The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1900-03-16
INTERESTING
Letter From One of Our Soldier Boys
at Manila.
PAorERIAN POLICE STATION,

Mr. Hal Campbell, Bellefontaine, o.:
DEAR SIR:-Of course right in oppo-
sition to what we used to say, 1 joined
the regular army and am now in histor-
ic old Manila, doing patrol and pro-
vost duty. Our duty is quite severe
we sleep one night out of three. Occas-
ionally we do not go to sleep all of that
night. A rough and tumble starts in
some building and then we are called
out to put them out of the business.
While on guard last Sunday, l had
charge of five prisoners of war, and
one of them made his break for liberty.
Three halts, shot, and all was over.
The result fatigue party was detail
ed to 60 to Battery Knoll and dig a
grave.
We have quite time in trying to
talk Spanish, Filipino and Tagola. The
mixture of languages is something aw
full, there being twenty-five tribal Ian
guages spoken on the island of Luzon,
besides Spanish, German, French, En-
glish and the language spoken by the
Turks. There are quite number of
Turks here in this city.
1 saw Ora Staight about three weeks
ago. He was here in the casual quar-
ters, having been left behind to help
nurse his sick comrades, who were so
sadly afflicted with small pox.
have been making inquiries as to
what regiment Capt. Kaufman was
with. I was told the 46th U. S. VS.;
some said the Both. and others the 38th
U. S. V.'s, so 1 have been unable to To-
cate him. Will you be so kind as to
inform me as to what command he be-
longs to.
Capt. Bennett and his outfit did not
land at this point, but went to one of
the other islands. I have not learned
which one. Report is that their head
quarters is at Iolo.
The native women of this country
are anything but pretty. Here is de-
scription of their dress and habits:
They smoke cigars, cigarettes, chew
betel nuts, wear wooden shoes without
stockings, dress skirt reaches about
the middle of the leg from knee to an
kle, they use no buttons, all strings or
thin strips of bamboo. They wear a
thin, white waist, over which they
wear another thin, short-sleeved, very
low-necked waist. Since they know
little or nothing of buttons, belts or
pride, their waist and skirts do not
meet, thus causing the American SOL
dier to blush (?) when he first sees
them, but as time goes, the sight be-
comes natural.
Now the Spanish ladies dress little
like the American ladies, but yet they
are slouchy. Even with their slouchi-
ness, the way they arrange their cloth
ing, with their beautiful looks, they
are quite handsome, except where they
use facial powder to such an extent
that it would make one think they
had passed their head through a flour
sack, and had not removed the flour that
remained upon their faces after the op-
Grafton.
To compare the Filipino belle, the
Spanish beauty and the Matisa lady
with an American lady would simply
give one good case of Snakes" and
make him say, America is good enough
| for me-" 1t is too.
Hal, would you be so kind as to send
me some Bellefontaine papers? I would
enjoy them ever so much, and would
give you my most hearty thanks.
How are Messrs. Ed. and En-. Thomp.
son, Richey, Zeigler and the rest of the
young men of Co. F getting along?
How strange it is to think about il
being winter. While I am writing thi:
it is almost as warm as it used to get il
Chicamauga. Were you ever there
Ha! Ha!
This tropical climate seems to agree
with me. L am enjoying the best o
health, excepting a case of mumps.
Regards to your father and sister
also the boys of Co. F.
Yours Respectfully,
| D NJ NJ Au,rruEXVC