New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1917-11-21
TRoPIC FRoNTIERsMEN
No.

TRoPIC FRoNTIERsMEN
No. 10 ~
Because the broad brimmed hat and
feather legged trouser are confined
mostly to moving pictures is no sign
|of the decadence of the American
spirit of adventure.
We have our frontiersmen TO-DAY
Just as of yore. The same physical
courage; the same reckless disregard
for personal safety; the same restless
energy which lures bold spirits to new
adventure, attempting seemingly i'm.
possible tasks and working the harde,
| in face Of increased opposition.
W., find them everywhere except
back home. Wien we 60 to the QUITE,
fringe Of our possessions, no matte,
whether it be north, south, east OF
west, there we meet the boys who did
net stay at home. I met them wear
ing the uniform of the United States
navy. / met them wearing the uni
form OF the United States Marine ser.
vice. I found them in civilian dress,
engaged in private pursuits. I found
them on the ships, in the harbor and on
the land, these boys who did not stay at
home, and I found everyone of them
more interesting then any book ever
written.
Two men met in federal building
in St.. Thomas. One of them an EN-
ployee of the executive branch of the
government, on a visit to the new
possessions. The other in the uniform
of the U. S. N.
Hello, Jack, how have you been?''
Bless your heart, Bill is that you?
Haven't seen you since we broke up in
1882
Rather an undemonstrative meeting
for two comrades of the Philippine
campaign, who had met for the first
time in nineteen years, and that by
accident.
But the story was worth while when
these two young veterans later grew
reminiscent. felt none the less honored
because Of the fact that my presence was
unnecessary.
what ever became of Tom, Dick
and Harry"
Tom is in Washington, Dick is dead,
poor fellow, and Harry? I don't know
what ever became of him."
And so the story of the after lives of
the company and regiment was pieced
together as best they could.
These two men had served their
country through a period in which the
national idea was destined to undergo
change. Insensibly we were taking our
first steps in world politics and learning
the first rudiments of colonization. The
talk drifted to the Philippines, to the
island of Guam, to Samoa. 1t was in
Guam that the fever took the company.
Each morning their numbers grew less.
''Who will be next?' was the para
mount question.
In Samoa, one Of them was in the
hcsiptel, with bullet through his leg.
The other was one of a detachment
who were purposely lost in the jungles
by treacherous native guides. Out of
the sixty-four who went in but seven
came back. All were personally known
to these men, their names as familiar as
our schoolmates; they discussed the
terror of this expedition. How one of
them went stark mad with thirst and
fever and rushed into the jungle to be
seen no more. How another calmly bid
his comrades good bye and lay down
with smile on his lips to leave his bones
bleaching, on the far off island. How
to press on seemed impossible and to
drop behind meant death. How one
by one they dropped, until the tattered,
wounded, insect bitten remnant finally
staggered into camp, every one tenn
porary mad man. How the treacherous
natives were stood up against the wall.
Stories of suffering, mistakes, incom-
petent leadership and i'll usage. These
men know what it means to rush men
conflict i'll prepared. They were there.
And you Bill, what Of your past
life?''
"Oh I've knocked around. Let me
see. | have tried mining in Mexico
whaling and hunting in Alaska, bit
of farming, and / got tired of it and went
back to work for Uncle Sam
But this brief synopsis covered a
volume Of adventure and true romance.