The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-12-25

and regale them with good things such
as the visitors had not had for many 4
day. In Manila the officers wear white
duck uniforms every day and live in
messes and have Chinese cooks anu
house boys, and, being only Il block or two
from a commissary store. live in luxury
compared to the men out on the line. who
live in miserable little Filipino towns and
so into the muddy trenches every night
or two to rebel Il sudden attack, ana
who wait on Flooding bull trains 10 pull
their rations the thirty or fifty miles they
may happen to be from their base of sup
plies. They wear khaki and fierce whis-
kers out on the line. and the time moves
more slowly than the LATEST caribou that
was ever hitched into Il bull cart
But Christmas time and many Of the
fighting men out in the field, officers and
soldiers alike. win get into Manila or
some of the other bigger towns OF the
islands. ike Visa Appari and Lipa. and
enjoy as many of the o!d-fashioned pleas
ures as the army found it possible 10
bring across to the islands with them.
In Manila and. in fact. in almost every
town where there are natives and soldier
men there will be cock --shts all the
day long: much money VIII change
hands.
IN SMALLER TOWNS.
Out in some of the small TOXINS, away
from Manila. Christmas night the rev
cries of the soldiers and the officers loaf
ms, in front of their quarters and puff
fling at their pipes and cigars. and think
| ing of the sweethearts and wives 50 far
away. will probably be interrupted by the
sudden cracking of rifles Then some
soldier viii come rushing down the street
in the direction of the commanding quar-
! tiers. shouting. THE outposts are attack
ed-' There will be sudden sprinSinS to
ne l.
! lently fall in along the street as their
officers call TO them: Company @, fall
in" Company &, fall in.' and the men
! will stand as still and silent as images,
! even though the bullets from the insur-
gents are now beginning TO whistle in
lively fashion through the trees. Then
the companies will disappear on the
double-quick in the direction of the out
posts. and soon after will come the heavy
rolling of voIleys from the krass
The men lying out behind ruddy rice
c!iieS, watching the Jets OF flame from the
rifles of the insurgents. will perhaps,
think of how different Christmas is in
the, Philippines than It is in the United
States. After the attack is over and
they have gone back To their quarters,
the officers will still sit long on their
porches looking UP dit the twinkling stars
and think of the snow and sleigh bells
and the dear ones away DttctSit
| At the same time in Manila, at the j.$
| messes. the men. having finished thsiF
dinners and the plum pudding sent ~
| Uncle sam from lL!boys in Chicago. VIII
| lean back and light their c.gars ana siiis
some OF the old songs that are yet new
(: in the Philippines. And then some one
will arise at the head of the ta2:s sha
say: Fellows. fill up your glasses ana iet
rs drink the dear old toast. the one we
love better than ali others Then when
the classes are rlied ard The men have
sn-,;nr 10 their feet. the toastr1!uster viii
! raise his glass and say, Gentlemen.
sweethearts and wives" and the man al
the end of the table VIII respond:
..Ana may our swsethearts become Our
Ana Our oar wives be ever our sweet
hearts
And us they drink down the toast the
heart of every man will travel back to
America. and in spite Of the heat and
the knowledge that he is in tropical
country ten thousand miles away from
home. ne will stu hecr The Christmas
bells across the snow.