adventures and letters-第39部分

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We　are　still　here　and　probably　will　be。　　It　is　a　merry　war；　if　there　were　only　some　girls　here　the　place　would　be　perfect。　　I　don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　the　American　girlhere　am　Iand　Stenie　and　Willie　Chanler　and　Frederick　Remington　and　all　the　boy　officers　of　the　army　and　not　one　solitary；　ugly；　plain；　pretty；　or　beautiful　girl。　　I　bought　a　fine　pony　to…day；　her　name　was　Ellaline　but　I　thought　that　was　too　much　glory　for　Ellaline　so　I　diffused　it　over　the　whole　company　by　re…christening　her　Gaiety　Girl；　because　she　is　so　quiet；　all　the　Gaiety　Girls　I　know　are　quiet。

She　never　does　what　I　tell　her　anyway；　so　it　doesn't　matter　what　I　call　her。　　But　when　this　cruel　war　is　over　（6　a　day　with　bath　room　adjoining）　I　am　going　to　have　an　oil　painting　of　her　labelled　〃Gaiety　Girl　the　Kentucky　Mare　that　carried　the　news　of　the　fall　of　Havana　to　Matanzas；　fifty　miles　under　fire　and　Richard　Harding　Davis。〃　　To…morrow　I　am　going　to　buy　a　saddle　and　a　servant。　　War　is　a　cruel　thing　especially　to　army　officers。　　They　have　to　wear　uniforms　and　are　not　allowed　to　take　off　their　trousers　to　keep　cool　They　take　off　everything　else　except　their　hats　and　sit　in　the　dining　room　without　their　coats　or　collars　That's　because　it　is　war　time。　　They　are　terrible　braveyou　can　see　it　by　the　way　they　wear　bouquets　on　their　tunics　and　cigarette　badges　and　Cuban　flags　and　by　not　saluting　their　officers。　　One　General　counted　today　and　forty　enlisted　men　passed　him　without　saluting。　　The　army　will　have　to　do　a　lot　of　fighting　to　make　itself　solid　with　me。　　They　are　mounted　police。　　We　have　a　sentry　here；　he　sits　in　a　rocking　chair。　　Imagine　one　of　Sampson's　or　Dewey's　bluejackets　sitting　down　even　on　a　gun　carriage。　　Wait　till　I　write　my　book。　　I　wouldn't　say　a　word　now　but　when　I　write　that　book　I'll　give　them　large　space　rates。　　I　am　writing　it　now；　the　first　batch　comes　out　in　Scribner's　in　July。

to　you　all。

DICK。


During　the　early　days　of　the　war；　Richard　received　the　appointment　of　a　captaincy；　but　on　the　advice　of　his　friends　that　his　services　were　more　valuable　as　a　correspondent；　he　refused　the　commission。　　The　following　letter　shows　that　at　least　at　the　time　my　brother　regretted　the　decision；　but　as　events　turned　out　he　succeeded　in　rendering　splendid　service　not　only　as　a　correspondent　but　in　the　field。


