davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Harold Holt, a Mexico negro, now at
Camp Funston, writes relatives here
that he is feeling fine. Holt formerly
worked at the 0rpheum Theater and
was well known here. Partly on ac-
count of his size, he is nearly seven
feet tall, he should make a formula
bic enemy for the Huns.
Dear Mother and Family:
CAMP FUNSTON, Kan, April %,
1918. - ! received your letters and
they find me well and enjoying the
best Of health. Truly, hope that you
are the same. As for me, everything
is o. k. The captain had me measured
again last week. OF course, you know
that am a large mar and It takes
som cloth to make me a suit. We are
having a little cold weather here now;
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02
March 18th

March 18th
/ an lying On ny stomach writing
this We broke camp and made five
nles 70 Sulphur Springs this morn
ing, where We viii camp TIL tomorrow
morning. The reason we did not 60
further today as bscause there is no
more water between here and camp.
It IS sixteen miles on into camp. So
We vii make a forced march on to
camp tomorrow, which will be SOME
MARCH
There was a funny thing happened
this morning. A man cane out from
a little town with a load Of eats to
sell and tried to make Us pay SOC for
a little pie so we took everything he
had and sent him back to town. You
ought 10 have heard him "cuss". Don't
you think we did him right? Ha! Hal
Our camp today is on a flat piece
Of ground Of about 24o acres, sur
rounded by high mountains. It Ger
taiHly IS a pretty camp. too. Well /
viii close for today and write tomor-
row.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

As1 Satuiay e sssses a. dzy /
wert BE- SaM EznszA SarurEsy and
eay& ever SzazyIf zezz the Gles
Ca Ne has sz.s the aaa uu
zu * We lsn the eamp IL
v uP q cur s tips Sztzraay a.
t1ra Ana ws had rattu ozt q
FEastaz attle Ways 4 vas - pretty
and ~ vas wsIuazirr Is
81 Saaa Msthsr. Azf Fzes : surs
rcey lsls cry VITA Flfuty e
geryaE thzt ras g rake q city
-res car and skyEzrz he
pr -a1s everything So Eszsani
f. Is I steppe5 wth a Methsst
er ans rs wfc. . Rev y son:
10y zr rueai PcRc ard fQa the
S Sc gave ne . rosd break.
AE 1T a EaaS oE-fHsksaed
teztsGs I'D as ue IS 10 Erftnr
u jas AM i has besn alzosl
81 z-tA and h4E sncs I SLEPT II
bed Ike Iz- sz1 zctha. I id not
razr gave her a dollar hu
- & us wz-t % take ( fer ~
~ Ez5 - ~ EsverenE vas hz1srr
. -u @Erk 7 sslstss 50 Z rses %
a isis g. So Sz hzrAe5 aid
AZ Nay God hless YEA Befsu
2E- We sha prayer ard ia;
Ease =s feG better a-3 ua-e A. kowe.
SCw &asut azr sarrE-we sang
,k0e sazC sp e. tie -zin street.
1oAs5 TIE street tor abs-
-=-@ aNE and s-res, ez- s.scal
@ Ne had che g~lo-5ous the.
Sunday sc sznE a. CouvenSaz Hzu
aao- @.oo people, ! rzas Sua-
lay morning ny bzneh sang 81 CIR
church. Thsz TIE club split I'D IN
.hree baDsaes and sang al the df-
'sreEt eolord churches. net some
-oe girls 50 that starts ne writing
SalIna Eow, hit I sho1E WITTY
How IS Era and Halye: Kiss
them both for ns7zIso papa. Yea
,an send ne smokes and cigars. b-s
nothing more 70 eat. VII wiu
again before the week Gos@-ts i
lust q note. Good bye. Prom your
son. HAROLD Holt.
MaHy kisses
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

