The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-07-17
MRS. N. A. REEDS
ADOPTED SOLDIER
SON WRITES LETTER
FEELS HURT TO THINK SOME
PEOPLE CANNOT THINK OF
HIM AS TRUE BLUE.


My Dear Mother:
Your Gear letter just received and
thank you for it. They are many
reasons why cannot write to you as
often as / wish; our time is occupied
and stationery is being difficult to
get. You may imagine why. | am
ENJOYING myself very much and anus
| ing my friends by talking French to
these kind hearted French people.
I've picked the language up gradually
it comes rather easy to me as l can
already speak several other languages
what / cannot say in words. l say
with my hands. You say, dear Mo
ther you would like to publish another
of my letters. l am afraid you would
disappoint the good people of Belding
for am unable to write of the things
they would most like to read, bat it
would give me a chance to thank them
all who sent me Christmas cards and
many fine gifts.
Belding should be noticed on the
map as town of patriots because as
much as / have Travelled / have never
seen their like.
| have invested in Liberty bonds so
as to save for the future. The Ger
mans may cripple me bodily but net
spiritually.
| am glad, Mother, dear, you work
for the beloved Red Cross because
without the Red Cross over here a
soldier boy would be as lost sheep.
1t seems strange that some people
work so hard fer our cause, and 9TH
ers are idle.
You speak of sending me candy;
please do not; many boxes have been
sent but none reached their destina-
ton. / am comfortable without can
dy but where we are candy cannot be
gotten. These people eat their bread
and have long ago given up the idea
of such extravaganza as candy.
You can perhaps send me some for
next Christmas and / will give it to
the little French children. Goodbye
candy, ice cream and shows; some day
we will again enjoy them.
When / say / never felt happier or
better in my life it's not because of
the censor. They will permit US to
express our real feelings as long as
we do not express our location, so do
not worry about your boy.
If God wishes us to remain here
and experience a winter with our
brave allies then we can surely stand
It as many before US have stood it. If
had been brought up in a palace
back of silk curtains and silk pillows,
from such standpoint the situation
might seem grave, but / am only an
every day young man.
You Speak of arguing my case re-
garding my German birth-that Mrs.
-- says there are no born Ger
mans who are loyal Americans. 1t
is needless to say that it wounded my
pride. Please ask her why enlist
ed. / am as yet only % and only 10
when / enlisted for service in Mexico.
could now be earning a salary of
$40 per week as manager of an Elks'
club where | came from, which is more
than / get month now. feel sorry
for those who consider me disloyal
and it hurts, but / will say, "Smile,
smile, smile awhile, etc" | am for
eigner but did not have to be drafted.
am proud of that. But will try
to forgive and say there have been
many disloyal ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and
they cast reflections upon the charac-
here does not doubt me and after all
we must stick together as never be-
fore-Italians, Greeks, Germans and
all others, because we are all wearing
the khaki uniform of the United
States. We are wearing it to main
tain and uphold freedom and liberty.
Our favorite song now is:
There is long, long trail awinding
Into No-Man's Land in France;
Where the shrapnel shells are bursting
But we must advance;
There are lots of drills and hiking
Until our dreams all come true;
But we are going to show the kaiser
How the Yankee boys go through.
It is sung to the tune of There is
a Long, Long Trail Awindine," Cor
poral Singer of Muskegon introduced
it to our company quartette and it has
made a great hit throughout the 126th
beg to remain the friend Of the
good people of Belding and dear Mo-
ther, please let not the shadow of my
foreign birth come between you and
me.
| A bunch Of newspapers would be a
luxury to me and many others.
remain your loving soldier boy,
Corporal James p. Petersen,
Co. /, 126th Inf, A. r. F., via New