Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-10-23
w,llis IIayiland, former

willis Haviland, formerly Of this city
city, son OF Mrs. Grace King Haviland,
ct one time public librarian here, has
been wounded in an air battle, accord
ing to word received at Evanston, ILL.,,
the former home Of Mrs. Haviland.
That he Is recovering from his injuries,
and that he hopes to obtain furlough
and return to this country to aid in the
training OF aviators, Is the information
contained in the word received at
Evanston.
The Evanston News-Index contains
the following concerning the young
aviator and his mother, including parts
OF an interesting letter from Mrs. Havi-
land:
"Word received by relatives from
Willis Haviland, former resident CT
the Greenwood inn, who since 1915 mas
been in service In France, first as an
ambulance driver and later as an AVA
tor with the Lafayette escadrille, IN
dicates he is now recovering from IN
iuries received in conflict. What these
INJURIES are and how they were re-
ceived Is something the censor has re-
fused, to state. s.,-.
'rYoung Haviland is a grandson OF
the late Rufus King, Of this city, whose
home was on the present site OF the
James, A. Patten residence. OFFICIALLY
uayiland is known in France as 'AdJt.
Willis Haviland, Pilote, Escadrille, N.
1874. -r
ut is stated that Adjutant Haviland
homes to receive furlough and O. COM
nission to teach in one Of the Ameri-
can aviation camps. He has rendered
distinguished service for the entente
allies since September 1918. He was
honored by the French government 1or
bravery while under fire.
Mrs. Grace King Havllard of Evan.
ston has been abroad with her son ana
as near him as restrictios would per-
NIT, which has meant that for the
most part it has been necessary for her
to be in Paris. She wrote recently TO
her cousin, Mrs May King Plttam, a
letter from which excerpts cannot failto
move interesting. This particular
letter was dated over a month ago at
yillervillesur Mer, Normandie. 1t be-
gins:
s.Haye a vision Of me sitting in a
wonderful garden more beautiful, am
sure than that described in the Garden
of Alfalfa garden with great cedars
and other trees with high hedges as
neatly trimmed as If there were no war
and no lack Of gardeners, of rosepushee
and climbing roses, of full-foWereo
hydrangeas, Of high places in the full
sun, of low places in deep shade and OF
an enchanting path leading down 10
the beach and to the sea. Tho we KNOW
that submarines have done their dead
w work so near us-right at HaVre'
which we can see so clearly, yet from
here at this moment 1t seems incrediole
that the most frightful war in the his
tory of mankind is being waged at our
very doors. ~
owe are not within sound Of guns
but we are within sight Of aircraft,
Observation-Disclosures the French
say, monoplanes and hydroaeroplanes
ell skimming about like birds.
".Son Is flying farther up the coast.
Our escadrille is there ready for q
great drive. All yes, this temporary
peace in the garden Is all shaH;
There il no peace. War is everywhere.
Even across thesocean it has lifted up
it's head. but oh, how proud every
American in. France is that our own
.countrytwill do its part. At the same
time our hearts must throb with grief
when we realize the millions OF brave
Young lives that must be sacrificed.
How much longer will Willis be spar
ed? can not tell.
""Ths great offensive is going on up
in Flanders. On the eastern front the
Prussians, demoralized, are being
pushed back This makes it very dit-s
fcult for poor! Roumania-a country
that is brought, very close to me now
because I came up to Villarvills with.
some Roumanian refugees. There ls
a mother and her 13year-old son and
l4-year-old daughter. They fed from,
Bucharest when the barbarians ap-.
preached, leaving their all to the mercy
Of those who we here in France know.
have no mercy. a.
"'Two English officers who have