The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-11
Troops at Brownsville Haven't Had
Any Pay Yet and They Marched
in Protest Through
the Streets.
SENT BACK TO TENTS
Boys Are Managing to Have Some
Fun Out Of Their Tasks and
Are Learning
Spanish.

Private Thomas j. Leach, Company
l., has written another of his enter
tanning letters concerning the doings
Leach sees the funny side of camp
life and tells it in most entertain
ing fashion. His letter follows:
Having been requested by several
Of my Keokuk friends and beseiged
by the majority of Co. L to write an
other letter to The Gate City, thought
would accommodate them all and
get busy.
We had a very pleasant trip from
Des Moines to Brownsville ana the
bunch appreciated the Pullman Sleep
ers. think Sargent Barber sent The
Gate City detailed account of the
trip.
Several of the boys are trying 10
master the Mexican language so they
can carry on an intelligent conversa-
ton with the pretty Mexican senior
itas. They have mastered the Next
can lingo well enough to order from
two to four "schooners" correctly
first thing they got wise to.
"Chick" Mckenzie, retired steam
boat pilot while THE Mexican trouble
lasts, can run rings around the pilo.
of the Robt. e. Lee and then beat him
to the foot of Main street at Keokuk
starting at any point below the Mason
and Dixon line.
Clyde Semones is entitled to try
out with the New York Giants as he
has everyone beat in the Iowa bri-
gade as baseball pitcher.
Ralph Chestnut, the famous chef Of
Co. L, saw wooden legged Mexican
in Brownsville recently. He asked
Captain LeBron to hire the Mexican
to mash potatoes with his wooden pin.
The captain is considering it.
Patsy Morrisey can drive pair of
'Neds" as well as any man, but adj
mits that the Mexicans have him
bested by driving four up with only
a rope. Chas. Griffin is thinking
strongly of bringing home Mexican
burro and cart SO he can peddle Ice
cream cones next summer.
SPEEDY" Grogan has been trans
ferred to the hash department, reliev-
ing down the pivot end Of squad No. s.
"Dick'' Hewett posses an ingrown
appetite. He can eat more stewed
onions in cream gravy than any five
men in the company.
Corporal John Wharton has quit
singing his little song and is putting
in his spare time learning Mex. He
is also there with burnt cork as sew
eral of the boys have black faces
when they wake up. We all started
laughing at each other, not knowing
that our own mugs wers black.
l saw in The Gate City where 300
Mexicans had this ground cleared for
us. Wish to state that Co. L and
every othec company of Iowa troops
got out and worked for three days
removing trees, stumps and cactus.
Each company has their own street
and it took some good hard work to
get it cleared up and pass inspection.
Chicken Dinner Lost.
Paulie Dysart was the most disap-
pointed member of the company on
our trip here He figured on a swell
chicken dinner with relatives in st.
Louis. We were promised stop over
in st. Louis, but only got as far as
North st. Louis, being switched to
the Cotton Belt railroad in East st.
Louis. The bunch was very much
peeved, including Paulie who was
compelled to smile and look pleasant
at another chunk of prime roast beef
the same as the rest of us. While
eating some of the boys would kid
him with How do you like your
chicken, Paulie?"
However, Paulie and his little bugle
were the center of attraction wher-
ever we marched. The girls on the
curb would remark, isn't he the
cutest kidd" II think he is dear"
and one Texas maiden in Texarkana
said, II would like to steal him" At
all events Paulie is good kid and
the captain and the crew think well
of him and hope he will get plenty
of chicken when he gets back home.
Arthur Jones has John Phillip
Sousi beat a Mexican block as band
master. He is a band by himself. At
CO. l. evening entertainments he fur
nishes the music for the bunch.
The Money Parade.
Several companies turned out Sat
urday night in money parade, with
Sergeants Leighton and Moody in
command. 1t was similar to the B.
v. D. at Camp Dodge.
The slogans were: Forty five days
and no money" 1--WE want money"
I'VE must have money" why don't
YOU pay us?'' and similar expressions
too numerous to mention. We got as
far as Colonel Bartley's tent and he
stopped us with the command, Back
to your quarters"
It is useless to add that we went