Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1911-12-14
SOLDIERS HAVE BIG
Il.AES ON CHRISTMAS
Best Part of Day Comes After
Dinner When Men All Go for
a Plunge In River.
From The Sioux city Tribune.

family arise from a splendid Gunner
and after Il few minutes rest go down
to the river and take a plunge: IL
takes a powerful imagination to rcailze
such an effort in this snappy Iowa
temperature, but there are three mon
in Sioux City today who have done
hat same stunt several times on De-
cember 25. However. it was not the
Missouri river nor Crystal lake that
received their athletic figures in tho
month of December, foc being con-
structed along the same lines as o hea
people they do not relish icy plunGea
and cold air baths.
The Christmas day plunge is an an
nual custom among the soauls1s IA wv
United States army situated IN INC
| Philippine island, and in Cuba, accord
ing to Sergeant ID. A. Porter and Cor,
| poral Sidney A. Negbaur. of toe Local
recruiting station. who have celebrate.
the great Christian feast III many
| countries during their career in the
army. They are backed I'm their as.
sertions by j. IS. Ruffin, of st. Paul
who after several years service has
re-enlisted in the army and intcnci
to spend the coming Christmas al
Fort Logan, Colo.
The radiator in the recruiting station
was kissing like the william in q melo.
L DRAMA lOOdS, WIlGii' JIG SuOJCSl ~
Chris mas was brought up by the of,
ficers. They have long since passed
the stage of Inconsistencies. but as each
succeeding Christmas draws near they
like to recount the celebrations OF
former years.
Steam heat and overcoats are new
features of my Christmas celebrations.
said Sergean, Porter, and I suppose
we'll ave to go without our plunge
in the sea. In the Philippines, we used
to go swimming and have athleti.
contests in the afternoon and attend
a SHOW in the evening where the en-
tire audience was made up of army
men.
Army Customs.
"The Christmas season IN the is
lands is minus the gift giving spirit
that is so prominent in the United
States continued the sergeant. INC
subordinate officer is allowed to give
a superior officer a present. although
the privates often exchange sma
gifts. Sometimes the members OF a
company unite and purchase a splendid
gift for the company. but the superior
officers cannot receive presents from
their subordinates."
I'm 1905 and 1906 VIC had splendid
celebrations and good ners Or
Christmas day all work is laid aside
and only those on guard duty arq
Obliged to remain at work. Those Uhc
are serving time in the guard house are
turned over to their companies at the
dinner hour and allowed to eat WITH
their friends. Turkey is the favorite
food at the dinner. We always attended
first year on the islands 1 ATTENDED
services conducted by Father Fitzser-
aid, chaplain OF the Twcnty-second in
fantry in 1906 Joseph Cumming.
was the leader.
I'm the afternoon the real events Of
tho lov hold and nyary0,a WON
in for a good tim. Swimming races
were held and the men went into thu
handicap races carrying from so to 6;
pounds of baggage on their shoulders
1t is q custom of the soldiers to hire
an opera company from Manila for tn,
night. Every man in the compan
would attend the show and give thu
actors a reception that would never b,
forgotten"
Christmas Mail in Cuba.
The soldiers in Cuba have their hes
time on Christmas day, when they opel
their mail and receive the present!
from home, according to Corpora
Negbaur and Private Ruf1in, who spen
several years on the island. h mai
is distributed after chapel exercises ant
those who receive letters spend a happ.
day. The natives observe the day in
sacred ann and have no tradition,
regarding Santa Claus. The afternoo,
plunge is also q feature of the Cubal
celebration.
Soldiers in Cuba often receiv,
ridiculous presents from their relative
and friends in the United States sal,
Corporal Negbaur. II remember on
Christmas when n private opened
large package which bore his name
When he removed the last paper an,
exposed to view a large, coy corne
pillow he was dumbfounded and coul
hardly speak. He finally came to an,
remarked that 1t would be a fine thin,
If the sender had only sent a coy cor
ner with it. Another private receive.
a bottle of cologne from his sweet
heart in the states. You can imagin
the jollying he received for severa
weeks. Finally he became disguste,
and threw the present away. In tn
evening the quarters from the differ
cnt companies get together and enter
tain their friends until late in tn
night"
ut doesn't make much difference 1
the soldiers whether they are i'm Cub
or the United States" said Sergean
Porter in response to a question, IAN
they are seldom lonesome. They real
ize h "a even If they were in tn
United States they would probably b
a great distance from home and coul
not leave their station. So they ar
content to remain in a foreign countr
and make the best of it,"
A HOMEMADE PRESENT.
Il E t----1 ~