Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-08-07

a man directed us IN singing some
songs. A nice choir he had--50, 900
voices---wasn't it.? Then the darkies
sang and I really was startled when
heard them. The volume of their
voices and the harmony and peculiar
negro tones all together nearly fright
ened me- Then DR.. Freeman of Min
neapolis, gave an address and it was
remarkably easy to hear him, out in
the open and with such a large audi
ence A stereopticon lecture followed
and we were taken home. Here it is
dark at $50 and at 900 it is pitch
black, save for the street lights. 1t
was with wonderful efficiency that the
officers got their companies away with
so little confusion. 1t must have TAX
en- less than ten minutes for the parade
ground to be cleaned of those thou
sands of men.
Did we sleep Friday night? Well, I
should say so. The nights are cold
here, although the days are no hotter
than at home A breeze is always
blowing, cooled by the ocean.
Some were talking as they lay in
bed, when about ten o'clock the SER
geant came along and while what he
said is not fit to 60 through the mails
the text of his discourse was that the
rule which said no talking after nine
thirty meant no talking after nine
thirty. And there has been none since,
either. In the Guards when in camp
we never went to bed until midnight
and then some might be playing cards
until two or three o'clock and keep
you awake.
Yesterday we were taken to the bar
rack and the Captain read the Articles
Southerners, but simply princes of
men. The non-cOms. are mostly
OhiOans and treat us fine. They shout
at you and call you down but never
crab. Of course they can't address
400 men as please, Mister this" and
the fellows recognize the need of the
orders and the haste and do their best
to understand for the most part.
At nine we were taken to the eX-
aiming building and had our every
thing tested by a system which works
fast but sure. The doctors know their
business, in the army. l went through
a-fying, save that might have weigh
ed more. They seemed to be glad to
see us, for the bunch on our train
was big, husky lot for the most part
and compare very favorably with the
short, under-fed Southerners here
They think we are from ''IOway" but
hope that. they will learn to pro-
nounce it correctly soon. We are
picking up the southern brogue quick
ly ourselves. They talk slowly and
many of them have so little schooling,
say, up to the fifth grade, but they are
a gentle, kind lot and we are liking
them first rate. although at first we
made fun of them and their country
and methods. An ALBANIAN was in
my tent little while ago looking for
another Alabaman. He sat down and
talked for some time. He said he
was feeling awful blue today. do not
know if my company cheered him up
any but l hope so. They are more
human and likable than the average
Iowan.
In the afternoon yesterday we were
taken to the record-taking station
where they asked you for a lot of in
formation as to your qualifications
and what branch of the service you
would prefer. Then we arranged our
hunks and tents and cleaned up gen.
orally.
We had no work today save cleaning
up the streets and tents / was over
at the Y for church at ten and ex-
pect to go again this evening at 7:45.
For the most part the boys are good
and are anxious = to go to mass or
church. Several of the Catholics were
provoked this morning because they
were not done with policing the streets
and tents until too late for mass. l
think that this will prove help to
all of us, for one denomination will
get to know the others and will see
their many good points. And, too,
the nom Christians will get to know the
Christians and discover that they are
not sinners nor hypocrites, but poss-
essors of something far better than
what they themselves have. l have
noticed that the men who attack the
church. or who crab at some church
members sincerity usually know very
little of the object of their attacks. For
when one gets to know the church in
timately or to know and understand
the so-called hypocrite, nine times out
Of ten you cannot help but love and
admire the congregation or the man.
Prejudice must be based on ignorance,
and an intelligent man can not be
narrow.
1t is nearly time for supper and l
must stop. | did not intend to write
a book
L.. R.
DELHI.