The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-15
BOY
WRITES HOME
Gives His Impressions of the
State of Texas and
Praises West Virginia.
tBy F. Gail wyer.1

I FL. SAM HOUSVON, IAN ANTO-
MO, Tex, Oct 12-one year ago to-
day ] took the oath ossefye the nag
OF my country for three years. and
since that time my life has been some
what different from the quiet coun-
try. home life among the hills OF dear
told Harrison county.
shall give. to the readers OF the
Telegram a short sketch OF my mill-
tary service. The first few months
| spent In Columbus Barracks, where
p first put on the uniform that repre-
sents the flag. The was sent on the
2srd OF December. 1907. to Wash
ington. D. c.. where I was, through
the influence OF my company COM
mander, allowed to enter the United
States Army War College, and after
spending six months in. school there.
I was assigned to duty at, TT. Sam.
Houston. My trip from Ohio to
Washington, ID. c., was but "a few
days. but passed through some very
beautiful places as well as historic
ones. While In Washington was al
lowed to visit many of the places of
attraction and nearl all the govern
ment buildings. among which were
the capitol. the congressional Libra
,ry. one OF the most beautiful struct-
ures ever saw, the national museum,
the mint and the United States treas
~. and many other places which are
not only attractive to the eye. bu.
historic and beneficial to- the young
and old alike.
! shall now speak OF my trip to the
far South West. I came With de-
tnchment OF seven soldiers who had
been graduated from the same school
as /, and were also assigned to duty,
here. We were six days and fou-I
nights on the road. and during thatl
time passed through thirteen of the
States. including Texas The trip was
rather tiresomc. but enjoyed II,
nevertheless. and hope TO soon be
able to make the retur ntrip.
Texas is often misrepresented- n
many books and literature read in
the east. It is wholly composed OF al
sheet of red clay. baked like Boston,
beans, by the melting son that seems
close enough to the surface to light
~ SA6eAA. AC QEUQuCI Ii CaEeI
tus as large as oak trees and occa-
sionally blackberry or mesquite
tree that never gets large enough to-
be of any value, not even for shade.
Water is as costly and about as scarce
Us beer In Ciarksburg. and even the
snakes and toads have horns. Thei
only scenery to meet your gaze is a
herd OF long-horned steers and a
crowd of drunken Mexican cow
punchers. who work for so cents perl
day. making laboring men out of
jobs and the poor class OF people,
hungry. The sounds of the bird and
the ripping of some beautiful stream
in the East. are substituted here by
the bowling of hungry coyote or
scream OF Mexican panther. The
only attraction is watching some COW
boy breaking bronco or as they
term it. Bronco Busting" or to visit
the Cherokee Indian camps and
watch the Indian dances. which soon
get old. But after all Texas, especial.
~ the western part is, will say. pref
ty good. but give me five acres in
Harrison county and take 500 I'M
Texas. and I'll have French fried DO
tatoes and ham with eggs. when the
Texans are eating chilli and the old
Mexican dish, hot tamales,.