Fergus County argus., 1902-03-12
Chaplain stull, Formerly Of First
Montana Volunteers, Writes of
Affairs at the Front.
PROVING TO BE A Hooooo
Has 6edfelIows a Plenty, But Evi-
IDENTIFY Enjoys His Adventures
A Bright, Breezy Letter.
(Anaconda Standard.)


G. c. Stull, chaplain of the 18th in
fantry stationed on the little island
of Leyte in the Philippine group, has
written To- Ex-Governor j. +. Rick
ards. telling his old Montana friend
how he is getting along in that far
away speck in the ocean. He has
been fighting a severe and decisive
battle with bugs, flies and other in.
sects. His cabin leaks rain water.
and altogether he is having a fine
time. a veritable picnic of time over
there. He says there is constant
anxiety over the unsettled state OF
affairs on the island. His letter is
dated Jan. 3 and is as follows:
MY Dear Governor: 1t is one Of
those beautiful oriental days. con-
ducive to thought and letter-writing.
The precipitation yesterday and thu
far today has probably been a foot
and half. II is contemplative
day. and am figuring where ! can
get in this old shack between the
raindrops and write SO that the wa.
ter won't make my ink too thin.
Il have just arisen from my break
fast-that ! thoroughly enjoyed. 1t
takes somewhat longer for an Ameri.
can to eat than the natives; know II
does me. This is accounted for by
the length of time spent in taking
ants out Of the sugar worms out OF
the rice and prunes and -four bugs
out Of the bread. You probably will
want TO skim few goblets of fatty
matter from your cocoa or chocolate.
caused by accidentally boiling few
fat chugs; then you eat. Sleep Is
that in the same methodical way.
You first drive out the mosquitoes.
ants, spiders and other small affairs:
take a cursory glance at your pillow
10 find a millipede mot centipedel.
scorpion or tarantula. Then having
expressed gratitude. you lie down
and WOO sleep. Nature assists larg-
ly In this. Given hard bed with no
mattress and only a native mat AMI
sheet; a cat that begins its perambu
lations after taps and invariably sere-
nades; many dogs that are in M
kitchen knocking over tin cans In
search for bacon. and 10 or Is Chin
os with their ceaseless gabble. and
you have the combination that puts
you to sleep-nit.
"All of these. however, are becom.
Ing so common that | am forgetting
to think about them, as hug nv
Colts automatic and rest with one
eye open waiting for the midnight
attack that We are prepared for az
any time. But morning comes and
we are alive.
THE day Is spent, not in battle.
but In court-martlals. | am the per-
manent counsel for the accused pris.
oners. ] am owing to my success
largely to my ignorance of the law
and my ability to get the Judge advo.
cate mad. ! have had IL cases thus
far, ranging from plain drunk to de-
sertion and murder; have had Ave
plead guilty, four convictions and
three acquittals. The balance of my
time Is spent in visiting hospitals
and guardhouse. teaching and riding
between posts.
"The island Of Leyte is one of the
least desirable intellectually, but the
foremost In raising hemp. AS else.
where, the Chinos are the principal
merchants and the natives are the
sufferers. know of no full-blooded
native on this island that could or
does engage in business for himself.
Neither do they care to work. A few
OF them fish, and a little rice and i
game cock satisfy them. The COM
mon people of Taros are friendly.
The half caste or mixed blood arc
the ones fomenting and stirring up
trouble. II these fellows could be
sent to Guam quiet would be assured.
The relations are greatly strained
now between General Smith and the
governor of the island, and troops
have been withdrawn until we have
less than 700 men to take care of
nearly a million people.