St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-08-23
QUIET ON RIO GRANDE.
Letter to Elisha May From Thomas
Russell Expresses Confidence that
Conditions Will Remain So.

The following letter has been re-
ceived from Private Thomas Russell
of Co. D, stationed at Eagle Pass.
Tex:
Eagle Pass, Tex, Aug. II, 1916.
Dear Mr.. May:
Everything is quiet along the Rio
Grande and I think it will continue
to be. 1t is not quite so hot here
now as it was when we first came, or
else we are getting used to the heat.
We have been on a hike. 1t is pretty
desolate. It is covered with a weed
which is not eatabIe so the cattle
cannot exist on that. There is a sage
bush which is also a weed, no good
except for firewood. The rest of the
ground is covered with stones of all
descriptions. There are stones that
look like ordinary cobble stones, but
when broken open they are all colors.
Some of them are agates, others con.
tain quartz, others crystals. Then
this is not enough rubbish to have on
the land, 1 mean vegetation and
rocks, there are also snakes, taran-
tulas and centipedes. Then there is a
carrion buzzard here. You can al
ways tell if there is anything dead on
any carrion matter out in the brush
as about so of them will fly around it
and once in a while alight and gorge
themselves until they are hardly able
to fly. I have seen one or two oil
what they call the Texas long horn
steer. They have done away with the
old Texas steer and introduced a new
variety, mostly Herefords. These are
more valuable as they fatten more
easily. And the cowboy is gone by
but 1 have seen one or two since I
came here in all their glory. There
are a number of old Texas Rangers
stationed here in Eagle Pass. They
are a fine set of men. They have one
here who is a sheriff and he is very
big man. The Mexicans hold him in
awe and salute him just as we do our
officers. They are very much afraid
of the Texas Rangers.
Wish 1 was home to play ball once
in a while. No place like home.
You ought to see us drilling. 1t is
hard to get some Of the formation o.
K. but we keep at it till we learn it.
My elbows are all raw where I have
thrown myself on the ground in order
to learn the way to shoot lying down.
It takes longer to make a soldier than
most people imagine. Maybe if more
realized that fact more people would /
be interested in preparedness. None |
of us boys want to fight, but some body
had to go so we went. Personally / |
have not had a minute that wished |
L hadn't enlisted. We boys are here |
to play the game when it comes to the |
show down." Tt is simply great, |
this life is good for me and / have !
not been sick minute since enlisted. |
The food is simply great, too. think |
we have the best drilled company in |
the regiment. if not the best drilled, |
then the best behaved, as we have had |
no men in the guard house, which no |
other company can say. Ny, but well |
as like this life, there is no comparf- |
son between that love and the minute /
when hit st. Johnsbury. I will be |
able TO eat a whole cake and a pie |
and a our-gallon jar of doughnuts. /
We have some great times here, such /
as singing when we can get anybody |
who can stand the discord, wrestling,
boxing and baseball. The LIST Yer