That n may be in France and still
see very little of the war and what 4
has meant, is shown in a letter writ.
ten by Captain Carter Taylor, who |,
somewhere in France, to his father
Dr. W. F. Taylor, here.
Captain Taylor is in charge of some
construction work which is being done
by his battalion Of four batteries. and
seen no fighting yet. He saws
mat the officers live with the farm.
ers' while this work is being done and
n men occupy sheds and barns.
Captain Taylor speaks of the fjno
weather and tells Of an automobile
ride over fine French roads which he
took.
He says "These French roads aro
certainly the thing for a country and
hope the United States will have
many such roads in a few years. Tho
way they work on them and keon
them up is really wonderful. There T.
no such thing as muddy roads, except
the unimportant ones"
Speaking of the accommodation
for the soldiers, Captain TAYLOR sav..
lne soldiers live in what they call
olliets, which consist of barns mostly
My battery is housed in four differ.
ent places but the soldiers know how
! make themselves comfortable and
before they had been there long. ,bov
were pretty well fixed and things were
much cleaner There is an old msrtot
place that we use for a kitchen for All
'"e batteries and it is a great life.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

1uzs Beuy. sua e v n Bsru
whs Is vith tie T. s rroop 81 Canl
DAn- i sast cot - the hssrts.
and ha wrttea De fonewinr tassr
eunE letter 70 Us musher. IL uis esy
ue letter fe1gwz
Burial SwinG Ola
March IS 1915
Dear Mother:-
! reeeived ysar letter tonight and
suu vas glad to hear from yoa. Iam
Up nos. and szre an glad of H. to-
! rot ~ % the hospital abous five
days aEo but I did not think ! cuuld
afford e cone hons agar So I
stayed in to~u a couple Of days and
cane hack to duty
s@ -@ sisssss aiS-s fruzn cufnp.
oct IL the mountainE We have beer
marching three days nSw ana have
A. eghty-pound pack, ard have three
more days q f. But I an going to
Saok Il il EHs ne We are right in
TIE heart q The mountains, and il IS
50 rcaEh a wagon eaunct fellow Us
Have seen deer. buffalo and wof
There rad that GENES arsund the
wou-af the roeH 10 where we camp
Il toagAt and they 20, some ratious
and zsl vi 70 Us So you see we
Are ever the worst Of the tral, or
rocks should have said. for that is
III there IS here
K Is 1859 p II. now and We hay,
iuss 80; n OF Of a night hikeOut in
Ne Mans Land" I have 70 carry my
half az the little tent,one poneho,
me blanket, razor, and toilet articles,
ness Kit, belt canteen and cup. one
pair seeks, bacon, continent can. rife,
md overoozt That IS my outfit We
march one hour and rest ten minutes.
Wei as taps has blown | will
.lose for tonight and write some more
tomorrow night That is, will tell
yo1 all the news TIL ] get to Camp
.umPhzn Goodnight, with lots of
owe.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02
March 18th

March 18th
| viii now finish my letter. We
broke camp at $50 a. m. today and
marched Is miles TO camp and got in
at 100 p. m, stopped thirty minutes
to eat a sandwich. Did ~ot have any
thing exciting on our last hike, but
plenty Of hard work. We did have TO
put out a forest fire. 1t was a pref
ty big one too.
wish you would send me my khaki
suit right away as it is hot every
day now.
They gave another exam. this morn
ing. don't think they want me in the
army, do you?
Well, they are serving mess, so will
close with lots Of love.
Your loving son,
Inn
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02
Corp. EARL +. HAYS,
Department Laboratory
Fort Leavcnworth, Hans.

