The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-30
Kansas Boys in Thfrty.Fifth
Never Quit Smiling.
Topeka Boy Writes of Way
They Took Hardships.
ALWAYS WERE ON THE MOVE
Ate Whatever They Were Given
and Enjoyed 1t.
Popcorn Not One of Things
Wanted Christmas.

War with the Thirty-fif division
seems to have been a mixture of fun
and frolic literally sprinkled with
full share of hardships laughingly en-
dured, according to letter from one
Topeka boy in France to his mother.
The writer of the letter is a member
of the 139th infantry. which is the
regiment formed by the consolidation
of the old Third Kansas and Fourth
Missouri. The regiment is an integral
part of the Thirty-fifth division, the
unit nearest to the heart of Kansas
and Missouri.
Troops from Topeka in the Thirty
fifth are the signal corps, the engi-
neers. the battery Of field artillery, the
headquarters and supply companies Of
both the old Third Kansas infantry
and the First Kansas field artillery,
and the bands of both the artillery
and the infantry organizations. All
of these troops are the old National
Guard regiments called to the colors
August S, 1917, trained at Doniphan
and sent to France last spring.
Covered With Glory.
The division participated in the
covered itself with glory and blood
| when it forcibly took the Argonne
wood from the Prussians.
The letter from the front which
gives a splendid review of the work of
the Thirty-fifth and Of the morale of
the troops, follows:
Don't have any idea what I'm going
| to fill these pages with, but anyway
,, you'll know I'm well. Six months ago
| we left the home soil and ventured
! forth upon the fierce Atlantic in gay
search for more adventure. Our wish
| l,-e F,.If Id hor
T. found, six full months of it; it seems
| like ages, and more promised ahead.
| We have battled in the north, marched
| and fought in the south, have held the
| lines in enemy country, have driven
| him back from our own invaded land,
| defeated his best-the Prussian guard
and are only too ready to drive him
| further. Well, all summed up. we're
! having our share of the fun, getting
| our share of the hardships and as a
whole enjoying it all.
THE sun seldom shines or sets two
| days and finds-us in the same spot;
| each night we fall asleep on new-made
beds, sometimes dry, sometimes wet.
generally wet; sometimes sheltered.
generally not. Morning finds US in all
| manner of positions. places, conditions
1 and humors. Night the same. Our
| food comes hot and cold, good and
bad, all mixed, all eaten and all en-
joyed; one day steak, the next day
| canned horse: bread, then bareback.
So it goes. One day we growl at and
cuss our commanders, the next cheer
and honor them-of course, obey them
always.
But this is life. with all that's in
| 1t, and so it's interesting. Now. how
4 is that for ravOy? Well. anyway, I'm
| feeling fine and in pretty good humor.
and feel no effects from the battle ex-
| cept I'm full of war stories. to sit
/ nd I'm, M Tnhhnv
| marching home soon. You Know we
| hear that peace talk too. but it don't
| worry us much; lots of it goes over us.
When he, the kaiser. has had enough,
| all he has to do is to hoist a white flag
and back on out Of France and Bel
| GUM, then we can talk peace. It's
kind of fun to fight when we're whip
| ping and it is a poor time to have any
armistice.
Don't Want Popcorn.
| "Now I wrote you the other day en-
closing the package label. Christmas
package. Well, do as you think best.
Anything from home will seem nice,
atho now. please don't send popcorn
as one boys mother did. just make a
!, nice package. that's all. Send a dis
| charge and ticket home. of course, If
you can, or a peace treaty maybe.
| Now. mother. 1 really didn't mean
it when I said you write fairly often.
| 49,
mail comes SO much in punches. IL
don't seem so often. Maybe it is a
| long ways over here but it's a damn
sight farther from here over home
and I get awful lonesome for mai
sometimes You know just any old
thing is news to us. just SO it's from
home. Edna Corbet wrote me from
Paris upon her arrival there and IL
ever the opportunity even approaches
I'll sure go to the trouble of A. w
o. L. military term) to see her.
Now for the home news. How.
old yellow Tom. Speaking Of cats. ar
old black mamma cat with a famil,
of four help me occupy this small
cubby hole. Nice kitty, too. Mort
cats nor noiser cats, I never saw be
fore.
Now, women. Haven't seen a rea
honest-to-God girl. well since year.
ago. Please may the good Lord saw,
a few real females for us poor war
worn mortals. There amt a woman
within forty miles of here. Franc,
must have moved away just before Z
entered, at least the women have de
. parted. My for a look at some swee
American girl. Send over one in tina
Christmas box
I'll ~A- n