Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-12-26
BOY KNOWN HERE
WRITES OF SERVICE
UNDER OLD GLORY

Charles Gerdink. native OF ll0l-
land, and resident OF this country
for nine years. has record that the
American youth might do well to EN-
ula.e.
AT the age OF ten years be cntereI
The liennepin schools, just old enough
to talk fairly good Dutch, hui not
word OF English. He graduated
from the Hennepin high school at the
head OF the class and star in athlet
les, He worked his way thru the
John Sweeney consolidate school and
/ later thru the University Of Illinois
He was at the university when ne
heard the United States vas at war
lie did not wait to be drafted but en-
! listed in the navy Immediately.
Writing to his parents from some
where in France he says:
/ Here in our camp We have Il
couple of football field, a good
many more basketball courts, some
wrestling platforms and any kind
OF activities an athlete taxes part
in and likes TO enjoy. Last Sunday
| saw a football game down here be-
tween two regiments of engineers.
The French soldiers and people in
cludng mothers. wives, fathers and
children of the French, seemed 10
enjoy the game as much as the
Americans For awhile took part
in a basketball game; but after my
life OF leisure on the boat ! could
not last long, and gave up after !
got thru playing my first halt.
After the game as we started
back for our transport, We had the
pleasure OF hearing the French
people sing some popular songs az
they briskly walked their way home
,, 1t certainly was a great inspiration
to Us to see these people still 50
happy after nearly four years OF
suffering We cannot help but adj
mre the French people for the com
mon indifference they take to the
ever dangers Of war.
We usually take hike every
morning. In the afternoon we have
doughty drill and caiisthenics. IN
these hikes we usually hike to an
other town. These hikes are OF
much interest to us and we certain
~ enjoy them; for we see things
and scenery we never saw before
and some real scenery we do see
, At present the farmers are harvest
ing their sugar Deets; they put &
d., good many pounds of these on tho
carts which are pulled by oxen
:. The ground is also plowed wit
oxen,
In conversing and speaking will
the French, none Of us are progress
o sing very fast. II we want anythin,
). we have to go thru lot of wild mo
"a tons and gestures. but we get wha
we want The other day one Of on
f fellows wanted some eggs to eat 70
6 lunch after making a lot Of me
o tions he still could not make tn
4 waitress understand what he wan,
ed told him to cackle like a hen
this he did and in five minutes h
had his fried eggs.
o We spent a half day the othe
q day unloading our material from tn
- transport on which we came Tn
other materials on the boat are III
So loaded by the German prisoner
There are certainly lot Of theI
at the dock unloading transports
These prisoners are certainly de
polatc looking fellows. Some
them are old and gray haired; oil
, ers are just young fellows. The
| seem to be very happy and conlci
=. whore they are at We are not q
lowed to talk to them, but as "
,. pass them they seem to want to -
/. acouainted They have "A good de-
:. of liberty; some OF them run loo'
on the docks without guards
2 Your son,
n y,