The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-02-14

six years.
At $50 p. III. we assembled on the
starbosrd deck facing a huge canvas,
which, when lifted, revealed young
Hawaiian pine tree blazing with colored
electric lights and loaded with Christ
mas gifts.
/ Then the children rendered delight
full entertainment of songs, recitations,
and instrumental music, followed by
The appearance of Santa Claus in
white dress with snow (cotton) in his
hair; the smoke stack was too dirty for
our Santa in white so he came down
the riggings from the sky perhaps, and
he carried big bundle of gifts for US
all, which with appropriate speeches he
distributed; dolls, dishes, horses,
wagons, little stockings filled with candy
for the children, fans for the ladies and
jumping jacks for the gentlemen.
What jolly Santa Claus and what hap
Ply children.
And so he found us on the broad
ocean at nine o'clock on Christmas eve
while you boys and girls in Maryland
were just waking in the morning.
Christmas morning. The children
play gaily on deck with their new toys,
while the Merry Christmas to you passes
around. At 10 a. m. divine services
were held in the dining saloon under the
direction of the chaplain of the i24th
Infantry, and the afternoon was spent
quietly in conversation and games and
good cheer"
Dinner at 7,3O p. m. satisfied good APP
petites: turkey, cranberry sauce, plum
pudding, apples, nuts.
After dinner funny entertainment
was given by the soldiers aboard and a
dance on deck, with ice cream and cake
for refreshments, concluded our Merry
Christmas celebration at sea.
AT GUAM.
Early in the evening of December
9th we sighted the, little island of
Guam, the largest of the Ladrone rob
ber) group, located about one thousand
miles east of Manila; it is only thirty
miles in length by ten in width. and but
one tenth of the land is cultivated.
The population of the group is only
about 10000, tho 1t is said there were
once GO, 900 people there; but they prov
ed very troublesome subjects to Spain.
so Butcher" Weyler, then Governor
General of the Philippines, sent an
army over to restore order and reduce
the population,
Guam has a large natural harbor,
protected on one side by theiland and
on the other by long coral reef, but
the entrance is dangerous and we were
obliged to stand off the shore until
morning, when we entered and pro-
ceeded to unload mail and supplies, IN
GLIDING several kegs OF beer for the
Christmas celebration of the marines
stationed there.
At 10-15 a. m. launches arrived to
take US ashore and upon landing we
found "bull carts waiting to convey US
to Agana, the capital, which is located
five miles farther up the coast.
Our "bull' proved to be a cow, but
she kept up steady trot along one of
the best and prettiest roads that the
writer has ever seen; the cart was
springless and cushionless but FORUM
ately the road was as smooth as floor
and as hard as a rock; it is built of
coral rock with good ditch on each
side, not bit Of dust; if you will add
to this the shade OF. palm trees with oc-
casional picturesque native houses, and
the sea breaking into white foam over
the coral reefs on one side and hills and
cliffs on the other, you will have pref
ty picture Of the road to Agana.
The passengers of the Thomas"
were all invited to take lunch at the
palace" with the Governor, Command
er Potts of the Navy. whose sister was
also passenger as far as Guam; so,
after walking about the old town and
climbing the hill to the old fort on top,
we went to the palace, cool, comfort
able old house in the Spanish style, and
were entertained by the hospitable
Governor and his wife.
The return ride was no less delightful
than that of the morning, our COW keep
ing up the pace of the "trotting bull"
of India, and the rays of the MONDAY
sun being tempered by the palm trees
and sea breeze.
Arrived at the wharf again we paid
our driver dollar each for the round
trip and at p. m. the ship was headed
toward Manila.
The natives people here are Malays
and resemble the Eilipinos closely, but
speak different dialect; our driver
said he was "Chamorro" and he spoke
a little Spanish as well fas his native
tongue; their houses and customs are
almost the same as those of their Fill
Pine neighbors.
Perhaps some of you have not heard
the story of our taking possession of