The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-30
LIEUT.. THOMPsON,s LETTER

Lieutenant Thompson, with whom Ed gar Chapman came to Birmingham, was in hospital suffering from injuries he re-sived when he and Chapman were try ing to get to Jackson from Meridian, Miss, their plane having a serious mis- hap at that place. Read this letter to Mrs Chapman, from a comrade of her son, and then see if you have any trouble locating the heart of the American sol dier and eradicate any cause for unrest over the outcome lover there e'-with such 9 spirit as that among our fighting men The letter follows:
 Post Hospital, Park Field, Tenn.
 June r, 1918.
 Dear Mrs. Chapman: Tn this hour of your bereavement I am sorry that haven't had the opportunity of raeeting you, but l have heard Cha ? spee2 of you so often, and received Sc many nice messages from you that I really do know you. He told me Of your prayers for me and for him. too, and I am sure they haven't been in vain, for today can assure you that he has made happy landing in the great beyond He left you and his father and sister, about whom he has so often spoken, and me behind to mourn his loss, but we can see consolation in the fact that he died like a man for his country, and l know he went down without a quiver. We have
  about the country, and 1 have seen him close to death more than once, and T know that he never became afraid. It was on these trips l learned to love him like brother, and I am certainly glad that I had the opportunity of taking him | to my home. know my mother and sister and father and brother will be l shocked to hear of his sudden death. 1 He made so many friends on these l trips and it would do your heart good | and make you feel justly proud if you I could see in what esteem he was held l in all the towns where he was well known, and when we would land in one of these places you would think he was | the mayor from the way people did l things for him.
 1 He was so wrapped uo in his work and his desire to get lover seas and | do something that it is hard for me to understand why he should be called I away so suddenly, but he and I had ex- actly the same ideas about death and the great beyond. We believed that, the day that the Great Ruler of the universe | was ready for us. on that day we would go regardless of where we were, and 1 know that if he had had several days notice of the time he was to go, he would 1 have made no change in himself, for ha was ready to, go any minute He told me so, more than once. and I fully be- 1 lieve, it, for I have seen nm trieo.
 He used to come to my room and read the war news to me and the work of l ou: boys at the front. and wish he was | over there helping them. and we would 1 talk and laugh for hours.
 ] He told me lots of funny things about his father It certainly helped to pass l the time away for me, and, oh, how l | miss him. But I am going to ask you to do as I am doing, and that is just think of him as having gone away Tor ! awhile and rest assured that you Will see him again some day.
 I know you will bear your great loss brayely. knowing that you have given 1 your most precious gift to your country and to the cause of humanity. Please ! don't hesitate to call on lSe for anything you wish. for it would do me good and help me bear my loss of very dear 1 friend if I could do something for you 1 for his sake. Very sincerely yours, HARRY W. THOMPSON.