The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-12-29
Letter From the Front
Fort Mills, Correcidor, P. I.
November 4 1917

Have Just finished another Week
| of tedious drills and manual labor
and also made first class gunner on a
twelve inch" Toy so they have Civ
en- me Saturday afternoon and all
day Sunday off, for the first time
since my arrival in the islands. I feel
about as happy as if l had my right
mind.
It's so hot we can't go anywhere, so
all the time we have off duty, we are
doing ''bunk fatigue" which is a sol
dier's utmost pleasure. "Bunk IA
tigue" is sleeping, in military words,
and is very opposite from the other
fatigue; yes, fatigue is the hardest
kind of work that they can give a SOL
der except the above mentioned.
We are not feeling the effects of
the war here yet, that is, only in
slight manner and do not know the
States are feeling it. The only news
we get now is the Manila Times, and
that is practically all Filipino work
and progress. Twenty thousand CO.
600 Filipino Scouts and organization
VI IAC AAcAIlNC aim nave OnS16O 10
go to the front for Uncle Sam, Aug
ust IS, 1917, an anniversary of the
same date in 1898, when the cons
bined forces of Americans and Fill
pinoes defeated Spain transferring the
islands to the United States The
Cooks $50 they call them) sure think
lot of American sovereignty here
and do not seem to. care for self-gov-
eminent in the least.
1t is so Internal hot here at pres
ent that one can't find sufficient
shade trees at all; the soldiers in the
barracks are about three-fourths IN
dressed always as the heat is so great
it cannot be borne, unless one wants
military asylum in Washington, D.
C. One who worries always makes a
trip to the nations capital
Pretty nice, ehl
Now Red, that is just one of the
many things a soldier gets handed to
him but still he makes many a sacri-
flee that is never known by all peo-
pie, but that is his own lookout, for
you know l still had a little time to
serve in the civilian life, before they
could have drafted me, but l Just
looked on the bright side of things
and here l am today serving Uncle
Sam with all that is in me, but still I
beat him out of $500 a month more,
by making first class GUNNER, ha, ha
1t is hard proposition for hu-
man to write a letter in this neck of
the woods, since they began censoring
hoping to hear from the gang and you
soon.
Wishing you everything in the
world except the Kaiser, for we want
him ourselves
From Liberty Volunteer,
Pvt. Chas. C. Kissing,
7th Co., G. A. D., Fort Mills Is.
P. S. Everyone is wanting to
know when We are coming home, so
you tell them that we signed up for
seven years and will come when they
see fit to turn US loose.
Christmas Day, P. N.
Dear Folks at Home:
Dinner is over and we sure had a
dinner too as you can easily see by
the enclosed napkin which served
two purposes. Just imagine some
two hundred and fifty fellows all get
ting over measles sitting there eat
ing big dinner, most of them clad in
bath robes, some half dozen Lieuten-
ants are here too with measles, they
of course had their clothing but they
are afraid of US fellows running away
before we should so consequently
they took away our clothes, Ha, Ha.
We had other surprises,
too, for this morning about z 80, just
after breakfast, group of Y. NJ. c.
A, men come in, one had a trombone,
another violin, and they played and
sang religious songs. 1t has a won
derful impression on one to listen to
such things. Everyone appreciated the
spirit too and would hardly let them
go. I suppose they went to every
hospital here. Then just before din
ner the ward master told US to get by
our beds and a Red Gross lady came
in and gave each of US a sleeveless
sweater. 1 got a dark gray one knit
ted in Chicago, H., then we came
back from dinner pair of hand knit
ted socks were on each of our beds,
mine came from Rochester, New
York, so we were treated quite well
here, much better than / had expect
ed and it sure cheered the fellows up
too. even though the remmeberances
came from other places than home.
Really I've had an experience here l
would not take lot for. I've heard
about the hospitals of the army but
never thought I'd get to stay in one
Sanity has certainly been good to me-
| hate to miss the big program at,
Funston, this afternoon and night;
maybe l can see some of it from my
window here, if not well I've had one
Christmas that everyone don't have
a chance at having as have had, ha,
ha.
Wonder if you folks are at Clar-
ence's today, and what you are do
ing. Sure would like to be with you,
but is impossible this time, had hoped
that l could send you folks some lit
tie present or souvenir of Funston,
but can't until I get out
I'm feeling as well as ever except
I'm a trifie tight due to overeating,
but we won't get any supper so I
filed my pockets full of nuts, candy,
apples and orange, so I won't get
hungry. I don't see why they keep
a fellow here so long, but suppose
they know their business; however,
this is the sasiest job I've ever had