The following interesting letter vad
written by Frank S. Summers, Whl
Is on active service with the American
forces in France, to his foster parensl
Mr.. and Mrs. Frank Harris:
On active service with the AmgI
can Expeditionar Force, Feb. q, lslsl
Dear Dad and MANI
| received your letters Of Jsnuay|
4 and December %. | am writing yg|
at least one letter every week. hoR|
by now that my letters are arriving
more regularly, | am getting some
of the Ledgers but they come all in d
bunch. l received seven at one time
and they sure looked good to me. I
have never received a Republic yet
| am glad to hear the corn turned out
well. | wish | could be with you b
help eat that sausage but am afraid
it will be some time before | can take
my place at the old family table. !
wish you could send me some Of those
good hot rolls with butter you talked
about, it made me hungry to read
about them. | am glad to hear that
your heart trouble is better and
spells less frequent, hope to be able
to come home and use that new barn.
| am sorry to hear Of Uncle DIX
Bonds death Central College lost a
great mathematician and the Worla
a good man. Otto Hopkins has got
ten to France. ! saw him the other
day. | am glad to say that am NY
to live the life you would nave
live . | am going to do the OeS'
| can. Don't worry about me as !
hope to return home sound and stTODs
physically, mentally and spiritually
thank Mrs. Selb's family and MIS-
Harry Householder for the kindness
and hope to repay it some day. NY
Eyes are bothering me very little. MY
worst trouble is a pair Of bum co'n'
IN both of my feet, Well mus
FRANK S, SUMMERS
Co. F., End Bait. 2nd Reg u o
eng, A. e. F., via New YORK
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Frank Summers, the adopted son Of
Mr., and Mrs. Prank Harris. Of near
this city. writes the following letter
from abroad. He Is with the engin.
GERS Of the American forces in
France:
Dear Mr.. White;
January %, 1918. - I have seen
some Of the world since | saw you
last. | was sea-siek one day; | be-
lieve l would have died had I not been
too sick. Taking all in all, the United
States is the most beautiful country
in the world. I have seen quite a bit
Of France. but nothing to compare
with the United States.
France is far in advance in some
ways and far behind in others. I
think that our country would do well
to pattern after France in roads. Her
roads are the finest / ever have seen.
They are all hard-surfaced and kept
in good repair despite the war.
I wish to thank my kind friends for
their rememberances, especially Mrs.
John Lane, Mrs. ]. H. sallee and the
firm of Abbay & Adams and their
sales force.
/ am feeling fine and ready to help
"can" the kaiser. I believe we can
500 have peace, and we will, but the
people at home must not forget the
great part they must play.
We are well billeted and well cloth
ed; u food is plentiful and of good
quality. We had quite a dinner on
Thanksgiving and Christmas. For
Christmas dinner we had turkey.
dressing, gravy, pie, cake, coffee and
some good American tobacco to smoke
afterwards.
L received a package OF tobacco from
the Ross Tobacco Fund of New York.
They are doing great good and should
be kept up.
The Red Cross and Y. NJ. C. A. are
doing work of untold value. Only a
soldier a know just how much they
do men,. / really must close or / will
have a short book. | send everyone
my very best wishes and regards. /
remain for a bigger and better Mex
leo and a greater country at large.
Yours truly. FRANK s. SUMMERS,
Co. F, End Bail. End Reg, U. S. Eng,
A. T.. f., via New York.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

ne peopis think Il Is swfully funny
We are the first American troops
here
Captain Taylor Is learning Preach,
and says he has several teachers,
among the offiosu and priests,
Sometimes he trades lessons in Eng.
Iish for French lessons. He says he
likes the life Of q soldier and 0nly
needs a little fighting and q few med.
ais to make him the -rcal thing"
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

GaMGsrl ssx the Nd Sesas. e.
Elnnn Say ths ave MArA.- er Bes-
thueens little ~Rhon3iws- I SO ss
h1nwry Ter rial mazx ssmstmes hat
I neasiy re uutG wat III ! get haek
hcm& III have we Playing and EinE-
iax fer ahout TIVE days straight and
ycau be loek II I dont have another
epsrctta fer yea to star in
Ness caIl-ts BE cousinoed
wowl wowll and again wowll. ana
= few whoopS throEn in fVf Sooi
measure cur NAIL cane IN this evcn-
ing and there is = bot time in :. II.
tonight believe me. Most q Il vas
Christmas stun-imagine it-and we
r al eating candy and reading in
great Eulp& am at the present mo-
meat lying fat on my bunk. (yOu
know that IS my favorite position for
mental work.. At my head. balanced
pr~ceariouSly on a book, is a candle.
and in a ring around me Is my bles-
sed mail-four letters from mother,
two from Dulce, = card from Preach
Green. a card from Pretty. a letter
and a card from Jane. and a letter
from Ed. / think l am the happiest
chap in France tonight for every
missive brought good news. and oh.
man, you don't know how good ID Is
to hear from your cain folks" when
you haven't had a breath of news for
over a month. ! was disappointed,
however, in failing to see your famil-
lar and cherished serawl. But Ed de-
serves a gold crown, and I'm going
to write him a special letter all about
aeroplanes and guns and motor cars
and such like interesting truck and
not say a single word to you in it,
just to be near. There, take that,
old chappy.
/ must write TO a number of other
folks, SO I'll have to call this good for
the time being. l doubt if we get all
our mail, so you will have to write real
often to make up for the ones we
may miss.
Ny kindest regards to all the fam
ilY.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02


