El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-01-21
By NORMAN ]

a camp ever OEEuIs4EA Dt a nv z ---~
crew than that which pOpulates the
mes. prison camp.
II is All set like n stage out there
on the northeast mesa at the 1ooI OF
Mount Franklin. The moutains form
the back drop with their rugged PEAKS
and canyons, the colors standing out
sharply in contrast to the drab OF
the desert below. The floor OF the
mesa land makes an excellent stage
while the fort and the desert form
the flies and wings, with the blue OF
the sky and the distant mountain
ranges adding the splashes Of color
needed to complete the picture. The
figure might Ice carried further, for
the mesquite brush fires of the fed
erals form q line across the front OF
the stage" corresponding TO the foot
l'ertS
And such a picture as is formed on
the great stage. The conical wall
tent. form the company streets in the
middle q little cluster Of khaki col
Ored canvas houses over to the east
are the homes of the vanqulshed OF
ficers and the flat floor of the mesa IS
covered with action and military lie
like a giant hiDpOdrOme. Uncle Sans
infantrymen and cavalry guard the
prisoners of an alien war, riding the
line or pounding their beats like the
trained fighters they are. Wagon
trains rumble out from the switch
where supplies are being unloaded
from long freight trains, mule pack
Of hay and straw. looking for the
world like a desert caravan with the
camel like motion of their top heavy
loads. Off to the east a cavalry troop
is drilling and a constant line of sol
diers come and go across the reserva-
ton.
60 Right at HOmemaking.
The Mexican federal soldier and his
family are the most mobile unit IN
the world AS soon as the ragged, J
irregular lines of federals. with their ,
wives, children, camp followers ana l
dogs acting as outriders, arrived at (
the prison camp they were settled |
To unroll the blankets and unsung I
the pots and pans, kettles and cans I
is to set up the family shrlnes ana /
with the addition Of a greaseWeed /
fire the Mexican refugees were en-
camped for the winter
They were as happy as children out /
there on the mesa Tuesday afternoon /
They had eaten a square meal at the 1
expense of the United states, had the /
promise of more meals from the same
benevolent source. the sun shone
brightly. the wind was not too cold
for comfort and they were safe from
the dangers of the battle on the
Hover Around the Fires.
As soon as the federal soldiers had
trotted across the flat from the trans
port trains under guard Of two dough
boys" whose entire knowledge OF
Spanish was confined TO the one Woru
"hombre," they went into camp aIons
the company streets which had been
arranged for them by these same in
fantrymen before their arrival me
little family groups lowered around
the fires. for the north wind had a
one fat. shiny faced federal soldier,
wearing remnants of the Huerta uni
form. sat with his grinnlng camp Iol-
lower woman with niue SlIl, OaIS
footed and dressed in the thlnnesL OF
calico. sharing the fire with black
and tan Chihuahua dog that shiFereu
with the cold. A woman carried Dig
brass tuba. which her bandsman had
salvaged from the wreczage at Oil
naga 1t was battered and the brass
was green with tarnish, but she car
ried it as proudly as If 1t was a uelu
marshals baton
Trooper Gives Boy a Lift.
A cavalry trooper of the United
States rode past as guide Tor anotner
battalion of the battle Scared hight
ers. Behind him on his horse rode
wee bit of a Mexican boy, whose Ieer
were blistered from the long manch
over the mountain road from Preslolo
and were bandaged in old rags. He
had been unable to keep up with the
caravan and a big hearted leather
FOUNDER" had boosted him up behind
him for the tail end Of the trip one
aged sonora carried a gunny sack /
from which strange noises oozed sus-
piciously like that Of a fighting COCK
in distress Another carried her three
wear old girl on her back. which was
ALREADY bent with the load Of bedding
She was carrying. The little girl
sobbed as her mother stumbled along
to the haven of this travel weary
family
Behind the caravan a mother waited
for her little son who limped along
bravelv in spite Of a stone bruise on
his heel He had but one sandal and
his bare foot was swollen with the
bruises Of the road An aged ana
r-r-fr1-1n1 ffnhfn~ Nodded along with I
pack on his back, which was supported
by a rope around his foreheadl when /
drew his head back on MS shoulders.
The load would have been abundant
for a mountain mule, vet he kept up
with the struggling procession which
was the remnant of his battalion
8Iezieans Amenahle to Discipline.
The Mexican soldier is most amen
able to discipline and the American
soldiers had no trouble in making
them do as they wished Ihey are
willing to obey any command, once u
is made clear to them they were
put to work saving wood, carrying
water distributing straw and erect
ing wall tents as soon as they were
sncamped and had their breakfast OF
beans and crackers.
This food was distributed from
biz packing case. upon which mad
been set the camp kettles. An Amer
can camp cook ladled out the bean
sOup and q sub lieutenant distributed
three crackers to each Of the crowd
which gathered around the soup
kettles. A giant first captain in fed
eral uniform and gray overcoat
watched that no repeaters showed UP
n line and threw one greedy boy
pack by lifting him bodily by the nape
# the neck. shaking him and pitching
him out of line. AS fast as the food
vas distributed it was carried to the
miniature camp fires where the fam
lies were fed.
Prefer the Red FrijOles.
There is but one fly in the Mexican
They were given white
lavy beans instead Of the red frijoles.
o which they are accustomed. But
his was overcome by many who
ragged out pots and kettles filled
With their favOrite food. From other
Mysterious bags they brought out
trauds Of dried chill and soon 'frijoles
on chilli was simmering over the
title fires. One round faced Mexican
ladonnna with six months babe at
er breast looked up from her morn
ag meal and said in Spanish, sta
luy buenO," proving it by taking
reat gulps Of black coffee and strips
f frijole covered tOruuas.
Uniforms Are Sad Misfits. e
Tt is doubtful if complete uniform II