The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1901-10-26

Have you ever been a soldier? No?
Then you do not realize what comforts
are, though you sit by your cozy fireside,
with the partner of your bosom near
YOU; or perhaps it may be an aged
mother, with her white hands folded
complacently across her lap, occasionally
casting loving glance at you, as you
sit reading the evening paper. Conven-
icnccs you never had. You have not en-
joyed the great exceptional luxuries
which. once in a lifetime, perhaps, bless
~ limited number of men. How sad that
you have permitted to pass unimprovcd
your opportunity of partaking of all the
delicacies of soldiers life.
If you had ever been soldier, l would
recall the past; once more be hungry and
eat; once more tired md rest; once
more thirsty and drink; once more cold
and wet, then sit by the roaring camp
FIRE and feel comfort creep over you;
once more to lie on the field of battle,
bathed in blood, and wait for death, or
. for comrades to gather you in. Is it
not pleasant!
Eating is more than convenience to
q soldier; it is a comfort which rises
almost to the height Of consolation.
The delights of knowing just what your
bill of fare will be for each meal-bacon,
coffee and hard bread for breakfast;
coffee, hard bread and bacon for dinner;
and hard bread, bacon and coffee for
supper-you can never appreciate. And
then to think of how many thousands of
miles you have to travel to obtain these
luxuries. Is not the life worth living!
! And so you wish to hear something OF
my soldiers life? Well, will give you
true story in every particular. 1t is
officially entered upon Army records.
just wait until l light my pipe. Will
you let me smoke it here in the midst OF
all this luxuryl Yes; Well, thank you.
That old pipe and have seen some hard
! times together. What stories it would
tell if it could only speak. All! old
fellow, this is comfort, indeed, and |
know how to appreciate it. But you
don't, because you have never been
soldier.
> a thought my country had need Of ME
az one Of her defenders, and with the
golden aureole of prospective hero
urging me on, enlisted. | was only
private, with the bitter experience OF
having left comfortable home, fond
mother, a pretty sweetheart, and good
position, to 60 far away across the water,
to battle for my country. found de-
light in the rough sea voyage, and did
not fail to do my duty beneath the burn
ing sun of the tropics. did not sue
cumb to the deadly miasma ofthe Jungies,
nor was l ever effected by the steady
downpour OF the sheet of rain that tell
in those far away Philippine Islands.
\ After two or three successful contacts
with the Filipinos, we had settled down
into a hum-drum kind of camp life, and
were lying near Capas. in northern
Luzon. had tired of the everlasting
ration, and so, one day, in November
1890, /, in company with Privatcs b,
c and L, armed with our rifles and car
fridge belts, left camp and proceeded to
4 barrio, some two and halt miles 20
the southeast, for the purpose OF elab-
Grating our diet by the purchase OF some
chickens from the natives.
AS it was not altogether safe TO travei
any great distance from our command
we kept our eyes open as to our sur
roundings. We had not gone very tar.
however when we discovered party OF
armed men in the edge of the wood near
Us, and at about the same moment we
were fired on by them. Did you ever
hear lot of bullets whistle as they new
by youl Nor WE'LL take my word tor