Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 182, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1916 — WIN A MAC OFFICER TELLS OF BORDER LIFE [ARTICLE]

WIN A MAC OFFICER TELLS OF BORDER LIFE

His Letter Does Not Agree With Spme That Are Received From That Section. W* presume that news from tihe boys down on the border is interesting to most of our readers, so we are .reffwhncLng the following letter from Sergeant Robert W. Agnew, of Winamac, which was written to and printed in his home paper, tihe Winamac Republican. The Republican has nearly a page of letters from him, written an different dates, and this is only one of them. The letter follows: Sunday afternoon. I can hoar the yelling of the boys from Knox as I sit here. They are having a game of ball down at the end of the company streets on the battalion parade grounds. But alas, no such enjoyment for Co. L today. It is a holiday with no drill, 'but our boys, or most of them, are on guard for this regiment. And what are left are on detail at tihe regimental commissary and quartermaster department. So it is a day of work for our boys. This morning was cool and cloudy, but the afternoon is surely hot. Every little bit we hear thunder but there is no sign of rain at present. Friday night a few drops fell and over across tihe Mexican border the lightning flashed brilliantly, but with it all, we got no rain. In an atiiolc in a home paper we noticed where “the larger shade trees were left standing” in our camp. Also “There are few flies and no mosquitos.” Say, take it from us —we know different. The boys thought that a bum joke when they road it. If there are no mosquitos, why are the boys paying $1.26 of good U. S. currency out of tihiedr packets for enough netting to cover them at nights Also why does the government furnish guards with head nets while on guard at nlight? As I sit here, there are about two dozen flies playing tag over my paper, hands, face and body. Quite true they could be worse, but nothing but the most rigid janitor;/ efforts keep them from, swarming here by tihe millions. And' as for the shade (?) trees, there are a great many mesquite trees, in fact, I’ve only seen one tree while here that isn’t mesquitie. They resemble a willow tree, are only a large bush and give about as much shade as an umbrella frame. And it isn’t necessary to tell you that it is hot. By hot I mean that When you get out in the sun with perspiration running in streams down your face, back and limbs, with no chance to wipe it out of your eyes while drilling, you feel like hell itself would be a paradise in Comparison. Major Barnett nearly bit off the noses of Fisher and Mitchell yesterdiay for daring to raise their hands to get some sweat out of their eyes. Yes, indeed, this is a delightful camip with a most wonderful climate at this season. Our boys were issued new olive drab coition uniforms yesterday—but still we have no hats. We have a dozen men who have no hats who are' compelled to get out at times in this sweltering sun. I’ll admlit that it times they are given lighter duty on account of not having hats, by our own company officers, but the higher officers say “wrap a towel around their heads and compel them to drill.” We were also issued more shoes and an extra blanket. Not needing it for covering—St was just that much more fe soften the bumps •of hard earth beneath us. Night finds most of the boys ready for a little recreation. The A-Muzo, a teircent movie theatre, was opened Friday night and last night another one opened. Of course there is a big patronage, but fully half of the men here are stone broke or save their money for lemons and ice when they can get it. In the evening you can hear songs from every regiment. The most popular are “Tipperary," with variations, “Don’t Bite the Hand That’s Feeding You,” “Mother,” “Indiana,” the 1.. U. song by Russell Hiarker, “On the Banks of the Wabash,” and all of the olid familiar songs. The way we hear “Tipfpeaary” now is this: It’s a long way to Indiana It’s a long way to go It’s a long way to Indiana To the sweetest girls that grow. Good-bye, Indianapolis, Farewell, Winamac, We’ll be a long long time from Indiana To wc-all get back.” We still have eight or ten sick men. None are really serious but Daniel Logg, who "joined us at Logansport. His folks live near Denham. He is to be taken to the government hospital at San Antonio this evening for an operation for appendicitis. Serg. Robert W. Agnew.