Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1919-04-16

Sergt. O. G. Cole writes his mother,
Mrs. Samuel Grant, Of Westminster
R. +. d. No. 3, who sends his inter-
lication:
Scrgt. Coles Letter.
Brooklyn, N. Y,
March 2Sth, 1919.
Dear Mother:
Your letter received few days
ago, and was indeed glad to hear
from you again, and glad TO know
that you are all in goou health, and
truly hope that this will find you
still the same. This letter leaves me
feeling fine
There is somewhat of q change in
the weather between yesterday and
to-day, as yesterday was bright,
warm day, and when l awoke this
morning found that the ground was
almost covered with pretty white
flakes of snow, and it is still showing,
and the wind is blowing something
fierce. 1t is so strong that one can
scarcely stand up while out in it.
This climate is quite different from
that which I have been used to for
the past four years, for in the early
part of October, 1914, l left San
Francisco, Cal, for the Philippine
Islands on the Good Ship Sherman -
and then, after an eight days journey
(of which about three days | was
seasick), we reached the Hawaiian
Islands, and there we were permitted
to go ashore for two days; and l
thought that was the most beautiful
country in the whole World. for the
palm trees were SO green, and the
natives, with stringed Instruments,
made the loveliest music l ever heard,
and down on the WAIKIKI Beach,
where the people all go for bathing,
they have the harbors made from
the palm leaves, and there they sit
drinking tea and have the little
brown girls to fan you with large
palm leaves. thought was in
Paradise.
After two days Of this wonderful
life we boarded the ship again for
tanother journey. We sailed for 10
days and then reached the island of
Guam but there we were not per-
mitted to go ashore; but we were
there for only one day, as we only
stopped to discharge some marines,
land ! pity. those that had to stay
there for three years.. Then we
! started onward to our last stop a
| sixday ride. Finally we reached
Manila, p T., the largest city in the
| Orient. After reaching there early
one morning we were told that nc
one would be permitted to leave the
ship that day or night, although
some were taken off and sent to
China, while the others were lett on
board to be assigned the next day.
| happened to be one Of those left on
board, and still they wouldn't let
any OF us go off, so when it began
to get dark you should have seen the
lads sliding down the ropes to get
Off, forsthat was the only way we
had Of getting ashore, for the guards
at the gang-way wouldn't let any one
| Off | am sale in saying that there
| were not more than twenty-five OF
| the two hundred men on board who
| remained on board the ship.
When morning came we were call
| ed out to be assigned to our COM
panies, and then discovered that |
hadn't finished my journey yet, for
we were assigned to a regiment that
was stationed on the southern part
| of the island, and the only mode OF
transportation we had was by water
so we were transferred from the
Sherman to the little island boat,
| which took almost two days to go to
our destination. On the 4th of No
vember we disembarked, and / found
that we had three-mile hike before
us, so we started out, all enjoying
the sight Of the little natives run.
ming around with nothing on but
little shirts, for their opinion is that
they will keep cooler without any.
thing on than they will with full
dress. Their little shanty houses are
made Of bamboo and sit out on the
water OF little poles. One would
think that the least wind storm
would carry them away, but when IT
comes to test they will stand more
storms than wooden structures, for