Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-06-13
SOLDIER BOYS
WRITE LETTERS OF
REAL INTEREST
CLARENCE BAILEY AND GEORGE
MENKEE TELL MORE OF LIFE
IN TRAINING CAMPS
McAllen, Texas,

McAllen, Texas,
Dear Ones at Home:
We are still in Texas. l was down
town tonight with two boys for the
nrst time. We took in a picture
show, the only one in town, and il
was not very good. Has it stopped
raining in Belding yet? We expect
to be moved from here soon, but
don't know where. If person was
to ask me how the war was Coming
| would have to tell him / don't know
Tor we know less about it in the
army than if he were out. Tell the
KIDS" that elephants are not the
KIND OF animals they keep in Texas
ana they would find it out in one
night If they were here. Here we
those little pack mules, kind Of noise
that will keep you awake all night
until you get used to it. / still have
that cap OF mine. When we got our
bags and when got here and was
taking my stuff out of the bag out
came Mr.. Cap. Then l told the BOYS
the history of my old friend and
am going to hang to it as long as /
can for old times sake.
Well, we left McAllen Sunday and
no one knew that we were going until
night, and we moved mighty quick I
tell you. When | get out of the army
L don't believe i will come home by
rail for we are having lots of train
riding right now-enough to suit me.
IL VIII take US a week to go where we
are headed for.
June 9Th, U. S. Troop Train.
We are off for somewhere now. NV
was glad when we pulled out Of
Texas and we all had about all of
that place we wanted. We crossed
the river into Mississippi on side
Wheelers which took about half an
hour. Well, guess after awhile they
Will have us where they want us. 1t
Is little hard on a fellow when he
gets into place and don't know as
he Will stay one hour or longer. We
are going through another small
place and the boys are about crazy
and guess anyone would be for we
have been in a place where we have
not seen white person i'm twenty
days. Just think of it. So you see
it is just like a birthday party for
us. Then when we saw that little
| pay day come it was just as good as
a Christmas present. | have heard
from one of my school girl friends
and it seemed good to me, you bet
got my mail at last. All of the 2Sth
Infantry has left Texas. Co. Fl and
another Co. have been turned into ma
4 chime gun companies so that means
the one am in and the other COM
panies will have to go to school and
learn the guns. We handed in our
rifles and got a 45-caliber Colt pistol,
which we carry. by our side all the
time. 1t does seem good to get out of
the sand and cactus and be where you
can, see green grass and the rolling
land once more. l must stop and eat.
We just passed through Jackson,
Mississippi and the band played, "Are
You From Dixie" | thought to my
self, mo, Texas" We have little
dog with US that has been with the
soldiers for twelve years and he is a
smart little fellow. We had an oil
burning engine all through Texas,
but after we got out of that state
coal was used. We would have walk
ed out if we had had to or. any way
to get out of that state. When we
went across the border / believe you
could have heard us say, if you were
real quiet, Goodbye, Texas"-and if
anyone wants to buy me land in Texas
| am going to tell him that he is cut
of his head. had pretty nice thing
happen to me when we were on our
way. All the boys were dropping
their addresses to the pretty looking
girls, so after awhile / thought I
would try it. So wrote one out and
waited to get a "good-looker." 1t
was getting about seven o'clock at
night and we struck small station
in Texas, but l didn't see any girls
around but l did see a little fellow
and gave it to him and told him to
give it to the "best-looker" in town.
Well, he must have looked at my
name and gave it to Bailey in
Moody, Texas, for last week / receiv-
ed a letter from a Bailey claiming
me TO be a brother and wanted to
know where my wife and son were
and if / had any trouble at home.
What do know about that. / will
not drop my address to another un-
known person again, and you can bet
on that. We just passed through a
little place in South Carolina and
there are lots of people at the sta
tions to see us and we are always
ready to talk to them. Some of the
| fellows have passed through their
home towns. / don't believe / would
i like that kind of, business because
would get sick right away and they
would have to put me off the train
and l guess If we went through Mich
| igan there would be few more drop
through one of the windows. There
are lots of weaving mills here and we
can see them as we pass by. If Dad
ever wants to go to Texas, just tell
him nothing doing" and take my
advice. There are three train loads
of us and they are long ones. We
have twelve coaches and three box
cars with our baggage and have
nothing to do but see sights, write
and eat, and we have good eats.
have not been sick day since have
been in the service and I am just the
same only darker. We are now in
Washington, ID. c., and will be here
for little time. / have seen the.
capitol, the printing Office. and other
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