Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-06-19
Corporal Forney, King Dodo,"
Back at Shafter; Spins Lively
Yarn About Life On the Border
He Says That Hawaii is Best,
After All; After Experience
in Texas, Honolulu Looks
Mighty Good
ESPECIAL Star Bulletin C0rrsspondsnce.l
" III

the carly part vi Law NJ 'N01
transferred with the telegraph sec
ton Of the Signal Corps Company OF
the local post to the Texas border.
Life on the border did not appeal TO
Corporal Forney and as soon as his
enlistment expired, he transferred on
reenIistment TO his former station,
Fort Shafter. The description OF his
travels while away from Oahu are
told in q very amusing way By the
loyal King Dodo" and are rs follows:
ITO give you an idea Of the border.
let me tell you Of the hike took part
In with the signal corps from this
point to Spofford Junction, some so
miles north of the post in the last
part of September, 1915.
~Our little wireless detachment was
attached to General Sigley's staff and
during the four days march to Spot
ford we were kept on the Jump send
ing and receiving messages for the
red army as we had driven the blue
forces out Of Eagle Pass. Texas, and
they planned to make a stand at Spot
ford
Along the line Of march the COM
handing officer OF the medical corps
issued orders to the effect that under
no circumstances would the troops or
animals Of the red army be allowed to
drink from the water holes found en-
route.
The troops took the field in full
pack. The infantry having the hard
est time of all with heat and dust
and believe me, it was some dust and
very red at that But the worst is
yet to come in the form of rattle
snakes, the woods being full Of them,
some as long as the pineapple spe-
ciaP running from Honolulu to Scho-
field.
Tho troops suffered a great deal
from the shortage of water, as most
Of them were militia and did not save
their supply. had to be very care
full OF my water on account OF my
horse, and then again trying to deliver
kilograms to the commanding general.
who, by the way, was mounted on
an automobile. Swell chance for me
trying to catch up with the general
when he once released the gas. -
@The second day OF the hike was
worst Of all. Ny poor old mount was
about in so / sent him wireless that
would 20 $3.50 with him on. the
water In my canteen. Had to make
bucket out of my hat. You should
have seen the poor little fellow drink
and the look Of love flash from his
eyes. He rubbed his velvet NOSE
against nay arm, trying to tell me in
horse language how thankful he was
for the highball.
you fellows In far-away Hawaii,
under the southern skies, who can
turn In between nice cool sheets, Just
come with me and sleep on the great
plains Of Texas with your saddle for
q pillow and nice fat rattlesnake for
a 'bunkie.' Then Sc II you have the
nerve to kick about Hawaii.
I'VE reached Spofford two days
later, after trying to chase the blue
gusted bunch. The first thing, after
making my horse comfortable was to
reach shower bath as soon as pos
sible but Spofford was only q juno
ton, and think the only shower was
at the small hotel run by the railroad
company, and naturally both armies
wanted bath at the same time. /
talked pretty Mexican girl into SELL
ing me enough water TO fill a Ieaky
washtub, and she nearly had a fit
when she found that / was going to
waste that much water on q hath. Had
a great time trying to inform several
Mexican bellies that IL was time to beat
ii; also to remove the many young
str-c ny,s errnt a,A ooxso~,I sno01y
Mexican ours that one finds in every
greaser family on the border. With
the help Of several policemen, ! man
aged to remove some of the Texas
real estate from my person, and went
forth to take In the sights OF Spot
ford.
@My friends, / have not the heart
to tell you, as words fail me. All
the water in Spofford has to be hauled
seven miles. Just think. What a.
hit Baptist minister would make at
Spefford with baths IN Fwashtubs at
fifty per.
return to Hawaii, Gods country"
Corporal Forney then tells how he
was discharged and how he finally
received his permission to be trans
ferred to Oahu. He takes up his tale
again, as follows: .>.
AT last the promised day arrived
and was out Of the clutches of the
Philistines, and on the evening of the
second Of April, stood on the rear
platform OF the Pullman, and strained
my eyes trying to look through the
dust to catch a last glimpse of Eagle
Pass, Texas, the land Of dopey dreams,
the home Of the Mexican rattlesnake
md cactus.
-Four days later arrived at the st.
Francis by the sea, where / spent a
delightful furlough of three weeks. On
the morning Of the first of May re-
ported to the commanding officer at
Fort Mcdowell, Cal, for transporta-
lion to the Paradise Of the Pacific,
and while on The island saw many
strange sights, especially recruits who
came from all walks Of life. After
many baths in the deep sea Stun, |
loined the army OF 1000 pilgrims bound !
Tor our island possessions.