The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-11-15

WAN ~ f3'tNfsttN ffftff We WIN r.tttiNts w
slowly toward me then when I look
~ e'm ~ Hengttt, baCS ~ hts hole.
When he thinks am not looking he
will come out ef one OF the holes IN
the side OF the trench and hurry to
another one under the head of my
bunk | DO not care Just so he does
not set too familiar some ntsht and
chew my ear or, The eootiee too are
very dear friends ot mine, but like
them better when they are about Ave
miles away I had a FEW Of them
enee, but about three weeks age
when We set 10 u place where such
thine was nesslble, I took bath
M n bucket of cold water tatmes,
rhee 80 degreesl and then put on
clean underweaE They stlek In the
seams of one's underwear 80 that
afternoon I was on u eeolte hunt IN
nv sotled underwear Tn here u
fellow IA lucky II he can take OF hle
outer clothes (,et alone hla under,
weary once IN two weeks, and u bath
once u month h n luxury, -Four y, ~,
Just nnlehed my dinner We break,
fast any time from 700 10 10000 and
dinner frem u 90 ata0, " n fellow Ia
not around when they dieh II up he
Ia out of luck that's all. no he has 10
keen hls eyes and eara open during
those hours, II takes quite u while
for mall 10 come To me from Owen,
Received letter from him on Sep.
TENDER tth, and expected u letter
from him In this last mall sure but
was disappointed, | can imagine how
he would like To be over here, but he
does not realize the nice place he has
down there guarding the canal, He
would soon ind out after being up ut
the front for couple of weeks. Re.
oeiyod nice letter from Mss Bluhm,
81, Louis, She wrote you are some.
whore In France and am In No.
mans land, as there Is not man to
be found here now days., She also
mentioned about receiving letter
from her brother, Lieutenent A. b,
Bluhm, in which he wrote of not hav-
ing had his clothes and not even his
shoes and stockings off for six days
She wrote him that she would not
want to be around when he took off
his shoes. or course we have gas
masks over here for such occasions.
/ guess will never get a chance to
see England, as I thought would
There is no such thing as furloughs
for American soldiers in this country,
and as soon as the war is over, we
will all be only too glad of the chance
to get back to the dear old u. S. A.
Yes, always remember all of you in
my daily petitions to our Heavenly
Father, asking Him to keep you free
from sorrow and worry, so you dear
ones do your part by maintaining a
happy and cheerful aspect during
these trying times. l know how har.l
it is for you to wait so long before
you hear from me, especially now
when l am in little more danger
GUS field of this war, but do not let
your minds be troubled, put all of
your trust in God, and everything will
be for the best.
But talking of trouble and danger
is looking on the dark side of life,
something we very seldom do up here
where everything goes on with a song
and cheer. We are all looking for
ward to that great day when we can
set foot on the soil of the dear old
U. s. A.
One comes in contact with all sorts
OF characters in the army, but with
my trust in God I fear no evil, and
as you wrote in your letter, another
thing that helps great deal is,
What would father and mother say?"
/ keep my diary up to date, and as
you say it will be a nice thing to look
over when get home, both for YOU
folks and myself,
Am in perfect health and 1t pleas
ed me very much to learn that you
folks were all enjoying the same
blessing, | hope and pray that you
will continue so for some time,
With love and prayers for you all,
! am your loving son and brother,
Meredith,
Dear Mother and All; Haven't
written YOU for some time, so | pre-,
snme ] better set busy before you
think | am knocked off, as 1t Ia, II
am enjoying the very best of health,
Have been very busy of late that he,
Inc the reason | haven't had time to
write, but | guess yeu understand that
It's mere Important to whip the Ger.
mans than TO write, Received sev.
efal letters from You the past two
weeks aise lots of papers, and tell
Evelyn | have her "hearts" candy q,
X, am stiil at the same old job only
deihg twice "a much work, haven't
seen any OF the boys frem heme vet,
don't suppose | ever will, suppose
you people think the war will soon
be over Well all / can eay Ii that itI
IL ell over Europe, don't think they
viii give the square heads" peace
until they have them begging on
their knees, any way / hope not. 4
want to see Berlin before come
home with the stars and Stripes
floating over the kaiser's palace.
How are all the ehildrens Give
them all my best love, expect to DO