Camp Alger

Dear Editor: Believing that the eaders of the Argns wonld be , ed in a brief aooonnt of my observations j n the vioinity of out natinn's capital oity just at this time, when the atteniou of the people is more or less directed hitberward, I will reconut sorne of he inoidents of my last two days' experience in this looality. Mounting a wheel I staited yesterday j morniDg for Camp Alger, whioh, as tbe erow flies, is about seven miles southwest of Washington, bnt allowing the nps and downs in the road between wonld probably inake it abont uine. Virginia farmers are such lovers of nature that tbey strenuonsly object ta the ohanging of wooded slopes into vineyards, or forest lands iuto grain fields. They are strongly avetse to constructing bridges whare tüe winding roads cross tbe numerous rntis oreeks), it beiug more romantic jast o drive throngh the water. The oainp instead of being at Falls Church, as reported, is three miles beyond and at intervalns of two hundred yards betweeu the two places are staioned sentinels. Reaching tbe orest of a knoll I saw at a distanoe of a ruile or more ahead what appeard to be a white sea, so thickly were the tents pitohed. Far as the eye oould reaoh over the rolling prairie were visible the white oanvas tentings. Only abont one-half of the 25,000 troops are fully equipped and ready to go to the front in fighting trim. The remainder are expeoted to be snpplied within the next two weeks. In order to getwell water the eoldiers have to tramp several miles to replenish their oanteens. The government does not fnrnisb tbem ioe, but one of the Washington papers eent out several tons as a Snnday treat, and the boys now swear by the Times-Democrat. A hardier lot of young men tban these gallant boys in bine it would be hard to find. Anxiously they await the signal to "Forward, maroh," aDd the faster the drum beats the better will they like the tune. The all important question vcith them is "When oan we get our guns?" The next, "How long must we remain here?" Should one desire to gain a favor he has but to say to a soldier something that sounds like, "Remember the Maine." It is magio to the soldier on the bivouac. I will leave the subject here, lest I make tbis letter too long, and if it would be interesting to recount my trip to Mt. Veraon estáte, Washington's bome and tomb, on Decoration Day, I will gladly give yon my ablest effort. Verv truly yonrs, Washington, D. C, May 30, 1898.