Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-05
OPINION OF ISLANDS
Is Somewhat Different From Tha
Usually Heard.
BELIEVES ARMY WILL BE REDUCED
Thinks, However, That. 1t Will Be
Composed Of Twenty-Five Thousand
Men for Some Time to Come - Is
Stenographer at Headquarters.

Stenographer at Headquarters.
Mr.. and Mrs. Matt Wright, who re-
| side at 316 South Vine street. are in
receipt of letter from their son, John
H. Wright, formerly of Ottumwa, and
at one time employed in the Office Of
the city auditor and clerk. in which
Mr.. Wright notifies his parents that
he is in the Philippines. with the
American army, having secured a po-
sition as stenographer in the office of
the adjutant general of the division of
the PHILIPPINES. Mr.. Wright has many
friends in Ottumwa. who will be
pleased to learn of his success in get
ting so good place in the govern
ment service in the islands. Mr..
Wright has ideas about the army
which he supports with arguments and
which are somewhat different from
those which originate in the United
States. He is of the opinion that al
though the army will be reduced some
| what in a short time it will still be
composed of about $4,000 men for sew
eral years to come.
Letter From Manila.
Headquarters Division of the Philip
pines.
Manila, P. l., April 5, 1902.
Dear Mother and Father:
Will try and write you a few lines
to tell you that SO far your letter has
failed to reach me SO | haven't the
least idea whether you are we'll or ill.
| We are now beginning to get the bene-
fit of nice warm country such as you
read of once in awhile. The hot trop-
ical cun beats down with persisten-
cy which shows no sign of abatement.
am sitting in the Office window at
/ the ''Estado Mayor eagerly grasping
any little stir that there might be in
the atmosphere; occasionally little
| welcome breeze springs up from the
seas away out by Corregidor Island
and is gently waited to us over the
| 81 Uneta," though not the fresh brac-
| ing breeze of old Iowa, but you can
rest assured that it is appreciated to its
| full extent We are just merging from
winter into summer (there is no such
thing as spring here) and it is begin
:. ming to get fearfully hot. AS | am
I told, April, May and June are some
thing fierce and / can readily believe
! it. Yet no one can be found here who
seems to be able to remember when
! there ever was such a cool winter in
the Philippines as this last one has
been. Indeed a blanket made one feel
real comfortable at nights. | slept UNI
der one this last month but will now
have to discard it. Pajamas are suf1l.
cent generally for about eleven
months out of the year.
The beds in this country are GER
tainly queer arrangements until one
gets used to them Rather hard at
l first on tenderfoot. There are no
such luxuries as mattresses in the orr
ent. Your bed consists of a skeleton
4 framework of four posts of native hard
wood, which extend high in the air
on the top of which is fastened can
opy top, something similar to the top
4 of a carriage in our country; suspend
ed from this, for about two feet from
the top are some oriental drapings oil
4 bright colored designs. The part OF
the bed which you lie on is of woven
cane, similar in all respects to regu.
4 lar cane bottom chair; it is loosely
woven in order that the air may free
ly circulate. On top of this you simp
" lay "patate' or in other words, a
mat woven closely of some kind Of
grass. it Just fits the bottom of your
bed as it is made expressly for this
purpose. Then you lay one white
sheet on top of your "patate," and with
little cushion about the size of q
: pin cushion, and just about as soft
under your head, also one under youl
feet. Then there is your MOSQUITO
cage. When I say cage, mean cage;
this is more important than the bee
itself; it is hung from the inside of the
top of your bed, full length and Width
of the bed and roof; it falls long
enough to tuck about a foot all AROUND
under the edges of the palate" Whe1
I first saw one of these sleeping ma
chimes ready for action was quite a
loss to know how to tackle it. die
not know whether to tackle it broad
side, forward or from the superstruc
ture; necessity and custom have boil
come to my assistance long ere this
though. You grasp large fan in on,
hand and make few sweeping stroke.
alongside of one side of the bed an(
then the other; then firmly graspins
the lower edge of the netting you raise
it up just far enough to permit you
making headlong, sidewise dive I'm
der it, the second you are under you
do an acrobatical stunt in an endeavo
to recover yourself and turn half
back handspring in order to get tn,
netting under the edges of tn,
palate" before a swarm of the sting
ing mosquitoes can follow you in. Thel
after adjusting your head you hav,
good use for your fan, which you hav,
managed to retain, trying to cool OF
Il q ftor tho ayartion You arc now cot