Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1917-11-08

1t is hard enough to get anything
around an army camp, but now tha'
this company is in quarantine IT Is
practically impossible for 1t to gel
many little things that would never
be asked for at home, for not a man
crosses our guard line, either coming
in or going out. Our food, wood,
equipment, mail and everything
brought to us is dumped off wagons
or trucks outside OF the guard line
and after the drivers leave, our men
go out and take 1t into camp. II
would be funny If 1t wasn't so seri-
Gus. And guard duty all around this
camp Is no snap, as many or the
members of the company can tell
you. But it is all necessary and
part of soldier training that Will
harden our men up so they can stand
worse things when they come to
them. The packages that come
thru the mail are worth many times
their actual value.
On Saturday afternoons or Sun
days the boys play football or base
ball. and have some interesting
games. We have not yet been paid
and it looks very much as II this
company will draw about three
months pay all in one jag, whenev-
er 1t does come. If that is true, eY-
cry man in the company will receive
at least $50 and some of them will
draw close to 500. Many of them
have been compelled to borrow con-
siderable money, but this ought to
wipe out the most of their debts
here and at home, and leave them
some money besides.
Company II made fine record In
subscribing for the second Liberty
Loan bonds, our boys buying over
$1,000 worth But for the fact that
a number we're in the hospital at the
time we could easily have made the
amount $10,000-but no one was
pushed to buy. AS it was, one man
subscribed for four bonds and several
others for three, while quite num-
her took two each The company
took over 1870 of the $50 bonds and
as the boys have to pay for them at
So a month out of their scanty wages
OF $40 per, | consider this not only
a sacrifice worth Dragging about
but real, pure undiluted patriotism
In addition to Offering their lives,
the yare giving out xzSCzSTTftor IS
they are giving out of their small
wages. One man who draws $50
month took four bonds, which means
he will draw only $40 a month for
practically a year from now. This
sort of spirit certainly ought to
shame some of the slackers at home
even If there are but few Of them
in Abilene.
enclose the first copy Of Trench
and Camp that we have seen. AS
you know, 1t is an army newspaper,
printed weekly at the thirty-two
camps under the auspices Of the Y.
NJ. C. A. 1t is really quite a cerdit-
able and valuable little paper, even
If the boys do get but one copy to
tent. As from eight to twelve men
live in a tent, you can imagine how
little of the paper is left by the time
all have finished reading It, l have
marked few things in this copy that
might interest you, and you can show
it to anyone who cares for 1t. Cop
les of this paper are very hard to
get
The writer has been assigned to
the liaison school, and as soon as
the quarantine is lifted will part
company with the Abilene boys for
good However, he will do his best
to keep in touch with them and will
be interested in their progress no
matter where they are. If you dno't
know what liaison means, look 1t up
in the dictionary. | don't know my
self, for l didn't bring my dictionary
with me to the army