Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-08-22
Asks Why the War


Mr.. and Mrs. J. o. Wagner, North
Freedom have received a letter from
their son Oscar, now in France. At
the opening of the letter he said he
expected to go to the front line
trenches but with four others had
commenced to take course in sig
nal work. When the letter was writ
ten he was about five miles behind
the lines. The letter continues:
Our men have just made a drive on
our sector and taken an important
town. The artillery makes a noise
something awful to hear-one contin-
uous roar and at night the sky is one
great flash of fire, and the ground
is all aquiver. Fritz comes over to
momb us, and so methodical is he that
he gets here at precisely the same hour
every night Night before last was
the first time he succeeded in drop
ping any bombs on us, although he
has ''been over" every night for a
week. He dropped seven bombs in
and around our camp area Two of
them struck right near my tent, kill
ing two men, one in M. Co. and one
Englishman and wounding four. The
men killed were on guard. One is.
safe in his tent (dug in the ground)
unless the bomb falls directly on it.
Our company has about so men at the
front; they go up, few at time.
We hear tonight that we have some
casualties but don't even know how
many or don't even know that the re-
port is true.
Got one letter from d. o. Slime
and two from Agnes yesterday, but
none from home and l wanted one
badly to know how mother is. We
had ''no mail" space, l. e. no one
had gotten any mail written after the
18th Of May, so our regimental chap
lain was sent back on our trail to To-
cate it, which he evidently did, for
we now get few letters every day.
and | hope to hear from you folks
soon. We have gotten our blankets
again and nights are warmer now, so
I'm getting some good hay, when
Fritz isn't too nosey. Have also got
ten rid Of the two "cooties," I got in
the trenches, so things go on nicely
enough. But you haven't any idea
how far two "cooties" can walk in one
night without getting off ones body
regular globe trotters. Here's how
outdid the little bugs. 1 went to
a truck company and got a cylinder
oil can, cut one side off with my bay
onet, then stole a can of water, built
a little fire underneath the can and
when the water was warm, took
regular bath l then put my clothes in
the can, boiled and washed them.
When one starts this bathing the
"cooties" run, they can't stand it to
get soap in their eyes.
And now, why did l steal the water
Because it is very scarce here. There
are nothing but dug wells and old
oaken buckets so you can imagine
the problem of supplying an army
with water from them. They are
guarded and we are allowed one can
teen (about a quartz of water per man
a day, to drink, wash, and shave with.
But guards are sleepy and sometimes
even kind hearted fellows, so it's just
possible to steal a can Of water once
in a while. Sometimes something
goes wrong with the water supply and
we are two days without it and have
to shave with tea and I've done it
three times and you'd be surprised
how good it works; fathers freely,
just try it.
Well, mother, am well; never felt
so good in my life and happy. l have
determined to be happy no matter
what comes and even here in this
hell of war there is much to enjoy.
After seeing things l have seen here,
| am thankful just to be well and
strong and able to serve my country
in its need-doubly thankful that /
was taken 5000 miles from my coun-
try to fight for it, for it's a terrible
thing to have war waged in ones home