For the Eighth Infantry loved good
music, and had imported its musicians direct from Italy.
This came to an end, however, after a few days, and I was obliged
to descend from those heights to the dead level of domestic
economy.
My husband informed me that the quarters were ready for our
occupancy and that we could begin house-keeping at once. He had
engaged a soldier named Adams for a striker; he did not know
whether Adams was much of a cook, he said, but he was the only
available man just then, as the companies were up north at the
Agency.
Our quarters consisted of three rooms and a kitchen, which formed
one-half of a double house.
I asked Jack why we could not have a whole house. I did not think
I could possibly live in three rooms and a kitchen.
"Why, Martha," said he, "did you not know that women are not
reckoned in at all at the War Department? A lieutenant's
allowance of quarters, according to the Army Regulations, is one
room and a kitchen, a captain's allowance is two rooms and a
kitchen, and so on up, until a colonel has a fairly good house."
I told him I thought it an outrage; that lieutenants' wives
needed quite as much as colonels' wives.
