Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-21


are the chief topics Of things-to-talk
aobut in the letters to the folks back
home for the Pine Tree State boys
now stationed III and around
Laredo, Texas. When the thermome-
ter's silvery fluid creeps up and past
the century mark, when the hikes are
over sandy wastes and under the
short hot rays of Old Sol. when hard
tack tastes like angel cake and the
breezes are hot and whiting then the
Toys think of home in Maine. One boy
in a recent letter says that the home
sick boy to whom he made previous
mention is getting al, ng O. K. and so
that takes them all off the danger list,
so camp life is not without its troubles
of the heart as well as the body.
Following are the copies Of three
letters which have recently found
their ways, from various sources into
cur office, and which we are taking the
liberty of using SO that even those
who have no soldier boys in Mexico
may enjoy the privileges Of those
more fortunate ones.
Laredo, Texas, July 10, 1915.
Dear Mama:
| am writing this to you but it is
for all the rest, and l will be glad If
my friends at home write to me. But
doubt if I write much to you until
after the 4th of August as they say
we get our pay and then once in two
weeks after that. l hope it is SO for
we are all dead broke.
Wa have had nf tho filling
dinners since l came into the field SER
vice. Beef soup and a good one, too,
also enough of it, two slices of bread
and some bareback. If we get enough
bareback l will not kick as they are as
solid as a brick and have as much
standby as a biscuit. I have two
saved for future use.
We have been on a hike and feel
better for it though many of the boys
are kicking but we made nearly five
miles an hour.
You had better go to the Park once
in while as they may have some
pictures of Texas. And if you see
some scenes where the ground is
troken into gulleys and with dry
water courses coming down the slopes
covered with cactus and low growing
| thorn bushes here aud there with bare
| PATCHES of sand and alkali that is like
the place where we drilled today. II
you were to lay down on that ground
you would feel as if YOU had laid on
quilted pig. If you catch your toe
as our Corporal did yesterday why
you can spend three hours picking
| thorns and then leave some in your
clothes and flesh.
Where we are going we shall be
fifteen miles from Lerado on a ranch
within fifty yeards Of the buildings
where last June, less than a month
ago the Mexican tried to run the cattle
out. But one cowboy drove them, 40
or AZ of them and killed II or 10. So
| it looks like we had to face a brave
90 bunch. So you see the danger
| isn't any worse than rabbit hunting.
Hope we get some vegetables. l think
the Red Cross people are going to
help on tobacco. We got some with
the company fund. All l got out of
the Augusta fund was one c. c. A.
cigar.
| The rainy season is on I think, foi
it rains every day which is one of our
blessings as it is cooler and keeps the
dust down.
| The hardest thing to get and keep
big as City Hall someone would swipe
them instead Of askir for and getting
few. No mail from the North so far
today, don't know the reason.
The homesick boy 1 told you about
is much better today and thinks he
will pull through o. X. That takes
them all off the danger list. The only
thing likely to make me sick is lack
of change. This camp life without
the hikes would be little better than
prison. Hope when we get out to the
ranch I can go rahbiting, for they are
big fellows. / want to shoot a RATHER
or two for the skin and rattles. Eu-
gene Chapman and ! were down to
the NJ. +. church the other night.
There are lot of young people and
a good bunch but full Of fun and
ready to give a fellow good time.
| heard the Mexican string band
play some of the best dance music /
ever heard, since have been down
here. Aunt Edna sends cards to all
the boys she knows.
Chester Henna has been made
lieutenant of Co X and Metcalf of &C.
NJ and there are many other changes.
We will not know where we belong by
the time we get back to Augusta.
Earle Tebault, our former telephone
manager is a sergeant in Co. E.
/ The magnolias in town are in bloom
and after the sun gees down the air is
sweet with them The sunflowers
grow wild here and also many other
pretty flowers. Will send some seeds
when l can.
Companies I. L, K and NJ are or
dered on a sixty-n1ile trip down the
border so Sherburn tells me. We
shall miss them. We will not get our
mail only once in five days where we
are going. SO will not write every
day as l have done but every mail.
You send my mail just the same and
it will be brought IN by motor truck.
Tell the people to write when they
can. l will close with love.
(Signed) ERWIN.
(Address)
Lester E. Higgins,
Co. c, &c Maine Inf,