F. Huntoon On Cuba

A Letter from the Ann Arbor Sergeant.

Scorpions, Spiders, Heat and Wild fruit - when will the returning soldiers line up for dismissal.

The letter from Fred Huntoon of Co. A, written from Placetas, Cuba, March 30, to Arthur L. Alexander, from which a brief extract was made yesterday, contains some interesting statements as to cuban life, and we make the following extracts:

We are in a frying pan 12 out of 24 hours every day. Scorpions and centipedes and big hairy spiders as big as a silver dollar are plenty, but we don't notice them. I have shaken several of them out of my blankets when making my bunk up nights. Their bite is bad but is not always fatal. In addition big sand flies and mosquitoes combine to make life unbearable, together with a generous amount of genuine heat, 102 today. The fruit tastes fairly well but you must understand that it is now practically in its wild state. No care has been taken of it in years - since the war broke out.

At present the chances for a Yankee to make money in Cuba are poor. Nothing doing and nothing to do and the rainy season plays havoc with him. He must go through a big siege of Cuban fever. Then the dry season comes and he is roasted. He is either roasting or drowning all the time. No, I don't think any too much of Cuba. Later on it may amount to something. Not now.

I guess the day is not far distant when we will return to Ann Arbor in all our pomp and glory, after our triumphal tour of Chickamauga Park, Knoxville, etc., and the question is this: Where do the good people of Ann Arbor wish the "embalmed beef" veterans of the Spanish war to line up to be finally dismissed. Food for thought. I tell you Alex, somebody did us dirt, good and plenty, in giving up our armory. Do you remember the promises they made us when we left?

We will no doubt present a queer appearance on our return - sunburnt to a finish. Everybody carries a revolver or machete, dresses semi-Cuban-Espanoli and not a few have pet parrots, etc., and all talk pigeon Spanish but no one can understand a work they say.