The Washington herald., 1917-11-11
PATRIOTISM FILLS
SOLDIERS LETTER
E. F. Albee, of B. F. Keith Circuit,
Gets Word from Nephew.

The sobering effect Of the school
Of the soldier and its stimulation OF
the spirit Of patriotism in the youth
Of America is observable in q let
ter which Edward r. Abee. half
owner of the B. F. Keith circuit.
has received from his nephew, Ed
ward oakford, Of the Third Pennsyl-.
vania Infantry. Camp Hancock. Au-
gusta, Ga, Of which the following
is an extract:
Dear Uncle Ed.-Your letter re-
ceived. Thank you very much L
appreciate the letter more than a
check down here.
"I invested in a couple of liberty
bonds, to be paid for out Of my pay.
I am going to have them sent to
you, when they are paid for, TO be
kept for me.
when / wrote to you last I ex-
pected to be ordered abroad any
time, but they have been remodeling
our entire contingent down here to
conform as nearly as possible TO the
French basis. None of us has the
least idea what we are going TO be
or do. Just at present, We have been
smashed I'D, The whole regiment,
except s46 selected men, has merged
with the old Tenth Pennsylvania The
new regiment Is the 10th United
States Infantry.
THE selected men. consisting OF
the regimental stan colonel, lieuten-
ant colonel, two majors. the adju-
tants, and the captains) and the pick
of the noncommissioned officers and
a few privates who have proved that
they have ability, have been selected
to train the drafted men. ] am in
that bunch. Our whole tent moved
over in a body, so our gang" is
still together. We are what they
call a depot brigade. That is an
honor, according to the officers. We
don't know whether We are being
saved because We are good, or they
won't take us because We are rot
ten. As it stands now we won't go
across for some time to come. We
are filling up with a large number
Of drafted men and will start drill
ing them in a week or so.
"On parade tonight, there was the
first complete new army unit, $500
men-a great field og khaki. The
bugIes blew retreat, the band played
The Star Spangled Banner and the
flag came down. The song isn't just
tune down here. and the flag isn't
something to get a hand at the end
Of an act. The men down here are
serious and purposeful.
Il quit college and a soft life, and
perhaps a big future. but l am q
piser compared to half of this camp.
They've left wives and children be-
hind them, and some OF them are
down here taking orders from their
postman. The man respect the most
IL the mounted cop that used to be
| out in front of the Bellevue-Strat-
| ford Hotel in Philadelphia / love
that man. I'd do anything Tor him.
He is our stable sergeant.
1T is a funny thins the wsy this
business changes yoJ I have lost
all my personal feeling. don't
quite mean that Ie.l that when
| get inconvenience il doesn't mat
! ter-somebody who IL nlTs important
benefits. 1t is a case of lOOlIng on
for yourself after the next fellow IS
fixed up.
I've gotten to rambling along her.
| on lot of stun that won't interest
! you You people want deSCIIption'
! Of camp life. i wish l couio d,
the thing justice. Why don't you
, people stop over here on your way
South? Augusta is a pretty fine win
ter resort, you know. I do seriously
1 wish that you would come down
here. l am watching the mail fol
J that box. ! note in your letter tina,
| 1t Is coming.
| 81 have to quit now because the
! lights will go out in few minutes
Teddy Dupont is a new member OF
| the cast OF The Social Maids" hav-
ling left vaudeville to join the show