The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-02-08
Neighbors Found Boys
Gentlemen and Friends

The Times-Record recently printed
an appreciation of the conduct and
manly qualities of the North Dakota
boys from the citizens of Mercedes,
Texas. Now here comes a letter from
their nearest neighbor which tells in
a much more intimate way of their do
ings in their spare time at the border.
It's the kind of letter that will make
their friends proud of them and is
welcome on that account. The letter
follows:
Editor Times-Record:
Dear Sir: Now that the North Da.
kota boys are going home, we want to
let the home folks know how they be-
haved themselves down here in Texas.
Since the writer was the nearest
neighbor and saw more of them than
anyone else,S he is better able to give
correct report than anyone else.
When the boys came and cleared up
the ground adjoining our farm and set
up their camp, We began to get &C.
quainted right away. They came over
and looked at our few palms and a.
few shrubs not found in the north and
asked, What is this or that?" And
they got banana roots and soon had
banana plants growing over in their
camp.
They wanted us to go into the laun-
dry business, which We did, with con-
siderable profit to ourselves. But we
clothes back to the owners. But al
though it must have been very annoy
ing, the boys helped us to sort the
clothes themselves with admirable pa
tience.
There's a homemade telescope in
our yard about 20 feet long, and if any
of these boys can't tell you what is
on the moon it is because someway
he didn't get time to come over.
After they exhausted the possibili-
ties of the telescope they discovered
that the ebony tree grows wild here
and they cut down all the ebony trees
in miles around, making them into
canes and swagger sticks to take
home. They borrowed a little old
engine We were not using and bought
a circular saw and rugged up a saw
mill to cut up their ebony wood, but
the engine wasn't very strong and
they had to push on the belt quite a
bit. BY and by they got about all the
canes they wanted and began to talk
of going home. And then one day
they borrowed all the hammers and
other tools they could find and be.
gan tearing down their neat build.
ings. In few hours there was
nothing but lumber, sorted and piled
up, with all the nails pulled. Some
of the officers had pretty little
wooden houses, of which We bought
six. 1t got around among the boys that
we wanted the lumber to build a barn,
and it was surprising what lot of
lumber was unsold in that camp. We
couldn't haul it in the wagon fast
enough. The boys picked up houses,
floors and all sorts Of heavy things and
carried them right into our yard. And
they kept coming, some with chairs,
tables, stoves, stove pipes, ice boxes
and other things too numerous to men.
ton until our place looks like We were
building a village.
And then when the ground was
cleared and the time came to start
home came, many came over to take
leave of us as though we were old
time friends. The band started for
the three trains in waiting, the com
panies, one by one, fell into line and
they were gone; and my wife went out
in the yard and cried.
l forgot to mention the cutest thing
they left with us. It is what my little
baby boy calls his little horsie." II
is a little curly donkey with pretty
brass bell on, and like the little boy, is
a baby.
If any of you North Dakota folks
ever come down here to Mercedes, re
member the little houses l bought Of
the soldiers and that there will be
some of them full of the things the
soldiers left, and they will be rent
free. Respectfully,
J. o. RILEY.
II it's newsy. call the Tlmes-Reeord