The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-10
OLD ST. PETERSBURG BOY
WRITES FROM BATTLEFRONT

st. Petersburg, April 10-The fol-
lowing letter from the battlefront in
Belgium, written by Sergeant Chris
TOPPER Mckay, formerly an employe
of the St. Petersburg trolley company
and whose mother still owns prop
erty out on Disston avenue-will be
read with interest by his many
friends here. Mrs. Mckay is now liv-
ing in st. Stephen, New Brunswick,
Canada, but hopes to return here
next fall. Christopher Mckay en-
listed in Canada. His letter to his
mother, printed in the ST. Croix
Courier, is as follows:
Somewhere in Belgium.
Dear Mother Well, had over five
months in the trenches without a
rest but at present we are at rest
billets for while and, believe me,
it is good to be out of the mud and
out of sound Of the guns. We are
at large farm and the people who
own it must be real well-to-do, as
they have a nice bunch of cattle, a
fine pair of horses, bout a dozen pigs
and a large flock of hens. The
house is a very large brick one with
two very large barns.
There is one thing l don't like and
that is all have big space in the
front yard for manure heap and
dumping ground
Since | came here, have been ex-
ira lucky. | received nice package
from England and two dandies from
home. Gee, those turnovers, and
doug hnuts and cookies tasted good!
The Strawberries were sure a big
treat, and so was the coffee. 1t sure
is good to get things from home.
The socks came the other day
through Mrs Lawson for the Cana
dian club, and | gave them out to
boys in my platoon, who are all first
contingent boys They are all from
the old 18th battalion, too. IT would
make your heart ache if you could
sec how pleased seine of them were
with new pair of socks.
The two packages from Mrs Short
en- were certainly corkcrs-and talk
about tickled men. | gave one to Pete
Grandly, an old Scotchman, who en-
listed at Fredericton, but he seems
more like st. Stephen man, as he
has kind of taken us as his chums.
He is man 46 years of age, but he
is dandy. The other gave to
Private King and he came from New
castle. They almost never get any
thing, and were tickled to death with
the things.
] received Red Book and Cour-
iers today and also the MORNINGS
paper brought news of the govern
ment building being burned in Can
ada, and you cant ina inc the effect
it has had on the Canadian boys.
Here we are. trying to do what we
can and at home they are letting
Germans and Austrians run at large
instead of taking them into custody
end putting them to work and keep
ing them from spoiline what we have
at home. There is sergeant here in
my company who gets letters from
British Columbia and in one of these
letters it told of these enemies at
large in British Columbia, earning
money there, and it was goiny back
to their countries.
We are trustin the people at
homo and by the looks of things they
are little careless You at home are
trusting Us and | tiNt we are doing
what yeu expect IS 10 do
hear some of the people at home
10 not want soldiers stationed there
can tell you it hurts a man in
Khaki to feel we are not wanted in
our cwn country Perhaps some day
hey VIII be glad to have us.
have been having a great many
etters from everyone lately. Receiv-
ID scarf from Aunt Sue. and a lot
If tobacco from Uncle Will. they are
inc
| am feeling fine and hone this
var will end soon.
Remember me to everyone.
With love.
CHRISTOpHEP