Richard Moore, Of IN,
with the U. S. Troop. .,,,n
Charleston, S, C, write, tbs r.S
letter concerning his c,nn
ehee to Mrs. R, P. Moore AZ
Edward, of this city.
. Charleston S. c, Sunday x,,
Dear Aunt Molly and Edv,,i.
| have not heard from Won !.
eral days or have l had a Cha
write 70 YOU as l have been ;, !.
fhie range since Wednesday. l
range is located at Mt FL
winch is quite a piece from hen.
have to take the ferry boa, N
Charleston to go to the raDs,
have not been able to pet m.
out here yet but l feel sure n,
VIII get my mail today. l am # 4
Navy Camp now.
We are out at the range to, j..
or ten days to learn to ,bo,, \
sleep IN tents out there as it i, \
camp and they haven't quite AL
IT. l am doing only fairly v,U
have qualified as a marksm.,
am now on the sharpshoOters ,,.,']
| hope that | will be able To ~
in that all right. There have M, !. i
many qualified as sharpsboots,,
is generally so windy there n, /
can hardly shoot. /
Write when you can; l hope ,,,
will soon get my mail.
From
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

only '''s 's0 or
ass0an' Of Erad- ~
from ths engine rs, !
man failed cut Ct a 49,
,qaadF0n has rrO.n sc
Nov and then We b-,,,.1
soan' Of sickness; bu, -
mat comes back to Us isua
'qaadrOn' ahead sa,ss- 4
and gives his best
The usual thing for .
90 on an examination ;,
where from twenty to m,
ing to the size, 50 you Sc.
ing some 1t is almost H..
close. 'aN y :
Sincerely your friend
NED O. Win
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Robert Campbell, formerly an in
this city, who is in France with U. s.
81 uctor in Mcmillan high school, of
Evacuation Hospital Unit No. /,
writes the following interesting let
ter to Theodore H. Winans, Jr., his
friend in this city:
SOMEWHERE ELSE IN FRANCE
Feb. Z, 1918.
Teddy, My Dear Old Comrade:
The heading Of this letter indicating
my very definite location, could have
been prefixed with equal correctness
to any or all Of the last half dozen or
so of the letters | have mailed you,
for it seems az if we have been as
active during the last month as a can
didate a week before election. No
sooner have we landed in enc place
AID learned the way to the Y. NJ. C. A.
and the best candy store, than we are
off and away for a new locality. |
have become so accustomed to sleep
ing in all sorts Of places and positions,
and at all sorts Of hours that | verify
believe ] could take a nap on the top
of a fence post. And as for eating
] have consumed corned beef until
III be ashamed TO look a COW in the
face again. One thing about this
pussy-want-a-corner game we've been
playing though, is that it has given
US a good opportunity to visit some
of the most beautiful and interesting
parts Of this almost universally beau
tiful and interesting country.
But early yesterday morning /
think we finally reached our goal
for awhile, at least. And If ever the
Evacuation Hospital No. / had a busy
day, that was the day. / don't know
whether you have any idea how much
truck an institution like ours is sup
posed to pack around or not, but by
the time you have unloaded it from
the cars and loaded it on motor tories,
and then unloaded it from these and
packed it away you would be under the
impression that our hospital carries
with it the major portion Of the stores
issued to the medical department of
the U. s. Army. We juggled boxes
and bales and crates with a brief
pause at noon for d slug Of "corned
horsd" and some hard tack until
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Ned Miller, Of this city, who is
studying to be an u. s, aviator at the
University Of California, writes the
Ledger the following interesting let.
ter:
Berkeley, Cal, March ID, 1918.
Mitchell White,
Mexico, Mo.
Dear Friend
/ have given a number of excuses
for not writing longer letters with a
promise that ! would write a long let
ter to the Ledger and save time SO
they would all read it and | would not
have to repeat so many details in my
letters.
l have been receiving the Ledger
regularly and enjoy it very much. 1t
is a great relief to read what is going
