Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-10
LETTERS FROM OVER THERE
Dr.. Philip Hunter Tells Some Inter
est;no Thinus to Home Folks.

LETTERS FROM OVER THERE
Or. Philip Hunter Tells Some Inter-
esting Things to Homo Folks.
These two letters from DIR. Phiiip
w Hunter to members of the family
at home will lie of interest to the
many friends OF DIR. Hunter among
the readers of The Enquirer and the
public generally:
France, March 4. 1915
Nv dear Little Mary Hunter:-You were
such a smart little girl to knit me the beau
,ifuI wash-rag. that must write you letter
all to yourself and thank you for it. 1t was
so sweet of YOU to make It for me. and Will
Use il with q great deal Of pleasure. 1t came
ms. in time too, as I lost my old one not
long avo. I am so glad you made mother
wash II. for we don't have much water where
I am living now. and am afraid my servant
wouldn't have gotten it very clean. Did you
know I had n nurse to take care OF me all the
time lust like Manda does you? He is white
man tho. and not a negro. and his name ID
Samson. He takes good care of me and my
things and I don't have to worry about any
thing. He has a little girl about ten years
old named Clara Louise. She writes letters
TO him and he is very proud OF her.
I don't see many little children out here as
n rule but last week I saw q good many.
Lots of them were leaving home because they
were afraid the German soldiers were COM
ing. Some Of them were crying because they
had to leave their homes behind. and others
seemed to be enjoying their rides on mat
tresses and bundles piled on top OF high two
wheeled CARTS They don't have buggies over
here like we have. but they use these carts
drawn by one big horse or two horses one
in front of the other. and by the time they
were packed up with household goods. and
the children placed on top. the children were
some distance from the ground Other little
children were walking. led along BY their
mothers or grandmothers. All the fathers ana
uncles are in the army. 80 the mothers must
do all the work and look after everything
themselves. I saw lots Of women as old
as grandmother driving their cows along the
road and carrying bundles Of clothes or other
things with them. Everybody was hurryins
to get away before the Germsps<c2s there.
nice istrzr from Ht]dt hoss yestsr'
day, and one from Aunt Rosa, and the one
from your mother. Also the East"r card from
you and Harriet. telling me Of your teddy
bears. 30 you zee L am ktttihB o'p Va h'o'
now. The nuts were fine too. and we en-.
joyed them 80 much Tell John think he
might be smart too and write me letter, and
tell me what he is doing. You must go up
TO see grandmother and Aunt Rose often.
Aunt Rose says you and Harriet were so sweet
the day you sent me the card.
Give my love to all and take good care OF
grandmother for me. Uncle Bish.
France. April Z, 1918.
Dear Rose Another Sunday. only known
rs such on the calendar. as every day Is the
same over here, Sunday being no exception
when we are IN the line. By the way. was
so glad to get the calendar you sent, as
hadn't seen one in ages, and II Is sometimes
hard to keep up with the time. At times
things happen in such hurry that days go
by with rush and when you have time to
think again. you have no idea what day 1t Is.
Now we are having one of the quiet spells
after the big stunt. We have shifted altogeth-
er and are holding q quiet part Of the line
on one of the most famous battle fields In
history. The country Is desolate: all farms
and villages destroyed. trees and hedges blast
ed and dead. or only the faintest show Of life.
Shell holes everywhere. large and small. and
at present full of water, because we are hav-
ing lots Of rain, and the country Is naturally
boggy. We go about from place to place by
trench. or across this ground full OF holes on
''duck-boards'' or narrow SLATED paths $50
named because of resemblance to boards
chickens have to 20 up to their roosts) wind
ing among. or crossing these holes. The
nights are very dark at present, and It takes
careful walking to keep on the track. especial
ly at the places 1t is raised on piles 8 or more
feet from the ground. The thought Of that
cold water has a good effect as q stimulant TO
nerves and eyesight!
Ny present domicile Is q fine pil-box built
of concrete by the Boche. From the outside
it looks quite large. but when you take of
six feet all around for the walls, the interior
Is small. We have. room for six beds (really
shelves made Of upright pieces of wood. and
wire netting to lie on) in tiers Of three and
about two feet In between to turn around In.
Also an alcove to fit two stretchers one above
the other. Here nine Of US sleep-myself as
king of the castle, my servant, my three
helpers and four stretcher bearers from q
field ambulance who are attached to the bat
talon. (Pen dry. SO must continue with PEN
ci). We are warm and dry. II rather crowd
ed. and II each man stays In his bunk, we are
alright. We are not troubled with dressing
either. as there Is no undressingi A face
wash and an occasional shave In water from
shell hole outside our mansion. and the days
toilet Is complete. Then breakfast Of bacon.
and for me eggs (about ten cents apiece).
bread. butter Tor margarine) and jam. and q
huge cup of tea which has most probably been
boiling away during my morning ablutions.
and is consequently quite strong. Most Of our
work is done at night, as movement In day
time Is discouraged (by the Boche). It comes
natural now to live like rabbits or rats
bobbing In and out of our holes By night and
lying quiet by day.
received the wash rag from Mary Hunter
q few days ago and was 10 glad to get II,
and 1t was 50 sweet and % smart OF her 70
make 1t. / have gotten lots Of mail lately
and think I must be getting Il all. The En-.
quirers don't come regularly, but I get them
all right and peruse them like papa used tc
do-word for wordi The packages all coms
| too. but the Christmas one, and maybe It will
turn up yet. We all enjoyed the nuts. They
were quite novelty for these people. s they
had never seen or heard Of peeans. By thii
| time you have received my letters from Lon.
don. and know I was there instead OF Paris
Hope to spend my next leave In Paris and the
south Of Franeei I wrote to Agnes from
London. % hope she Il relieved BIZ the letter
often wonder about Gsrnett, II be ID eomins
over and when. Also Jennings and Rob. II
certainly is wonderful experience. I meant
TO give an account Of my share Of the big
show Of March 2l-2s. bot have written enough
for this time. 30 will tell Of It next time.
1t certainly II good to know the colo
weather is over and that everybody Il mort
comfortable. Your lettsrs are always X
bright and you seem to b esstins on al
right Hope everybody keeps VEL
Love TO al. Philip
Federal officers last R,1nda, aea rch.