The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-06-22
A Dutch Boy Scout
Writes | etter from Holland to Amer.
lean Boy Scout.

Writes lettcr from Holland to Amer.
lean Boy Scout.
The following letter was received
by George Burke jr., one of our
Milbank boy scouts from a young
man in Holland. We have copied
the letter verbatim, even to the
punctuation and paragraphing, and
while the English is not by any
means perfect, yet the letter, COM
ing from young man who has
learned the language unaided, as
he states, is we'll worth perusal,
and we submit it to the boy scouts
and other boys as an example,
showing what young man can do
in the mastery of a foreign Ian
guage, and commend to them the
manly spirit in which it is written:
The Hague, April 20, 1917.
Dear Friend George few days
ago received your letter, and as
you asked me in the end III send
YOU letter lack. | was very glad
TO hear something from my new
American friend. III tell you
now something about myself. My
name is Graadt Van Roggen. My
christian names are Frederick-Lu-
cas-, but my father calls me Broer
(you would say brother) My friends
call me Dixie. Isn't it funny? SO
| hope You'll call me Dixie too,
for | hope you will be my new
friend, I'm Is years old, born at
Palenbang Dutch East Indies, J
June 1898. In 1911 | became a
boy scout (Padvinoer) and in 1917
| was patrol leader and in 1915 |
was scoutmaster in Croes "a little
town in Iceland province.) This
wear | have to join the armee, but
I've asked our minister Of war if
it is possible that | become sailor,
for YOU must know that am a
Marconist wireless telegraphy I'd
class. | hope to get my first class
next month.
Now something about my fami-
ly. My mother has died when
was born, my father is member
of a technical an agricultural Of
flee at the Hague, he is engineer.
| have no brothers, very pity in
deed. but 3 (three) sisters. The
eldest will be married soon. | am
in the Hague now for week end !,
but to night | return for Amerster-
dam. There | have my rooms.
am not only boy scout but SOL
der too. II. nj. Royal Vonlonteers
(Bicuelers.) In Holland we have
nearly no ships which go out to
England or SO, for all those ships
will be torpedoed. But hope that
this letter will reach you, and that
the censor will let pass it. In the
beginning of this year all was
ready for my starting to the U. S..
A., for | would like to get some
work in Winnipeg. Canada.
liked to go and work with a Har-
vestor Company. but now have to
Join the armee. | cant go out
but when war is over and | go to
the U. S. A., and I've time en-
ough I'll come to you and see you
and your family.
You will ask your friends to
write to me too, will you, for l
like to correspond with you and
your American fellows. But now
I'll ask you not to laugh when |
make mistakes, for l learned the
English language from myself,
never have been in England or
U. S. A., but / learned it q little
bit too from some English scouts
who were in Holland before war
time.
And now my dear new friend |
really stop. Kind regards to your
family and your brother, and your
self shake hands, from your
Dutch friend
Dixie
In a post script the young man
says Il am reading some American
novels''-''David Harum, The
Teller" ''The Cruise Of the Das-
ler.o