on at home when ones mind is full
and running over with gas engines
and airplanes.
The University of California is one
of the largest State Universities in
the United States, but the students
here seem to be only a side line or a
minor part of the campus activity. Ev-
erything seems to revolve about the
School of Military Aeronautics. When
the clock in the campanile strikes the
hour, you will see flying cadets swarm
out Of the different buildings like
out of a hive and all hurrvine
Tor a line. A few sharp commands
are given by each squadron command
err the report is taken, each CORPORAL
reporting those absent from squad.
The column is then marched to an
other class. Everybody sidesteps as
flying cadets go by with only the snap
Of the guides voice as he calls the
cadence. Incidentally we march at
100 to lao steps per minute and very
often at double time.
During the Junior Wing. which
three weeks, we take IN Lewis
machine guns, military studies and
wireless and must pass examinations
n each at the end Of the Junior Wing.
Ihen comes Cox Week when we do
guard and police duty. The Senior
starts with the fifth week and
asts 1--WE weeks. The finals for en-
zines and airplanes comes Wednesday
lnd Thursday of the seventh week.
mat is just where / am and this 1.
thursday night Of my seventh week.
rest of the finals come Wednes.
ay and Thursday of the ninth week.
ney are gunnery, wireless, aids to
i'sht ana aerial observation,
Each of these have too many side
mes to mention. |,
We only get one thing thing that ,
'e are not graded on and that is
zap shooting. Two hours out of each
'he last five weeks We spend shoot
% clay pidgeons for practice in
.sntIng' was fortunate enough in :.
IT out of "a yesterday, nv !
iird trip to the traps. This is AL
'ufse which was originated here and ;
10 Deen the only school in which Il !.
as given until a short time ago '
men a school in Illinois took Il IN.
consider that I have been tbe !.
eNlest boy in Mexico in getting to
me out here for ! happen to be in
.aadron that Is making the best rec \
= 50 Tar OF any squadron that they
We had here. Out of 81. we only
81 . in the Junior Wing and will 9,
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02
Your ehum,

Orpheus Rutter, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. ]. W. Rutter, of this city, who
is in the U. S. Quartermaster's school,
Camp Johnston, Fla, writes the fol-
lowing interesting letter home:
Jacksonville, Fla, March "a.
My Dear Mother
Just arrived home from town and
found yours and sisters good letter
on my bed, also Fhe paper. Tell
father certainly appreciate his hav-
ing the paper sent to me, for news
from home sure does help.
| am feeling fine and dandy, and
have had a wonderful time today.
Went to town about nine o'clock this
morning, then to my friends home.
She took me to church and to her home
for dinner, and talk about good cats,
certainly did have them. After din
ner we went car riding from
until eight-thirty, back to her home
for lunch, then she brought me out
to camp, SO the day has been CON-
plete.
In regard to a furlough, | don't
think | will be able to get one. In fact
| don't think | will be here long, as
there aren't half as many boys her
now that were here two weeks ago.
Of course no one knows what we are
going to do, as they are transferring
out of my company all the time. But
don't worry about me being in the
trenches, for this branch of the serv-
ice doesn't get to the front line.
We had an exam last Monday. The
highest grade made was "a. | made
81, so you get an idea of what | am
doing.
Well mother, dear, I have told you
about all | know at present. l am
looking forward to Easter for that
box. Now write to me soon. Hope
you and Sis will be o. X. and come
back soon.
1t is bedtime, so l will say good
night.
Love to all.
ORPHEIJS.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

o. E. Maxwell, Of Rush Hill W'' u
Mexico Sunday.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Morris-Haas Poultry Co, caSn W. : !,
erS Of Poultry, Eggs, Hides b'''
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