TAMPAMay　14；　1898。　DEAR　CHAS。

On　reflection　I　am　greatly　troubled　that　I　declined　the　captaincy。　　It　is　unfortunate　that　I　had　not　time　to　consider　it。　　We　shall　not　have　another　war　and　I　can　always　be　a　war　correspondent　in　other　countries　but　never　again　have　a　chance　to　serve　in　my　own。　　The　people　here　think　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do　but　the　outside　people　won't。　　Not　that　I　care　about　that；　but　I　think　I　was　weak　not　to　chance　it。　　I　don't　know　exactly　what　I　ought　to　do。　　When　I　see　all　these　kid　militia　men　enlisted　it　makes　me　feel　like　the　devil。　　I've　no　doubt　many　of　them　look　upon　it　as　a　sort　of　a　holiday　and　an　outing　and　like　it　for　the　excitement；　but　it　would　bore　me　to　death。　　The　whole　thing　would　bore　me　if　I　thought　I　had　to　keep　at　it　for　a　year　or　more。　　That　is　the　fault　of　my　having　had　too　much　excitement　and　freedom。　　It　spoils　me　to　make　sacrifices　that　other　men　can　make。　　Whichever　way　it　comes　out　I　shall　be　sorry　and　feel　I　did　not　do　the　right　thing。　　Lying　around　this　hotel　is　enough　to　demoralize　anybody。　　We　are　much　more　out　of　it　than　you　are；　and　one　gets　cynical　and　loses　interest。　　On　the　other　hand　I　would　be　miserable　to　go　back　and　have　done　nothing。　　It　is　a　question　of　character　entirely　and　I　don't　feel　I've　played　the　part　at　all。　　It's　all　very　well　to　say　you　are　doing　more　by　writing；　but　are　you？　　It's　an　easy　game　to　look　on　and　pat　the　other　chaps　on　the　back　with　a　few　paragraphs；　that　is　cheap　patriotism。　　They're　taking　chances　and　you're　not　and　when　the　war's　over　they'll　be　happy　and　I　won't。　　The　man　that　enlists　or　volunteers　even　if　he　doesn't　get　further　than　Chickamauga　or　Gretna　Green　and　the　man　who　doesn't　enlist　at　all　but　minds　his　own　business　is　much　better　off　than　I　will　be　writing　about　what　other　men　do　and　not　doing　it　myself；　especially　as　I　had　a　chance　of　a　life　time；　and　declined　it。　　I'll　always　feel　I　lost　in　character　by　not　sticking　to　it　whether　I　had　to　go　to　Arizona　or　Governor's　Island。　　I　was　unfortunate　in　having　Lee　and　Remington　to　advise　me。　　We　talked　for　two　hours　in　Fred's　bedroom　and　they　were　both　dead　against　it　and　Lee　composed　my　telegram　to　the　president。　　Now；　I　feel　sure　I　did　wrong。　　Shafter　did　not　care　and　the　other　officers　were　delighted　and　said　it　was　very　honorable　and　manly　giving　me　credit　for　motives　I　didn't　have。　　I　just　didn't　think　it　was　good　enough　although　I　wanted　it　too　and　I　missed　something　I　can　never　get　again。　　I　am　very　sad　about　it。　　I　know　all　the　arguments　for　not　taking　it　but　as　a　matter　of　fact　I　should　have　done　so。　　I　would　have　made　a　good　aide；　and　had　I　got　a　chance　I　certainly　would　have　won　out　and　been　promoted。　　That　there　are　fools　appointed　with　me　is　no　answer。　　I　wouldn't　have　stayed　in　their　class　long。

DICK。

TAMPA；　May　29；　1898。　DEAR　CHAS。：


The　cigars　came；　they　are　O。　K。　and　a　great　treat　after　Tampa　products。　　Captain　Lee　and　I　went　out　to　the　volunteer　camps　today：　　Florida；　Alabama；　Ohio　and　Michigan；　General　Lee's　push；　and　it　has　depressed　me　very　much。　　I　have　been　so　right　about　so　many　things　these　last　five　years；　and　was　laughed　at　for　making　much　of　them。　　Now　all　I　urged　is　proved　to　be　correct；　nothing　our　men　wear　is　right。　　The　shoes；　the　hats；　the　coats；　all　are　dangerous　to　health　and　comfort；　one…third　of　the　men　cannot　wear　the　regulation　shoe　because　it　cuts　the　instep；　and　buy　their　own；　and　the　volunteers　are　like　the　Cuban　army　in　appearance。　　The　Greek　army；　at　which　I　made　such　sport；　is　a　fine　organization　in　comparison　as　far　as　outfit　goes；　of　course；　there　is　no　comparison　in　the　spirit　of　the　men。　　One　colonel　of　the　Florida　regiment　told　us　that　one…third　of　his　men　had　never　fired　a　gun。　　They　live　on　the　ground；　there　are　no　rain　trenches　around　the　tents；　or　gutters　along　the　company　streets；　the　latrines　are　dug　to　windward　of　the　camp；　and　all　the　refuse　is　burned　to　WINDWARD。

Half　of　the　men　have　no　uniforms　nor　shoes。　　I　pointed　out　some　of　the　unnecessary　discomforts　the　men　were　undergoing　through　ignorance；　and　one　colonel；　a　Michigan　politician；　said；　〃Oh；　well；　they'll　learn。　　It　will　be　a　good　lesson　for　them。〃　　Instead　of　telling　them；　or　telling　their　captains；　he　thinks　it　best　that　they　should　find　things　out　by　suffering。　　I　cannot　decide　whether　to　write　anything　about　it　or　not。　　I　cannot　see　where　it　could　do　any　good；　for　it　is　the　system　that　is　wrongthe　whole　volunteer　system；　I　mean。　　Captain　Lee　happened　to　be　in　Washington　when　the　first　Manila　outfit　was　starting　from　San　Francisco；　and　it　was　on　his　representations　that　they　gave　the　men　hammocks；　and　took　a　store　of　Mexican　dollars。　　They　did　not　know　that　Mexican　dollars　are　the　only　currency　of　the　East；　and　were　expecting　to　pay　the　men　in　drafts　on　New　York。

