Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-20

Arthur Carey Of 140 Bangor street
nas received from his brother-in-law,
Louis Aubin of the 8th Canadian Bat
talon, the following letter in which
Private Aubin, who has been in many
OF the battles which have taken place
along the French frontier, graphically
describes some Of the. experiences
which he has had and is having. The
letter is dated Somewhere in France,
Sept. II, H." and reads as follows:
Dear Brother-in-law Arthur: I re-
ceived your letter a few days ago
Glad to hear that all the family are
we'll. AS for myself 1 am in the best
Of health. Hope you are having a good
time before you are called up for you
can max the best Of it while you are
in Gods country, for his is a He'll of
q country.
Now I will try to describe to you a
Little Of the spirit of the Canadian
Soldiers who l am with. We are fight
ing In the suburbs Of a big city. This
is what we call a house to house fight
n 1t is the best fight I have mad
yet, because l enjoy this. We are so
close to Fritz that he cannot she'll us
for fear he would hit his own men, so
the best man wins. I am writing YOU
this in the cellar of a big hotel, but
dry.
Last night there was a big Prussian
guard coming around the corner of q
street, making for our cellar, and we
saw him by the moonlight, so we let
him have a bomb and knocked him
into smithereens. After a little while
we heard footsteps upstairs and said
to ourselves that there were some more
Prussians up there, so my chum went
out around the corner Of the house and
saw three big Fritzes coming out Of
the back door. He told us Of this and
we got two Of them and wounded the
other. The wounded one dragged him
roaring like a bull.
II said to my chum: You and I go
out and get him. but we just got out
Of the cellar when along came a Ger
man bomb which wounded my chum
IL the leg but never touched me. SO I
took my chum into the cellar and
~bandaged up his leg and left Fritz
where he was. 1t is getting on near
daylight SO we cannot get him out as
It is impossible to show your nose out
side the cellar window in the daytime,
as you are sure to get plugged.
Now. Arthur, I am mighty glad It
was getting near daylight, because we
! had seen Fritz right across the street
opposite us, but he cannot attack our
cellar in the daytime for he has to
| cross the road and we are on the look
out. Now, Arthur, while I am writing
I this letter to YOU there are three dead
Fritzes and a wounded one out in the
street. and only one Of us wounded.
Just now 7 am boiling water over a
candle for my wounded comrade. as
we cannot make a fire for our smoke
would give us away, and this cellar
we only captured two hours ago while
Fritz teat IL away. God only knows
what tonight will bring us but 7 will
mail this letter to you when I go out
for rations tonight. So you may i'm
agine what IT is, and we are gaining
on them all the time.
Now, Arthur. you say in your letter
that you are sending me the Kannebec
Journal. but l did not get it. I received
a package of tobacco from Louise. for
which I thank her very much. I was
telling you in my last letter that I put
ir for three months leave to go to
~Canada-well, l am getting it but 1t