Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-02-22
GOOD LETTER
FROM TEXAS
Or. and Mrs. W. G. Merrill Enjoying Their Stay
in the South

| We have been trying to write at
least one card, or q letter to each OF
our friends back home so that you may
all know we have not forgotten you.
did not know we had so many friends
until | came to write to them and re-
ceive their letters. 1t has been such
a change to come down here. Texas
is country sufficient unto itself" to
all appearances and Intentions A
! country with great future it seems
to me as at present the crying need is
more people to occupy and develope
! the land and natural resources which
are plentiful. | have not yet grown
used to the very different, vegetation
and find continual surprise in the bird
| life here. San Antonio has so many
parks one can't count them, and one
extremely large one, called "Brecken-
ridge" which has a zoo of no mean
character. | saw a Prairie Dog, for
the first time, they are so very small
| was surprised of course to find they
have all the animals usually seen in
such a garden and | only mention those
| peculiar to Texas or the west. They
have the most beautifully colored birds
here but they do not sing as we'll as
our's-with the exception of the
nightingale and the duck (game birds)
are so striped and colored sohighIy
they look artificial. There are many
deer here-out at the Army Post, Fort
Sam Houston, there are a number that
are very tame | often see the sol
/ diers petting them. They are exactly
! Ike our deer but do not grow as large.
San Antonio is very lively place and
we have just had one week of Grand
| Opera. The Boston Grand Opera Co.,
gave Madame Butterfly" with lady
from the Orient, was very charming
and a splendid actress and singer. You
know Grand Opera is always sad and
l wept copiously, but did not "weep
alone" We also saw "Tosca." OF
course the orchestra, which was com
posed Of about sixty or seventy excel
lent musicians was beyond reproach.
You have no doubt heard of Griffths
new production Intolerance" We
saw that also and it is all it claims to
be. | hope to see it again. The BOhe-
milan Girl is familiar to so many vet
we enjoyed it the more perhaps be-
cause we play or sing much of the OPP
| era ourselves. Then the MINNEAPOLIS
| Symphony Orchestra was here and OF
course that was like our own folks and
| had friends whom we were very glad
i to see with them. So you see all these
musical attractions were extra while
we have here numerous musical clubs
and orchestras. We joined one musical
club of course and enjoyed the work
so much-our club was the one that
gave the municipal Xmas tree music
from Messiah" and we are now
working on the "Creation." We have
found everyone here very cordial and
it keeps us some busy responding to
the demands upon U.s. There being no
Congregational church here we attend
the First Presbyterian and find it Al
church should be- It has opened its
doors to the Soldiers and keeps open
house every day and is a very popu-
lar place accordingly. This church
seems to be especially we'll equipped
for this purpose. 1t has very large
reading rooms and parlors, where any
number Of games may be and are
played, and musical programs Of ex-
cellent quality are given twice week,
the Soldiers taking part in all cere-
monies and are making this church !