Morris-Haas Poultry Co, caSn w., !,
e., Of Poultry, Eggs, Hides, Etc Tai
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

This letter, received from Ernest
Garrett, now only a mile from the
front n France, tells interestingly Of
his work:
Dear Mama and All:
A. E. FORCES, IN
FRANCE, March IS, 1918. Well. /
have received several registered let
tiers from you in the last week, all in
a lump and really haven't time to an
swer, but will take it. / also receiv-
ed a box of cake and tobacco from you
and thank Lille for the nice box of
tobacco. Also received a nice box of
candy from Walter Morris, my old
friend from Vandalia. 1t was GER
tainly fine and bunch of fellows and
myself in u dugout certainly did
feast on it. l have not received your
last box you sent, but am sure that 7
will and will let you know. You saw
that you e in the papers that things
look bad over here. 1t don't seem SO
bad to me;guess vt is because | have
gotten used to it now. Things are
real exciting just now. Once in
awhile it makes one jump around
iiVely to keep out of the way. | am
well and in the best of health. I am
driving four big fat horses to field
guns and certainly drive some. Run
them all over the field at a lively
gate Carson Worsham is only a-mile
from where annie is at the front.
some were killed and wounded in his
company, but his name was not
amongst them.
Tell Julia that | got the parcels of
paper she sends and also the Ledger
regularly.
Well, | must close and get busy,
Don't worry; l am all o. k. and will
write you again soon. Regards to ali
OF the family and friends with love
ERNEST GARRETT, JR., 9Th F. A..
Bait. D., Somewhere in France, via
New York.
Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-05-02

b<stsr ehaaos yOu have 10 gs shs
Hun before be gets yua
ne wAole eourse must be stuticd
with ail sincerity, and q takes cen
~eensralion Il the mind Al al timeA
I've slept The fastest ssrht hoars
I ever slept IN my life. And made
engines. aereplAnes. maps. machine
guns ard evsa few ever the Han
lines in my sleep I've never caught
~ that hours sleep they took away
from rs April l and never expect 10
- long a. I an here.
But al that Mitch. il Is the only life
and when its all over I'm coming
back to Mexico and ~peddle prancs"
just like ! used 10.
Best regards to all and lets see Au-
drain come over the line with the
Third Loan like the boys from here
= going to do in France.
Sincerely,
NY. W. KUNKEL,
Barracks No. 2.
The Ledger Thursday morning re-
eeived the first letter written in the
air which has yet reached Mexico.
Kirk Roberts, Of this city, writer Of
the letter was 1000 feet in the air at
the time Of writing. He used a foun-
tain, and managed a very legible
script, even when the machine dip
ped, as he says it did several times.
Roberts is with the Fifth Cadet
squayrOn at Ellington Field. Houston,
Texas. The letter follows:
Dear MITCHELL
am writing this up in the air about
1000 feet. / am to be up for four
hours this morning and maybe six.
1t sure is great. l have been up above
the clouds and the sun is shining on
the top of them; it sure is pretty. I
am in a new ship this morning and it
rides so nice | could go to sleep. /
have got to get eighty hours flying
in here in the next four weeks. When
When you notice any difference in
the writing you know the pilot took
a nose dive for himself Just had
n it great. / think he is playing
tag with some other ship. / have got
four weeks more and then | 90 to
some other flying school for two
weeks and that ends it. / will get my
commission here.
Give my regards to all my friends.
Your truly,
KIRK ROBERTS.
9Th Cadet Squadron
Ellington Field, Houston, Tex.
Going down like H.
P. S.-We just came straight down
for about $500 feet and | wrote this
last on the way down.