The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1918-02-08
Former Circle Boys
Write Interesting Letter

will no doubt be read with interes
by Circle people especially:
Have been thinking of you Cir
Gle people very much lately. w
as. you all know all left with grea
imaginations and are steadily try
ing to build a good foundation Il
the real thing, but must say it wa
some experience TO enlist, but fin
ally fortunate enough to get in
| Arriving at Glendiye found it nee
essary to go to Billings to enlist
but that afternoon the recruiting
office received message from
| Washington, D. c., stating to seno
all that enlisted that day home
again. One hundred and twenty.
four was then released from en-.
listment, most of us very much
discouraged, after making up our
minds to leave.
Arthur Oldis, Geo. Kethman,
and Fabian Nordmark had left
that evening for Spokane SO !
sent telegram to mother saying
| also would be leaving for Spok-
ane, thinking she might possibly
receive it in time. Then left for
Glendive on night train in hopes
of meeting her and shortly after
No. 2 reached Glendive | met Mr..
Thoreson and Mr.. and Mrs. Guy
Stephens who informed me that
mother had left for Spokane on
No. 3 that same evening, receiv-
ing the message only half an
hour before train, so then being
mother had already left / bought
a ticket for Spokane.
This trip to Spokane really was
interesting going over the Cas-
casades, seeing many pines on
the mountain sides, going through
tunnels and seeing some of the
toughest bluffs and cliffs, trussel
work that gave you the sensation
of your flight in an aeroplane, in
teresting I'll say so. Over some
of these enbankments seeming
about two mile slopes, some
places nearly perpendicular we
could see small farms in the val
leys below.
The first large town after pass
ing through the Cascades was
Butte, located in valley, and quite
a mining town to be sure, was
real nice and warm here. Going
out of Butte three engines were
used on account of long pull up
the Snake river canyon. Here |
saw some of the finest cedar,
would make excellent telephone
poles. Surely made me think |
of father and brother Arthur, |
how they would have enjoyed |
logging this stuff rather than that |
in old Wisconsin.
Arriving in Spokane,saW mother
very busy sizing up everybody
that she could imagine looked
like a Circle guy-finally
one . appeared. Mother and
we're again happy together view
ng the large city of Spokane and
very much enjoying the warm
climate. There was now just one
more chance left for me to enlist
before Dec. 18th so Immediately
wired Billings for my release.
Next morning messenger boy
,ame' to my room at the Majestic
Hotel with telegraphed release.
iot mother and we went to the
ecruiting station and | enlisted. +
Two hours later would of been to
ate. f
Then took first car to Fort
Wright, six miles out of town, and !
here caught up with the other
Circle boys so felt better, I'll say
O. Then went through the per-
of getting a shot in the
rm. weighing, wills, etc. Fabien
eft us here as he took up Infan-
ry, while Arthur, Geo. and / took
Walton signal branch.
One afternoon after receiving
zap sack, two blankets and most
f us uniforms, we were ordered |