El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-04-22

~ lE1} HEADQUARTERS, PunttiV
n Expedition. Z. S. Army. near Nami-
quipa, Mex, April Icy truck
train TO Columbus. n. NJ, April 22l-
Old time piaysoers would be reminded
OF a Thomas Keene production OF Rich
ard the Third could they pass q night
In this camp. The myriad OF camp
fires, the murmur OF hundreds, not
70 say thousands, OF voices, the occa-
siOnal ringing out OF word or COM
mand. the wheeling into line OF troops
OF cavalry as they ride out into the
night on some mission regarding which
only the commanding officer and their
own leader know, the rumble of trucks
laden with supplies and OF artillery
wagons, the clang Of hammers on an
Wis as the hard worked blacksmiths
Tit and nail shoes on the horses brought
In at all times Of day and night by
tired and dusty troopers who have
been scouting the rocky canyons OF the
adjacent Sierra mountains for traces
Of Villa or any Of his fonowers-ah
OF this goes to make a. scene so theRtrl-
cal and on so grand a scale that lovers
OF the dramatic would be thrown into
ecstacies Of delight 1t serves to make
one forget the dust, the cold, the sol
diers fare and sleeping on the hard,
unyielding bosom of Mother Earth.
rs Lure TO the Life.
With al Of its hardships there Is a
lure 10 the life led by the soldier, and
the civilian most obstinately inclined
toward pacifism would fall into the
snare Of IL il he would but follow it
for thirty days. Civilians who at
tached themselves to the expedition
when the border was crossed on March
Is and who were at first inclined TO
grumhle at the food and the incon-
veniences they were forced TO endure,
are now so emamOred Of the life that
n they were ordered TO go home they
would be found appealing TO the COM
mander Of the expedition to be per-
mitted TO remain. Many Of them have
long since learned to eat their chow
Just as it is given them from the camp !
kettles and 10 forget TO try to blow /
or skim the dust from their coffee /
before they drink it. They have I
ceased, also, to clamor for cots on /
which to spread their blankets or for |
tents under which TO spread them even /
when tho wind blows a gale and the /
thermometer goes down toward the /
zero mark. as IL frequently does at this /
altitude. They have reached that point 4
where they do not rebel at sioshing
their mess kits in the pail Of greasy
hot water which the cook sets out for 1
the accommodation Of those who are =
not so hardened as TO not care whether /
or not their dishes are ever cleaned.
II the wives Of some Of the married I
men connected with the outfit knew
what good dish washers their hus-
bands can be when they have to be,
there would be a revision Of house
D.
marching home" at the close Of this .
campaign.
soldiers Build Wind Breaks.
AS was the case at the former head I
quarters camp at Colonia Dublan, the
soldiers have not been slow in the
matter Of providing themselves with 4
shelters against the ever blowing
winds which do so much 70 make life
miserable on this bare and high pla-
teau. There are no groves Of great
trees here as there were at Dublan,
nor are there acres Of arrow weed to
be used. with little labor. in the maxi
ing OF wind breaks. The growth OF
evergreen live oak, the small branches
OF which are brought in by the hun
dreds Of wagon loads anG with hallng
wire woven into bowers around kitch-
ems, officers quarters, company camp
fires, blaclzsmiths' FORCES and the hun
dreds OF latrines which have been
dug at the instance Of the sanitary de-
partment till the several thousands Of
acres occupied b. the camp have the
appearance, from distance, OF being
heavily wooded.
Surprises the Natives.
The natives continue to marvel at
the pains and expense to which the
American soldier will go in order to
be comfortable and clean. A Mexican
posed, wind swept plain would have /
sought shelter in canyon, where
tents and shelters would have been
unnecessary; there would have been Z
no burning OF litter nor would latrines
have been dug in the flinty soil into
which 20 bury every bit OF offal which
might become nOisome or offensive
and a menace TO health.
Speaking Of natives, reminds me that
an order was issued several days since