The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-12-20

days coming. The boche have finally de-
cided on the armistice, so that gives us
boys over here little more encourage
ment to work. We work nine hours a
day. begin in the morning at seven. work
till eleven thirty, two hours for dinner,
that's customary in France, because
they don't like to exert themselves on
a heavy filled up stomach. return to
work at 1870 until p. M, or as the
French call it IS o'clock. because they
have no a. m. or p. m. in their time.
It's certainly great to see a number
of American full-equipped trains running
out of the station here, alongside these
French trains There is certainly some
difference.
Well, l suppose it's little lonesome
around the shops there with all the young
fellows in the service. Well, it won't
last over several months until we know
what we are about to do.
The only misfortune I have had in this
country was I haven't seen any boys that
used to work with or any OF them
from home since we landed in France.
I've tried to get several of the boys adj
dresses but failed, can't find out where
they are. I suppose after we all get
back and start to work again the old
night force will run the same as II did
before.
Well. how is Bill Bohrer getting along
with the hammers? How is Daddy com
ing with his crippled thumb? Give him
my best regards.
Will try and write more the next time.
Excuse this scribbling and writing with
a pencil besides. All the light 1 have
at present is a candle light. We haven't
got the electric lights put in, but we
will have them soon.
Hoping this letter reaches you in the
best of health, remain. Private N. F.
KunZ, Company B, Sixty First r. T. c.,
American e. F., France.
p. S. Give my best regards to the
office force and shop men.
Lieutenant w. P. Dolan writes the
following letter to w. G. Costley:
France. November 16, 1913
Dear Mr.. Costley: Know you are in
terested in knowing what l have been
doing, so seeing have a few minutes
to spare will put you wise to a
few experiences of a veteran of the
army that came into the game in the
last half of the ninth inning with the
score tied and a man on third with
two down. We did not strike out
either, did we?
l was or the front for the finish
dlu WclO up IWo WCCho, lohS
enough to get a touch of the real
stuff for we were under heavy shell
fire a good deal of the time. l had q
number of close calls, one of which
was one night while 1 was leading
my battery into position e a. m.)
The Germans shelled a cross roaG
just as We were passing. One bis
shell hit in the center of the roat
right behind my last gun. If we were
have been off. Another night after
had been up for over forty eigh
hours continually with the guns / lay
down in the woods near the gun tt
rest and the Boches started shellins
us with six inch shells. Although
shells hit so close it threw clods Of
dirt and fragments on the place
was laying, / did rot let little thing
like that bother me. We had gone
into position hurriedly and had nc
shelters made so had to take wha
come. That was the night before the
cessation of hostilities so you see we
fought right up to the time the cur.
tain fell At eleven o'clock, the time
the firing stopped, we were planning
on starting the biggest drive ever
i'put on in that part of the line, SC
they are lucky they stopped wher
they did. l could tell you any mum
Der of these experiences but will
hold them till l see you. They are
impressed so firmly onto me I will
never forget them. The ruins here
are terrible Some whole towns are
f1attened out without the semblance
OF wall.
We are billeted in city of $4,000
right back of the lines and not resi-
dent iE it. 1t is pretty badly shot w
too. The churches even, all of which
are Catholic, paid the price with the
rest.
l hear you are putting in much o.
your time in or the farm this fall. Il
is good place to be.
Give my best regards to Mrs. anG
Ella and also to Mr.. and Mrs. Nc
Govern. Expect to see you all by
spring if all goes well. The end came
quickly when it started, didn't it.
Guess the kaiser thought so.
Must close and get to bed as it is
late and we put in hard day get.
ting our billets arranged. With best
regards to all. Your friend, Will.