The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1918-05-15
FATHER TO SON

many fr1ghtful and brutal things to
pass, has also set free the tenderest
and sweetest qualities ins humanity.
Can anything be more charming and
touching than this letter, written by
ar American soldier in France to
his little son? The bravest are in
deed the tenderest; only man who
was willing simply and courageously
to offer everything his life
to his country could write so unaf
fectedly, with such gentle yet manly
affection. The writer, Captain
Frank w. Cavanaugh, is an officer of
artillery who was once a well-known
football player at Dartmouth college,
Dear Davie Boy. Your mother
writes me that you have chum,
and she says he is a fine boy who
lives next door. Isn't that fine? l
wish l had a chum. You and your
mother used to be my chums, and
sometimes Joe and Billy and even
dear little Rose Marie, and Phil, too,
when he was home, but now that is
all changed and / have no chum in
all the world. I think it's rather sad
sometimes, don't you? But I have
your pictures, which l take down and
talk to when l am lonesome
l am happy to know you like your
new school and home, and Pm sure
you'll only play with clean boys who
don't do anything very bad and who
also like to go to school, Didn't we
used to have great times together,
and wasn't it fun when you'd come
up to the car to meet me? Then
| ynI1
remember how you'd hide behind a
tree and run up behind me and scare
me after l had passed? And do you
remember how sometimes you and I
would race, and you were getting so
you could run pretty fast, for you
were getting to be big boy?
And then we'd all go down to see
the circus and parade and hold hands
so we wouldn't get separated or lost.
And then Christmas Oh, wasn't
that a wonderful day! Early in the
morning how you'd rush downstairs
to see your presents. And, then,
poor, tired mother would work and
work to give all you boys and girls a
| Christmas dinner-turkey, cram
berry sauce, and dressing and plum
pudding, and candy and nuts and
everything. o Dave, did any little
boy ever have such a good mother
as you, | wonder? And now you are
soon to have another Christmas, and
old Cav" won't be home. But l
want you to have the finest time
you ever had on that day, so that
may be happy over here thinking of
you all. 1 wish / knew some little
boys and girls over here, so that I
might talk to them and hold their
hands, and I would call them my
boys and girls names and pretend
that l was home.
The other night l had a lovely
dream, and 1 was so disappointed
when I awoke. / dreamed l was sit
ting in our kitchen with mother and
David and all the children, and a
chair that was tilted back against
the wall slipped, and I fell gently
and without hurting me to the floor
And then mother and you and all the
children laughed and laughed, just
like good, naughty folks. And you
came over and took my hand in yours
and lifted me up easily Isn't that
funny, Dave? Think of any boy lift
ing big, fat father like me from
} the floor with one hand. Then we
laughed some more, and suddenly
. remember it was nine o'clock.
. said, "Why, children, what are yor
. doing out of bed at this hour of the
; night" And you said, "Why, il
. isn't very often our father goes away
to war, so we thought we ought tt
stay up to say good-by." And the1
/ I was so surprised to learn that
hadn't gone away to war yet that
t suddenly awoke, only to find mysel
r in my little, lonely barracks, and tn,
rain was coming down hard outside
! and was lonesome for my dea
r family.
4 And now, David, old boy, everyon,
q is in bed but me, trying to get lot,
r of strength and health for the bi,
q fights we will soon be in, so mus
D do likewise and end this letter t,
: you. You must always remembe
that your father came into this grea
war for the sake Of all little chill