The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-03-08
By M. HARVIE

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 | Nogales Ariz., February 2S.-(Special orrespondence.)-The Alabama brigade is still guarding the border That is. it is guarding part of it. From present indica- | tions the brigade will be guarding this | same border for some few weeks to come. l It is certain that the homeward move-
 ment will take place eventually, though | it looks like a case of mot yet but soon." It will require a dozen or more trains to move these three regiments of | infantry and the attached auxiliary | troops, so we do not expect to see Ala bama and that dear Ham, right away l The task of guarding the border here has been rather strenuous one. The | infantry, in addition to getting itself l trained, has the added obligation of guard duty, and as the various National Guard | units are returned to their home stations l this task has grown steadily more ex- acting. Until several weeks ago the guard duty of the Alabama regiments was limited to the immediate Noga1es district, but with the withdrawal of other organiza tions, the Alabamans have been called on to guard sectors of the line out | in the wilderness.
 STEADILY DIMINISHED
 | The troops have been steadily diminish ed in this district, and now the Ala l bamians are the only guardsmen left here. The Utah cavalry squadron left ' for home yesterday, and the California engineers today. This leaves besides our selves, the Twelfth United States infan- | try and battery of the Sixth United States Field artillery.
 The First battalion of the Second Ala. bama infantry, and the Second battalion of the Fourth Alabama infantry, com nanded by Maj. Carl Seals and Mai Hartley A. Moon, respectively have just returned from two weeks tour of duty out in the wilderness. Major Moon, with Companies G and H of the Fourth, was stationed at Lochiel, spot in the desert about 90 miles east of Nogales. Major Seals. with Companies A, B, and D of the Second, was sent to Arivaca, another desert habitation to the west. Arivaca will be remembered as the place near which some cowboys and Utah cavalry men had an argument with some Mexi- can cavalry several weeks ago. As there was no means of communication with the
 outside world, Capt. w. H. Amerine with the Alabama Signal corps, was sent out there to open communication by wire less.
 Both commands had the honor and privilege of patrolling some 35 miles of sand and cactus, and the rest of the brigade have been piously hoping that they enjoyed it. With such a stretch of country to guard they spent the time very pleasantly, marching up and down the line and looking at the scenery. It had been a constant subject for debate why these particular battalions were chosen for the task. As is natural, there are two sides to the argument Those who were sent modestly point out that the reason is to be found in their own surpassing excellence, which could not es cape observation. Those left In camp kindly retort that the true real reason was desire to ''get shut of them. The reader can take which ever side he likes. ABLE TO STRETCH OUT With these two battalions gone, the Fourth and Second regiments have been able to stretch out. The two remain ing battalions of each have taken over the vacant company streets with their boarded up tent frames. In this way the average number of men to tent has been reduced to three or four. as each company left in camp has nearly twice as many tents as before. Naturally the news of the return of our comrades
 
 for it meant the breaking up of this arrangement, and rendering unto them those tents that were theirs. But our fears were groundless, for the Major Moons battalion has taken up quarters lin the camp formerly occupied by the Connecticut troops, and Major Seals will probably take over those of the Utah cavalry.
 These two battalions were relieved by of 1n T-rIif taf@ @c cavalry, which has just come out of Mexico with the Pershing expedition. A squadron of this regiment reached Nogales last Thursday, and left for their new stations two days later. They were much in evidence during their brief stay here, and a great source of wonder to the Alabamians. Their departure was rot regretted.
 The weather recently has given evil dence of the passing of winter. The days are really hot and the nights, although still cold enough to satisfy the most ex- acting, are steadily becoming warmer. But an overcoat is still necessity at night and no soldier Is allowed to be out after dark without one. The boys have hardly gotten used to carrying a heavy overcoat around in the heat of the day and then shiverfng in that same over coat at night. But "orders is orders,' and there are some dozens of military police ready to enforce them, so the boys pack their overcoats along when they go to town whether they want to or not. FIND FIRST HORNED TOAD One of the boys in ''our'' company found a horned toad yesterday. the first we have seen since November. We are not we'll up on the reptilia of Arizona. but it seems pretty safe bet that this ugly little creature is to this state what the swallow is to more favored countries . hamburger of spring. Pretty soon the
 boys will be bringing in scorpions and
 rattlesnakes and tarantulas and the like.