Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-01-21
Akron Soldier Says It
Is Not Told.
A Humorous Letter Tells His
Experiences.

VIM. L. OMAR, former Akron
boy, now In the service Of his country
in Cuba, sends the Democrat the fol-
lowing:
Columbia Barracks, Qnemados, Cuba,
January 14th, 1902.
MY Dear Friends--1n looking over
the many papers that are printed in
the United States, / once in a while
find letter written by some soldier
in the Philippines or Cuba, but have
never as yet seen any in which the
plain truth has been stated.
The other night had q horrible
dream; dreamt that had ran. away
from home and enlisted in the army.
The next morning awoke to find
that my dream was true.
You have no doubt heard about the
intense heat Of Cuba. In the summer
you have, very seldom, the pleasure
Of dreaming. l do not myself mind
hot weather in the day time, but hot
nights are killing. cannot sleep. l
toss about for hours, and then for the
sake of variety, flop, but sleep COM
eth not, my debts double, and my in
come of $3.50 per seems to me about
thirty cents Spanish.
One hardly dares take bath in any
of the streams in this country for fear
of being scalded to death. 1t is a very
common occurance to catch fish al
ready cooked. One great sport in Gu
ba is watching the mercury in ther
lnometer trying to get out of the top.
TO tell the truth, that is about all a
soldier has to do; that and walk post
in the rain all night; then is when
you wish you were sleeping on one. of
Mothers feather beds.
The army is all right for young
man who can write to Papa" and
have him advance him twenty-five or
fifty about once a month, but I have
Ebeen advanced about all the twenty
ftives and fifties I ever expect. The
most comical part of the army is
while. on practice march in this
country in the winter time. They is
sue each man candle, and If you eat
| the candle you freeze to death, and if
| you light the candle you starve to
death. Every man in the army has
two blankets. Some one has three,
because l can't find one Of mine.
| My first experience with horse
was when / was recruit. The horse
was beautiful animal to look at. 1
often wished afterward that l had
only looked ut him. Well, / mounted
him, rode out to the drill ground with
the Sergeant, who was detailed to in.
struct me. We trotted and galloped
awhile, and he finally said HALT"
Then l had to go through some other
monkey-shines. He finally said "face
about" placed my hands in the first
position, and when came to was in
the hospital about a mile from the
scene of the accident. Two nurses
were bathing my head, and the doc
tor standing at the foot of the bed. /
heard him say: If lie has any bones
broken give him some quinine."
Some people have queer idea OF
the army. l will tell you something
of the dishes, paper dishes, wooden
spoons, knives, and forks. On the
the march they are as light as a feath.
er, but the only trouble on a windy
day, we do not get enough to eat tc
hold the dishes down. They are handy
though, after You wash paper plate
you don't have to wipe 1t, just hang
1t out on the line to dry. But you have
to starch the tea cups twice weel
to keep them in good standing.
1t rains every day In Cuba-ofter
foods the camp. Last rain I had t
chase two tea cups mile and half
On the march you are allowed one
blanket. At night you put the blan
ket on the ground aud lie down on II
when you get to sleep you pull th
blanket out from under you and pu
it over you, in that way you forge
how happy you are until you wake up
then you feel like taking a shot a
yourself On the last march had ,
great "Bunkle." he was SO tall tina
when he laid dowp he woul
forget where his feet We're. l used I
have to hand him his feet severa
times during the night. He couldn'
believe that they were his; after tha
l made him sign for them.
We get three good meals a day
Indian meal, Oat meal and corn meal
On Sunday we get beefless meat 70