The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-01-25

at Huron few days ago and yester-
day | got a tobacco kit from the Red
Cross which was made up by man
from Duluth, Mimi.
A rather queer incident happened
in the drawing of the kits there are
nine of us at this station from all
different parts of the United States
and nearly every one of us drew
package from a man in his home
state or quite near One of them drew
from his home town and l was lucky
enough to draw the only one put up
| by a Minnesota man in the bunch.
We are planning on having quite
| dinner for Christmas-Iurkey, mince
pie and everything else that goes
along with a big feed. We also are
going to have Christmas tree. Can
you imagine that? 1t won't be such
| lonesome Christmas after all. or
course l know lots of other places |
would rather be but under the con-
| ditions at present / am perfectly
satisfied and will be willing to spend
! a few more Christmas over her if it
will be necessary. Kaiser Bill must
be licked if it takes ten years. Peo-
|
inhuman that beast is after seeing
some of the sights over here. 1t
stirs all the fighting blood in your
body. 1t may be bloody task but
think he will get everything that he
did paid gack double.
| | received a very nice letter from a
lady by the name of Mrs. May Friend
at Lake Crystal few Gays ago. You
probably know more about it then I
do. hope this finds you all in good
health as it leaves me at present.
Wishing you all Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year trusting that
/, next year l shall be able to spend
it at home with you all. Your son,
Clyde Williams.
Ole Hanson received the following
letter from his nephew in France:
/ In France. December 20, 1917
Dear Uncle Ole: l received your
package this morning and was very
glad to receive same. l got letter
from Irene sometime ago, which
answered right away.
| was on a furlough last week in
Paris and had the greatest time of my
life. Paris sure is one of the most
wonderful and the most picturesque
and historic cities l have ever been
in, and l have been in the four
largest cities in the world
/ l am back on the road firing again
and am working every day. We have
a number of American locomotives
here now, and they are much better
than the French engines.
/ am writing this letter in the
,lY. M. c. A. There are two French
: men giving us some music on violin
and piano. They play so well that
can hardly stay here listening long
enough to finish this letter. This is
: all l can say his time so will close
AS ever your nephew, Private Carl
Rykhus.
Somewhere in France, December
81, 1917.-Dear Family: Christmas
Years eve. 1t has all certainly been
unique experience. for most of us
AS Johnnie said yesterday, II can
hardly believe that Christmas is ac-
tually over" And we're not anxi-
Gus to spend another Christmas over
here under the same conditions.
Christmas day was cold and dreary
The camp arose at $50 in darkness
and tried hard to wish each other a
merry Christmas" I went right
over to the kitchen for l was on X
P. to help give the boys as good time
as possible. We couldn't fix the shack
up very well because of lack OF
material, but we did serve the food
hot. Our menu was turkey, mashed
potatoes, dressing, bread pudding
cake, figs, dates, candy, cigars. 1t was
a pretty good dinner, and / hope the
boys appreciated the work it took in
, preparation. We fed about 100 men
: AS my whole day was spent in the
kitchen | hardly realized that it was
J Christmas. The biggest treat of al
| came on Christmas eve when John
, ME Taylor came back from Paris
! with about six letters for me. There
was one from dad, one from mother
Alice and Carolyn and Alice Farr.
was awfully glad to get them-they
halnad ont much in making Chricfu1 q 9