U.S. Marines at the St. Louis Exposition――Veterans of Various Expeditions――Mobilization at Washington, D. C.――Arrival in St. Louis――An Ideal Military Camp――Exhibition Drills, Marines in Bohemia――The Spanish Señoritas of Old Madrid――Coleens and Harpists of the Emerald Isle――Cheyenne Joe’s Rocky Mt. Inn――Palm Garden Dances in the “Wee Sma” Hours――Chaperoning a Theatrical Party――A Dinner at the Tyrolean Alps――A Famous “Broadway” Actress Meets Geronimo the Apache Chief――Marines Battle with Filipino Scouts――Arrival of Mounted Police, Farewell to the “Fair”――Oh, Maryland, My Maryland. The battalion of marines that composed the Guard of Honor at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis in 1904 was the finest representation of Uncle Sam’s sea soldiers that has ever been mobilized. In order to meet the requirements in organizing this battalion, it was necessary to select men from the Atlantic, European, and Asiatic fleets, besides the various navy yards of the United States. The requirements of the navy department in selecting material for this detachment were: that each man must be not under five feet and eight inches in height and of military bearing, a veteran of foreign service, possessing an excellent character and a clean military record. Several months were spent in securing the necessary quota to complete these essential conditions, which, when perfected, represented not only the flower of the United States Marine Corps, but a worthy rival for honors with the best military force ever organized. Washington, D. C., was the site of our mobilization. Every member of the battalion was exempt from duty, save that which tended to the arduous exhibit of military evolutions, calisthenics, and bayonet exercise. The drill in these was strenuous; five hours each day under the tutorage of a skilful drill-master soon brought the battalion to a state of perfection. The famous United States Marine Band furnished the music during these drills, and the pleasure derived from this alone offset the tedium of manœuvre. Each man was perfectly fitted by a tailor for the eight uniforms which he was required to have; these were of blue, khaki, and white duck. Every article of his wearing apparel had to be an exact fit, from shoes to cap. Every article of equipment and all accoutrements were issued brand new. Flags, tents, ditty-boxes, cots, blankets, mosquito-bars, rifles, six-shooters, bayonets, belts, canteens, haversacks, toilet-sets were all fresh and new. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, which commemorated the centennial of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory in 1803, opened April 30, 1904, and closed December 1, of the same year. The site of the Marine Camp was near and on the west side of the Palace of Liberal Arts, lying between the Liberal Arts building and the Intramural Railway, near the Government building, and north of the Tyrolean Alps, lagoons, and cascades.