Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-12-20
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS.

ne c1ll0I Nf1IklS Il Nl "A =.
Never again during the war were we
to know sue a Christmas as the first
one was made for us. Never again
was the whole north to make again a
combined effort to cheer and encourage
us and let us n that VIC We're not
forgotten. 1t was good to be alive and
to be Il soldier.
The boxes II hampers began to
come down 10 days ahead, and as they
reached Washington by rail the quar-
termasters' teams loaded them up for
the front. And what did they send us
our wives. mothers. sisters and sweet
hearts? Everything that a kind and
loving heart could make or buy and
pack. We didn't seem so far away
from them as later on. There were
mothers mince pies by the thousand.
roast chickens and what not. They sent
us Undertaking. handkerchiefs. house
wives pocket knives, tooth brushes,
salves. ointments and one can't remem-
Der what was left out.
And with the boxes came letters
three. and five age long-letters
of love and cement, and not a
single one of them telling of any trou-
BILE at home. We were standing be-
tween our homes and disaster. and they
wanted us to be brave and strong. At
some other time they might tell us that
mother was i'll. father had lost his
all. or that brother Tom or sister Nell
had been laid beneath the snow-but
not then.
And when there was neither wife nor
mother nor sweetheart to forward a
box. there were other women. kind and
loyal and willing to take hold. That
a man was at the front wearing the
blue was enough for them.
Bless them! Why. we cheered and
cleered until the echoes should have
reached the pines of Maine and h
plains OF Kansas. We had not become
stern and hard hearted yet. We We're
still linked to sentiment and home. And
every man was comrade to another
then. We had all come down together.
the true test of comradeship had not
ON Later on we were to be a very
selfish lot and to learn that sentiment
had nc place amidst the crash of mus
kerry OF of the muddy march.
On that first Christmas day most of
our officers went to Washington to
celebrate. and the camps We're left in
charge of the sergeants. and the mel
hidden to feast. frolic and be merry.
1t was grand fun to open those boxes
and the contents were passed around
until nothing was left. Not single
selfish man among the thousands. One
ate of pie made in Vermont-of cake
= lh AAiO htNi
by some comrades friend i'm some Ohio
home.
And we did q thing that we could
do again OH that day. There
We're men among US almost straight
from their homes across the sea. We
culled their names from the rolls. and
WI ook their arms in a b%rotherly Way
n led them to a tent and Toasted
them. that they might not think them
selves in a land of selfish strangers.
Ana some Of those men-big. strong
men-shed tears n choked when they
realized the feeling that prompted us.
1t made them of us as nothing else
could.
The bands were left us, and they
played for the jumping matches. the
foot races and h wrestling bouts. No
man gave way to anger-no ma struck
q blow. And those who could sing
gave us songs, and others made
speeches. / say again hat it was
good to be alive that day and be "A SOL
der.
1t was when night came and we
gathered in smaller roups that men
read their home letters over again and
looked more thoughtful. And when the
strains of "Home, Sweet Home
reached their cars, heads We're turned
that tears might not be seen. And
when men reached out their hands to
one another n gripped under the spell
of the day that had closed and of the
music, it seemed as If they felt the
shade that would stalk beside them
ere the leaves a hardly turned green
again. OF the thousands and thou
SANDS that shook hands that night
when taps to separate them,
n out of five was to find a grave on
the tangled banks of the Chicahominy,
or in the mire and scum Of the White
Oak swamp. as a grand army fell back
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. turning now
and hen and i~nflicting wounds and
death.
During those dreadful days Of almost
constant battle. with his back to a
tree. to which he had crawled from The
narrow roadway when he found that
his end was lear. I came across a
private soldier whom l knew. His
vas the first face 1 had recognized in
80 hours.
What is it, Tom?" 1 asked as l held
my canteen to his lips.
It's h n for me-" he gasped.
lance ! said.
They don't carry dead en-
But Ill halt a surgeon"
Jack said he. the name is Susan
Coffroth. and the address is Charlotte,
Eaton county. Michigan"
Your wife?"
Yes Tell her how it happened. 1
stood up as long as any of the boys.
didn't I?'
.sYou did"
And 1 fought as wcll?" he asked
eagerly.
Better than some" l said truthful
l..
Tel her that. Is there fighting yet? %
Yes: in h rear and on the right
And are they beating us?"
Yes" had to admit.
He reached for my hand. and we sat
thus for five minutes while the wreck
of the army hurried past a few feet
away. There were thousands of
wounded men along that road, and 1
sat beside his one that his life might
GO If with q hand 1laSnin0 his