The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-02-19

money so that he could not return
II IL he later wished to sue.
/ From FRIDAYS Daliy.
Thrilling cablegrams and newspa-
per dispatches of all kinds continue
to stir American fancy with pic.
lures of the great European con.
att now in rrogress. and peonie
read with eager avidity all the
scraps of information which we can
obtain. A letter breathing the very
spirit OF people who are vitality In
terested in the outcome has been
1 icceiFeu ny Dan urlnIIhs Of inns
city, a young man employed as
stenographer in the Office of the
Mankato Fruit house. and through
his courtesy The Free Press publish
part Of IL below. Mr.. Griniths came
| to this country from Wales last
summer, leaving his home on June
u. 1914. and after a short trip, dur
ing which he viewed some of the
sights OF America, he arrived i'm this
city on the evening of July A. The
letters was written at Bryn-Llys. New
ton. North Wales, and Is from the
deputy chief constable OF Montgom.
eryshire, Wales, whose son. Meirion,
and Mr.. Griffiths we're boyhood
chums.
The letter opens in the intimate
manner Of friends, the correspondent
saying that he has been very busy
with his official matters. and that
everything Is war" at that place
now. "r a. &c."
WAR talk il what YOU hear where
ever You CO." he writes. soldiers?
Why. the old country Is like an ant
heap--soldiers everywhere! The very
best of her manhood are joining the
privates. or anything In which they
can be useful All. II is fine TO see
them. and yet pitifui TO think of
these fine young men In the prime
of life leaving their careers and
fighting for their Dear Old Country
many. no doubt, never to return.
Already many an eye has grown
dim, many voice silent, many a
chair vacant. STILL on they go.
Sacrifices are made, some sadly. 9th.
ers appearing quite Indifferent and
seeming not to worry. Special pray
Ier meetings are held every Sunday.
and prayers are ascending all the
time. or course, with Gods help.
we are going TO win, because our
cause in right. and not might II is
always at the last that Britain comes
in, and gallant little Wales Is now
on top, having recruited more than
all the others, which makes us feel
very proud. Meirion is giving up
his studies at Manchester, and in
tends joining the Welsh army.
"The Welsh Horse Regiment is in
creasing rapidly. and they have sew
eral noted boxers among them. The
young men have planned an exhibit
ton In the public hall for Friday
evening. January 20. in which they
will take part. The hardships endur-
ed by some of the soldiers while
camping in Norfolk have resulted in
deafness to some, and other ailments.
they having not been in bed since
October. To be a soldier you must
have an iron constitution, Police
work these days is nil. The worst
characters have joined some branch
of the service. and some days there
are no cases at all. I took a nice
drive through a number of the sur.
rounding towns yesterday. and every
where you could see soldiers
The letter closes with a poem
entitled, my Native Land" which
breathes patriotism in every word
and vivid air of local color Is
found in the third verse
Rude, rugged. and romantic,
Land OF everlasting hills
Where echo sounds terrific
Midst the cataract and rills.
Mountains of ancient glory
Adorned with lovely valcs,
Creation in IT'S beauty.
My home. my dearest Wales"
eron Fridays DaiIs. So