Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-13

My Boy
Mother has been urging me to write
you letter, my boy, in order to keep the
fires of enthusiasm burning. l would a
thousand times rather talk with you face
to face. but since the voice of duty has
separated u.s. for time, we must be pals
at a distance.
1t is needless to say we are all proud
OF you. When | was boy in school |
envied the brave men who fought under
Washington. l can almost hear you say
ing: Dad, if you could taste a little of
camp life. you'd change your mind" My
boy, l am acquainted with every VeXa-
ton and hardship you must undergo. For
| was soldier myself. | fought in the
Battle of Gettysburg, and l know what
1t is to stand guard under the quiet stars;
| know the long weary days; | am ac-
quainted with those bitter feelings that
well up in the breast and surge through
the heart. But, my boy. know the kind
of stuff you are made of. and / am sure
your big manly heart would never be sat
isfied to remain at home while the other
boys are out fighting your battles 1t
would be so unlike you--it is foreign to
your nature You have always display
ed sue hfine and splendid qualities of no.
bic and vigorous manhood. | recall how
your actions always compelled me to as
sociate your manly strength with the
strength of the giant oak.
The more mediate upon the princi-
pies for which you are fighting, the long
er | weigh the ideals for which you are
giving your best, the stronger becomes
the desire in my heart to be with you.
Again | hear you say: Dad, did you ever
toes, did you ever scrub latrines?" My
boy, l know every side of the army game.
l realize there are irksome duties, but
all these go to win the splendid victory
our boys are going to gain When you
come back home again, marching up the
streets of old PittSburg or Philadelphia,
every day you served kitchen police will
be star in the crown of glory the pub
lie places on the soldiers brow. [ know
when our regiment came marching up the
street, home from the Civil War, the
bands were playing, the crowds shouting,
and the consciousness in my heart that
had played the man outShone every vex-
alton [ had undergone in camp and I am
a better man for having endured hard
ness as a good soldier"
! said, we are proud of you, my boy,
and SO we are. And it is my deepest
wish that when you come home we viii
times prouder of you than ever before.
My heart is with you. my boy, because
know just what you are experiencing. But
be the man. play the game with your
slept in a tent-at night after taps we
would lie awake spinning yarns and
telling the latest stories out Like the
other fellows, [ did my share. But, my
boy, / have lived in this old world long
enough and I have learned in the school
of Experience that it doesn't nay. The
man who can govern his heart (his
thoughts) can dictate to kings. And it re-
quires all the fine qualities of manliness,
my boy, to keep your better nature on
the throne at all times. I remember a
little fellow by the name Of BILLY" Dex-
ter who slept right across from me in
my tent OF all the vile and vulgar
stories that man was the keeper And he
professed to believe in no God, no future
nothing.
An Went well until the night before the