog tents" fur
| nshed scarcely an apology for protection. Rain
had not fallen for weeks. II being the dry season,
and the iron rails and the gravel bed Of the road
! reflected back the heat The river short dis
| tance up tho line afforded the only diversion Of
the day After shutdown permission granted
| the boys TO 90 swimming, company at a time.
| But even then the fcd miasniic steam arising
from surface that drains miles and miles Of
thckly populated territory small disease in
| fcctcd cities and unwlolcsomc plantations. thor
oughly pcrmeating the once clear mountain
|
would turn back the civilian or the uninitiated
| recruit
Tho bi.weekly mail had been long overdue
md the abundance Of literature from tho last
| mail, after its customary subsection TO frequent
exchange and interchange long ago
| hausted. Payday also was beginning 10 be
All event Of the remote past 80 that the excitement
| Of poker and craps could not be INDUCED in gen
orally. There was nothing 90 do but 70 sit around
| rush was made for the comissary car by those
whose few remaining coins enabled them 10 pur.
chase such simple Injuries as canned California
fruit Jam, pickles catsup olives, &c, sold by the
| Government at cost
| The train this day brought an unusual diversion
In the person 81 the tcgimcntd "sky-pi!ot" who
aligh,cd with face bcaming With good cheer for
the boys. and bcsicged Immediately with
qucrics MS 10 when the next mail steamer was due
and news from the other battalions Of the regi-
ment His appearance reminded the men that
perhaps IL was Sunday, and that he had conc TO
hold church for the first time in three wcoks-his
serviccs the other two Sundays being devoted TO
the Other bnttallons respectively The discourse
hntshed and genera handshakc followed-fot
| the chaplain was popular and personal friend Of
!. each man. IN hour or consumed in visit
ing those slightly affected with fever Yet too
pucky toconsrnt 10 being sent 20 the hospital the
interchange Of gossip and the good naturcd bod
image about army ethics, until tho appearance OF
, hal brought
ever organization. Every battery troop com
: pany OF even squad contains at least one man in
!; developed llc can only see he ridiculous side
, OF every hardship. cvctv phase Of camp life and
every misfortune lie Is Optimistic chceriul and
ihgh 81 Others llcCan ind Joke whcrc ono would
, Eeyct dream IL could exist Even thu mos, trivial
incident can De- turned 10 a Humorous account
lie hangs upon the words of the officers rehea rses
: and crtciscs them when they ate out Of hearing
p"culinrtv Of either superior or equal is Inc sui
ieCt VI his keen wit II he Is too hot il will
reduce the weight Of each man that the match
Why mother pes will be all the more appreciated
when they get home. II one 90 two fall out on the
last advance. he is tho rest have Their noel
support" The river resembles the most megrii.-
Gently arportioncd bath house ever built in that
any required temperature Of water may To found
because II grows colder the deeper you dive.
lnSn i Lee Is Tie contain musician lie
l that were new and late at the time the regiment
y !cii the States His imporsnnauon is excellent,
!. ana, OF course, he Is n FhPtiMc danCcr He may
rnssnss banjo or mandolin, and II so. his rcndl-
! tons arc accepted as complete, Sometimes the
and the same Tcrsor. Any ono will testify that tho
: man who Jokes aud the man who sings are almost
and Silfiti IN a command
, Did he but know u. The Company commando
fun and II only needed the genius OF the lester 10
! cnl.ven the sprits II the men aud relieve many
N,
$ was veteran Of tie Civil wnf. had served a lie
ums IN The Amy typical In hmar and every
ncn ,.laGT ll s, nsWe vas MaIa5chy, and Nc
men duli2"A him ~ II he was tho father Of nrCc
, family OF boys out he, nevc,thclrss. insisted upon
IN the trenches the Captain made u personal in,
spccuon Of the line ard cautioned The men strictly
ebout smoking at light "a the lighting of cigars
; or cIgaf,ucs might draw the eIculy s fire. Re
. turning at night The 'uli man" noticed what AZ,
9 reared 20 I've light in every mans face along thc
3
Of his orders.
n "!tould yczmin to st6pycr smoking after dark
: Put thin out" he repcnted w!thou, effect when
/ ..rSc0nt spohc up and said; Why, Captain,
/, tG''' is not man smoking: it's only the iirctcs
. We'll Put thin out any way"
The iunn" man who bad served under the Can
, tain before IN" resurrection was responsible foi
: many r'h.' ~ .rdotcs about him He was pass
:, when he heard some ~ his men refer 10 him
= as, ,"Spad MaIarchy." With a Wild gesture he
: VIII the mon who iist called me Srud step dow n
I ont ~ there and III take of me coat TO him. will;
i and III nycr pIaicr charges ogir. him, wont"
q There WIS no acceptance % the challenge
E hsG G sSn N G % MN DDI ls ag
"a" his pug pusn"Sy WI WIFI 'f be Vas s;a
,iorcd at post ON the Pacific Coast he received
, ntclcSranl from hIs son saying thai he WAS under
2 arcs, for ish,ing end nsking his advice in tn,
" areply' Did You lick HIM"
9 There was ono man in the company who IRE
u qucnty got drunk. Every payday would FIND
him in a condition Of hopeless inchricty and a
q all other times when he could procure the ncrcG
d sHry price OF Gcbauch. he was the sourc,
n Oi much concern and annoy anrc 10 the frst Scr
q gcant but frequent short cDnncmentsi in hcguarc
y hOuFc failed - correct the evil At last ms tinA
I resort he was reported " the Captain, who sent
= for him 10 appear right away When the ,ul
il prit arrived the plain was seated on the broaO
Ncranda ~ His cottage reading Without lift
a irr hiscycs from the book In his hand he asked
g Dennis, are ycE drunk"
s No sir, am not
L "Ncs arc say; | know yer drunk" getting
y more and more excited but not removing tht
book from before his face Calling his daug liter
I who was ever ready 10 interCcdc for any one o
n the rlcn, lie referred the case 10 her
n wow Mary. isn't the m"n drunk"
, why no, father, don't think he is"
7 lie isn't drunk, | say he is yez are both
y drunk. Go in the house, Mary" and addressing
: tho cmlnrI. "NcE arc ordered 10 be confined II