Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-03

other branch of service, as the artll-
lery. The artillery has always APP
pealed to me, and as ] have studied all
the mathematics required l might,
even then be able to secure a commits
sion in the artillery
Yesterday the American army Off
GERS visited us to enroll those of us
who cared to enlist There were a
number of younger members. of Is and
10 years of age. who felt it to be bet
ter for them to return home, but 81
out of Al have signed up, Bob and |
among them. Bob is to be made first
lieutenant. He Will be sent soon TO
the officers school at NJ for a
six weeks course. After that his com
mission will be confirmed, but l think
it begins today.
Roy Harding and ] have been APP
pointed first sergeant and sergeant,
respectively.
THEN CAME THE SHELLS.
Just as I finished the last word a
German shell "whooshsd' over our
heads and landed, Cpause again for an
other she1D, and landed about 100
yards from our "abri' (pause again for
shell No. 81. We are right among the
batteries and the Germans are trying
to reach the batteries. But as the lat
ter are always placed on hillside.
facing away from the lines, 1t is very
difficult to get them. l was about to
say so all the shells fall down before
us into the valley but just then the
shrapnel began to arrive on all sides OF
us, and climbed out of my seat in the
car, leaving this letter to finish itself.
For oil \ o.. L..
AS we eat at five at the posts, Norman
Stanley and ! began to eat our fried
potatoes, beef stew and such, seated
on a bench just outside the abri The
French artillery men were also eating
their dinner here when suddenly a
shell burst about 100 feet away. We
all ducked instinctively into the abri
although the shell had already burst.
Our ambulance tBoh's and mine) No
10. which was standing not more than
eight feet away from us, was hit by q
piece of the she'll This made a hole
one inch by five inches In the side. It
struck one of the iron longitudinal
stringers, used to support the stretch
ers, and split in half, one piece going
out through the roof and the other
through the side. A splinter of wood
broke the only remaining glass window
In the car. There are two windows at
each end, and three had been broke en-
before in similar experiences. Now
our passengers will get the benefit OF
every breeze that blows.
REAL TASTE OF WAR.
All the while / have been writing
this shells have been dropping ali
about us, but none of the French guns
have been hit. They are all blazing
away. Som. Of the heavier guns down
in the valley are firing occasionally. |
The big shells lumber along about 200
feet above our heads, making a creak-
ing, whining noise like an ungreased
cart. The aeroplanes are buzzing
ABOUT overhead all the time, and once |
IN While their machine guns start up !,
their rat-a-tat-tat, as an indication of
a French aeroplans and a German
aeropiane having a little tin together. |
From all this you can see that we are |
getting little taste of war. I am en-
joying it all very much, and am in |
tensety glad that I came. The ambu- |
lance service is very interesting.
NEWS OF BOISE BOYS.
We have not heard from Robert c,-
porne since he left us at the camp near
MeauK. over two months ago. He left |
with several others, to fill up vacancies
IN an old section and so got to the
front about week before we did.
Boise now has four representatives.
as far as / know, in this service. Yes
terday one of our drivers met q car of
section 20 with a young man who
stopped him and asked him il he knew
us. He was Ed Phelps. His section
is working right near ours, but we have
not as yet, had a chance to see him,
The packages YOU mention have not
yet arrived. but will doubtless do so in
a few days. Packages are not expe-
dited as rapidly as letters.
We need lots of kodak films also. n
you can send them. There are many
opportunities for photographing inter-
esting things here, but films are 30
hard to procure that miss many good
pictures.
Bob and ! are both in good health
and very happy in our work. I must
close now and finish my supper and TO
to bed, 30 I will be ready for tomorrow.
world OF love.
NORMAN.