Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-10-24
bELD|NG LAD IN
FRANCE GETS MAIL
FROM HIS PARENTS
ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM
OLD Y. S. A. is BETTER THAN
ALL ELSE
On Active Service
WI. with the
American Expeditionary Forces
Somewhere in France"

American Expeditlonary Forces
Somewhere in France"
September 23, 1917.
Dear Ones at Home:
have just got back from good
morning walk and will write you a
letter. We have had very find week
and everything has gone fine. | met
one OF our family Saturday afternoon.
i took little sleep as | had to go on
duty and after | got up and came
down stairs ! was sitting cut in front
OF our dwellings and who should come
along but Bob Newman from Port
land. Well, just believe me, we had
a good talk for a little while. He
has changed lot since last saw him
and did not know him and he said |
had changed and he did not know me.
You know a soldiers suit and brown
skin makes a difference. Bob is in
the Engineers Corps and came over
In August so you see / have it over
him a little. 1t won't be long before
l will commence to meet some of my
old friends for they are sure coming
over here. Well for mine / just Sas
soon have the branch of service that
| have chosen. Well at last ! have
received the boxes sent me and / was
mighty glad to get them. They were
things / could use and two "buddies"
and myself took it to the hills and
we had a good picnic, you can bet.
Those bath towels were great. We
can get all the towels we want here,
but nothing like American towels.
And the candy, here is nothing like
the U. S. candy. The candy here is
very poor grade and has not the
good taste. You know / am a good
judge of candy if you don't remem-
Der just ask Sparks q Gambler, they
know. The boxes were in good condi-
tion and everything in them. want
you to thank my friends for their
kind remembrances; also the Y. p. s.
G. K. of the Congregational church
for the Bible they sent me. | surely
appreciate their gift and will make
good use of it. / will try and write
TO them all if / can find time. / get
the Banner occasionally and glad to
get it. | also have heard from some
of my school friends. / like to get
mail from home. There is nothing
makes a soldier so down-hearted as
to see other boys get letters and him
none. We have chance to get a few
books to read at the enlisted mems
club to help. pass our spare time. |
got a card from fellow at Alpena.
wrote, so you see we are remember
ed by strangers as well as our own
people. Tell those brothers of mine
when they are studying geography to
turn to the map of France and trace
the distance over here and just see
how far away from home / am
/ had to stop and go to dinner and
we had good dinner We had meat,
potatoes, gravy, dumplings, bread and
coffee. as good dinner as one could
wish for, and / feel just fine. was
glad to get those pictures and was
glad to see that "Old Glory" was wav-
ing on a pole over my home on the
Hill. Tell little Ed. he has got the
French salute down pat. The hand
wants to be right in front of the right
eye with the hand straight out from
the wrist, the first finger wants to
touch the peak of the cap. l would
not take thousand francs for those
pictures and wish | could send you
soma but / can't for II am in the
army now," ha ha. Last night about
nine o'clock when / was going to
bunk l thought of the people back
home just beginning their afternoons
work about / 80 and there l was GO
ing to bed and the time for all lights
to be out in camp. | was in swim
ming the other day, but the water is
getting cold, but we are tough and
hardened and you know | love the wa
ter so | don't mind it. We drill ev-
cry day except Sunday and that day
we take our letters and books and
make it for the hills and read
Christmas will soon be here and it
sure will seem strange to spend it in
France away from home. We are GO
ing on our fourth month here and it
does not seem like month. Where
are the Michigan boys now? Every
time we go on hike and see other
fellows l run my eyes over to see if l
see anyone / know. but it is useless
them will be shaking hands with Clar- .
ence Bailey in France. Ha! Ha!
They may not believe it and neither
did / but here | am. Mother do not
worry about me for you know l am
fellow that is never sick and l tell
you / am not falling away any. l
am getting good feed and it sure does
seem to agree with me and so far as
going into danger there is no danger
as yet. / have seen some pretty
good things that will make good his
tory when / come home which may
not be so long. 1t is nearly time for
services to begin and / must go to
church. You know l told you / at
tended the Y. M. c. A. and they do
grand work for the soldiers and I
appreciate it and attend all the meet
ings / can. We have some good lee
lures and it is a good place to spend
our spare time. With love to all and
hoping this finds you all well, as it
leaves me, l will close.
Your son,
Private Clarence C. Bailey.
Co. H., 28th Infantry, American Ex-