Isn't　that　a　pitiable　situation　when　a　captain　of　an　English　company　happens　to　stray　into　the　war　office；　and　happens　to　have　a　good　heart　and　busies　himself　to　see　that　our　own　men　are　supplied　with　hammocks　and　spending　money。　　None　of　our　officers　had　ever　seen　khaki　until　they　saw　Lee's；　nor　a　cork　helmet　until　they　saw　mine　and　his；　now；　naturally；　they　won't　have　anything　else；　and　there　is　not　another　one　in　the　country。　　The　helmets　our　troops　wear　would　be　smashed　in　one　tropical　storm；　and　they　are　so　light　that　the　sun　beats　through　them。　　They　are　also　a　glaring　white；　and　are　cheap　and　nasty　and　made　of　pasteboard。　　The　felt　hats　are　just　as　bad；　the　brim　is　not　broad　enough　to　protect　them　from　the　sun　or　to　keep　the　rain　off　their　necks；　and　they　are　made　of　such　cheap　cotton　stuff　that　they　grow　hard　when　they　are　wet　and　heavy；　instead　of　shedding　the　rain　as　good　felt　would　do。　　They　have　always　urged　that　our　uniforms；　though　not　smart　nor　〃for　show；〃　were　for　use。　　The　truth　is；　as　they　all　admit；　that　for　the　tropics　they　are　worse　than　useless；　and　that　in　any　climate　they　are　cheap　and　poor。

I　could　go　on　for　pages；　but　it　has　to　be　written　later；　now　they　would　only　think　it　was　an　attack　on　the　army。　　But　it　is　sickening　to　see　men　being　sacrificed　as　these　men　will　be。　　This　is　the　worst　season　of　all　in　the　Philippines。　　The　season　of　typhoons　and　rainstorms　and　hurricanes；　and　they　would　have　sent　the　men　off　without　anything　to　sleep　on　but　the　wet　ground　and　a　wet　blanket。　　It　has　been　a　great　lesson　for　me；　and　I　have　rubber　tents；　rubber　blankets；　rubber　coats　and　hammocks　enough　for　an　army　corps。　　I　have　written　nothing　for　the　paper；　because；　if　I　started　to　tell　the　truth　at　all；　it　would　do　no　good；　and　it　would　open　up　a　hell　of　an　outcry　from　all　the　families　of　the　boys　who　have　volunteered。　　Of　course；　the　only　answer　is　a　standing　army　of　a　hundred　thousand；　and　no　more　calling　on　the　patriotism　of　men　unfitted　and　untrained。　　It　is　the　sacrifice　of　the　innocents。　　The　incompetence　and；　unreadiness　of　the　French　in　1870　was　no　worse　than　our　own　is　now。　　It　is　a　terrible　and　pathetic　spectacle；　and　the　readiness　of　the　volunteers　to　be　sacrificed　is　all　the　more　pathetic。　　It　seems　almost　providential　that　we　had　this　false…alarm　call　with　Spain　to　show　the　people　how　utterly　helpless　they　are。

love；

DICK。


TAMPA；　June　9th；　1898。

Well；　here　we　are　again。　　Talk　of　the　〃Retreat　from　Ottawa〃　I've　retreated　more　in　this　war　than　the　Greeks　did。　　If　they　don't　brace　up　soon；　I'll　go　North　and　refuse　to　〃recognize〃　the　war。　　I　feel　I　deserve　a　pension　and　a　medal　as　it　is。　　We　had　everything　on　board　and　our　cabins　assigned　us　and　our　〃war　kits〃　in　which　we　set　forth　taken　off；　and　were　in　yachting　flannels　ready　for　the　five　days　cruise。　　I　had　the　devil　of　a　time　getting　out　to　the　flagship；　as　they　call　the　headquarters　boat。　　I　went　out　early　in　the　morning　of　the　night　when　I　last　wrote　you。　　I　stayed　up　all　that　night　watching　troops　arrive　and　lending　a　helping　hand　and　a　word　of　cheer　to　dispirited　mules　and　men；　also　segars　and　cool　dri