St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-06-14
On account of the heavy dews the

On account of the heavy dews the
nurses went to bed early going into their
tents at O'Clock, as there was no sick
ness there then so they had no duties to
perform. On Christmas eve they were
all feeling quite lonesome and homesick.
In the evening in the perfectly white
moonlight they took their cots out of
the tents and all gathering together
sung. to make themselves think, at least,
that they were not homesick. They
gave it up about nine O'Clock and return
ed to their tents. They still had no
patients so had their time to themselves.
On Christmas day they had their break
fast, dinner and supper of bread, beans,
coffee with no milk and "embalm beet"
The boys busted themselves "policing"
the grounds, as they called it, picking up
papers etc., and generally cleaning up,
and fixing the tents. 1t was extremely
hot, and by this time the nurses had be-
gun to rebel against their UNMARRIED diet,
for they did not think it was as good as
might be obtained. All day Christmas
they walked around, not being allowed
to 90 farther than space Of four or five
acres as it was thought unsafe on ac-
count OF the Spaniards or Cubans that
might be near. The Goth was rainy but
they received their first mail on that day
which was a happy surprise. On the
9th tomatoes and biscuit were added
to their foods and potatoes with their
beef. The water they used for drinking
and washing they had to carry up a hill
Il of mile and they washed their clothes
in little brook at the foot of this hill.
January I'd Miss Hiscock began duty
of six hours a day, two captains being
sick, but one OF the nurses was taken
sick and she was taken off regular duty
to do special duty there. They found
much less sickness at Cuba than any
where else they had been. January 18th
the Spanish flag was taken down from
Old Moro and our flag was put up with
the Cuban flag beneath it.
They found suburban Havana beauti-
full, although the crops had Just been
planted, having been destroyed by the
Spanards. They saw the trenches they
had read so much about and the barbed
wire fences but none OF these were then
in use. The extreme oldness of every
thing greatly impressed them, old forts,
old bridges, and old stone work, and
still they all showed such great strength.
The mules used for everything were
very small but were heavily loaded and
the drivers were often seen on top OF the
loads fast asleep, but appearing perfectly
contented that their mules would take
them home safely. Cristobal Colon
cemetery was visited and the bone yard
which cannot be to the slightest degree
imagined. Some pictures in Miss His
cocks possession show very vivldly that
the newspaper accounts were in many
respects not in the least exaggerated
but were only too true to reality. The
intense heat was remarkable. While il
| the tents if the sides were thrown ut
| tney got the DencHL Oh the DIctZcS Du
only in this way were they conscious o
any GOODNESS. They were greatly sur
priscd New Years night after heav,
thunder shower to see perfectly clea
rainbow at II O'Clock at night. The
came in contact with few native Cubans
and with only one extreme case. Thi
was where they found little boy an
girl in an old church nearly starved
Their parents had undoubtedly bee
killed and they in fear had hidden then
selves there. The nurses took them t
their tents and they soon became t
know they were tenderly cared for an
lost their fear. The boy recovered bu
the girl was so nearly starved that sh
lived only about three weeks.
The Cubans had no ideas of ceanlnes
but lived most of the time out OF door
One of their customs is to powder the
faces and this they do freely, but II:
very little paint. They smoke cigarette
as freely as the men.
While Miss Hiscock' S experiences we
not extremely unpleasant there she say
she most thoroughly realizes now thu
. there is no place like home" and w;
, greatly delighted to return.