Manila, Luzon Island – Entry made in parlor of No. 2 Calle Santa Elena, Tondo
Heavy clouds hung all around the horizon today, but we had no rain. The typhoon season is near when the weather will assert itself.
Remained at home close. Felt so tired & bad yesterday evening that I thought best to recuperate today & am feeling rested & better in health, praise the dear Lord.
First thing a chapter in Deuteronomy, prayer, breakfast.
Early a wagon drove up to my door. Bro. (Private) Peter Shipper of the U.S. Engineer corpo brought me 51 copies San Francisco War Cry; 25 copies Apr. 29th’99, No. 596 & 26 copies May 6th’99. No. 597. He suggested S. F. Headquarters’ people sent them to him to same postage. Lt.-Col. Wm Evans wrote me that he did not know why I only received 3 copies. Shipper was in a hurry but I insisted that he take time to pray. Did so.
Private (Bro.) Bertrand dropped in next from Camp Santa Mesa where his company & reg’t 1st South Dakota are stationed.
Reiterated the statement of his letter that he will purchase my gramophone & with a sergeant will rent the back room.
Wants to give 2 or 3 months to study. B. does not care to have a partner in with him on the gramophone proposition lest he should insist on using the same in a saloon. Such principle in Bertrand was very gratifying to me.
Before B. said good-bye another footstep was heard ascending the stairs. Private (Bro.) W. I. Mason, Co. D. 9th U.S. Infantry. The perspiration was dripping in a stream from Mason’s chin, his clothes were dirty & ragged his revolver rusty, etc. looked as if he had just got back from the war – exactly the case. During the past 2 weeks poor Mason has “been thro’ the mill” down at Paranaque, Imus. San Francisco de Malabon & other places wading streams & swamps crowding thro’ the grass higher than his head fighting Insurrectos. [Comrades]were killed, wounded & overcome by heat & exhaustion but God kept him thro’ it all, but best the Lord kept him saved in soul. Together we knelt in prayer to remember our precious Lord.
The next visitor rode up on a handsome native poney, Private (Bro.) Clayton Scott, 1stNorth Dakota vols. orderly at the Palace. While Scott was here. Private (Bro) Devine (Landrum) K. Bat’y 3d Reg’t Heavy artillery climbed the steps painfully. The three of us: conversation various topics, affairs of Christ’s Kingdome & prayer.
Of the War Cry brought by Shipper gave 10 copies to Mason to distribute in the 9threg’t. Bertrand 4 for the South Dakota & Scott 10 for the Palace & Bro. Merritt, who has returned with a pack [____].
Scott says Merriott reports himself keeping saved.
Between animal & departure of visitors I packed & wrote locality of shells, sea & land, for future identification, overhauled storage list, read a number of magazine articles, news in “Freedom” and cooked supper.
The day Rev. & Mrs. Owens embarked for their homeward voyage to the United States, Bro. Glunz (are of the Christian Commission boys) & I discussed the time of our arrival – in the Philippine Islands. Glunz & Jackson shipped with the Third expedition. They left San Francisco before I did, but embarked on the s.s. “Newport” left the ships of the Third expedition at Honolulu & crossed the ocean alone, arriving in Manila bay a week or ten days ahead of the other vessels, so I just arrived that length of time ahead of the Christian Commission men.