The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1917-11-23
1t. Headington Expects Sher-
idan To Be Home For
Some Time
LIGHTS TO 'HEAVIES'
is RUN OF THE DAY
Fire Drill And Saddle Meas
uring Two Franks OF
The Big Camp

The following exceptionally inter
esting letter, from First Lieutenant
Julius w. lleadington of l. Battery,
stationed at Camp Sheridan Ala
bama, has been received by The Ban.
ner:
At last | have found little time
in which | may fulfill my promise to
write to you occasionally. This is
beautiful, clear, warm morning and
bids fair to be quite hot before even
ing. 1t is daily change from "hcav-
les" to lights" and back again down
here, for when you arise in the morn
ing you put on all you can get hold
taking them off until noon, and about
3 p. III. you begin putting them back
on again.
But in spite of this condition. colds
are rarity and our sickness is con
fined to few cases of measles in mild
form. However, these cause great in
convenience as the medical officers
require the tents with their occupants
to be moved back of the camp about
200 yards and quarantined about ten
days.
Last Monday, Cook Ernest Carncs
was surprised to find himself broken
out and away went our whole kitchen
force, including Mess Sergeant Trim
bic and our buglers, Walker and Cum
Minis, as they all occupied the same
quarters.
Fhe victims Of this mild form Of
measles suffer no indisposition at ALL
that they were having it but for the
rash which appears. 1t was some job
to break new kitchen force in the
ways of army cookery
There arc three squads in the quar-
antino camp now and "Comradc" JO-
seph d. Trimble is in charge. ,loes
nickname seems to fit him and will no
doubt stick with him; most of the
men have acquired nicknames, some
of which would cause you to smile,
Iodine" Ralph Taylor, who has been
on recruiting duty since in July, again
joined us last week and was initiated
into the ceremony known as fire
call" At this call the battery an.
swers the whistle, either day or
night, some with buckets, some with
axes and others for various duties,
and the buckets hanging on the caves
of the mess hall are used. The "vic.
tim" of fake call is assigned u buc-
ket which has been previously filled
good decking. But at this particular
"fire,' the men in the street got so
interested in making the run that
! Gus Smithhisler missed the bridge
and landed in the water at the bottom
of the big drainage ditch that runs
through our camp,
/ Taylor was then measured for Il
saddle. In this the victim places him
self in stopped position and of
course accurate measurements could
not be taken through the clothing and
/ when the last measurement is an
nounced, paddles suddenly appear ana
the music starts.
Among those who were very well
fitted are Harold Alderman and Wal
ter Huntsberry, and as the roars OF
laughter roll up to the officers row
from the battery street we have a
good idea of what is going on.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harry Blochcr were
welcome visitors among us last week.
They left touch of home and Il good
smoke with all of us and went on
their way to spend the winter in our
neighbor state, Florida.
y Yesterday we received barrel Cl
apples from the Caisson club and Mr
Wolfe from Bladensburg, and we are
deeply grateful for the same. We
also received notice yesterday that
the department would issue us an eX'
ira ration, one pound of turkey for
each man on both Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
On last Thursday we had been in
service one-third of a year and out
side of Carl Bell who was discharged
last Friday on account of eye trou'
BILE. do not know man who wants
out and the organization spirit is
wonderful.
One of the men remarked that he
would have to get file after the wal
on account of the benches on the