The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1909-12-17
CHRISTMAS DAY
IN THE ARMY.
- HRISTMAS in the various forts
garrisoned by United States
. troops never passes without

HRISTMAS in the various forts
garrisoned by United States
" troops never passes without
cut and dried celebration. Prep
aration for the event is made long in
advance. Every soldier knows that
something extra is going to be his
portion for that day The Christmas
dinner, with savory extras in the way
of food. is not the only special provi-
sion for the soldiers celebration. There
is a relaxation of the rigor of military
discipline. which to many enlisted men
is even more welcome than the turkey
and cranberries. On Christmas day the
man in the barracks may do pretty
much as he pleases.
But pigs is pigs" and soldering is
soldering. so it follows that few of
the men are shut out of the general
hilarity of the holiday because they
must perform a soldiers duty as on
other days. The guard mount is for
Christmas as well as for all other days
and military regulations cannot forego
this requirement. no matter how much
the victims may grow under their
blouses. Even the extra dinner in the
barracks, while it is a rare treat to
most of the men. makes work for some
of them which is regarded in the army
as about the most calamitous detail in
the business.
Guard duty and kitchen work are
things studiously to be avoided by the
enlisted men. 1t is not pleasant for a
soldier TO be kept on guard, walking a
beat or pacing up and down in front
of headquarters when the rest of the
fellows are inside the barracks sing
ing songs. telling stories. eating tur-
kew or out on the parade ground play
ing baseball or doing skylarking stunts.
Accordingly the experienced soldier
makes it a point to escape Christmas
guard duty if possible. There are sew
era ways of doing this. The first
sergeant of the company sometimes, ii
is limited. helps the veterans out by
passive cooperation. which throws the
Burden of the day upon young recruits
who are passing their first Christmas
in the service He permits the old
timers to swap dates for guard duty
with the recruits so that the latter
will find themselves detailed.
Santa Claus also comes to the sol
der. This is true literally and fgura-
lively. He comes through the mails
or the express companies in the shape
of boxes or packages from the home
folks On his Sl3 a month the soldier
does not have much Of "A surplus to
spend in buying presents to send
home, but this fact does not initiate
against his receiving mementos from
the old hearthstone 1t is always an
event in camp or barracks when some
man receives hefty package ''jes'
fore Christmas" AS a rule the con-
tents are shared with the soldiers
cronies if they happen to be of the
edible variety and any of the cronies
fail to receive similar remembrances.
Christmas Family Advice.
To Papa-Remember the myth of
Santa Claus. to keep it holy.
To Mamma-Don't worry about the
molasses candy getting on the parlor
rug. Christmas comes but once year,
and the stores viii sell you a parlor
rug any day.
To Miss Belle-It is not necessary to
stand under a bunch of mistletoe II
YOU look at him the right way.
To Little Willy-Don't be envious OF
Jimmy Jones because Santa brought
him cannon. Next year you may get
a disappearing gun. Qt will disappear
mysteriously shortly after you begin
to make a noise with it, and maybe
mamma can explain.l
To Baby-Be good, dear child. and
let who will be clever.
.
Perhaps the world does "oWe a man