The Press., 1918-05-30
Franoa. Anri1 g. 1913. .
Dear Mother and Dad !:

France, April 9, 1918. Dear Mother and Dad
 1 We are on the move so much lately we don't get chance to write We had two days rest in camp, then uI the line again. because of the big Ger man drive The British and French are giving the Germans the devil. am still with the automatic gun, three to team It sure can shoot. have shot it out into no mans land good many times. It is strange not to hear guns and shells going over one's head. We just hiked 54 kilometers after getting out of the trenches. We were on train a day and a night, We walk so many kilometers a day and stop in little towns on the way. We are in our rest camp now and had lot of mail. At the front we have little homes in the ground. wish you could look in this little dug -ouC of ours. While ] am writing this letter, am sitting on bench near our stove which is nothing but sheet of iron tied with wire. and for a chimney an old water spout. but the smoke goes up the chimney, so we don't worry how our furniture looks SO long as we are comfortable I am writing this letter on a loaf of bread. Everything is O K. The big shells are bursting away to the right of us. don't mind them at all, but when the gas shells come over I don't like them I have two good gas masks; it takes six seconds to put, one on. The mask does not feel good, with part of it on my nose and part in the mouth No chance of through inst now. I am writing this letter in Y. M O A. tent, having jost come out of the trenches again. am all right except my feet. They are sore from wearing English boots, but my feet will be all right when doctor them. You will read all kinds of things about the good old '1O4th. It sure is a good regiment and am glad to be in it. We sure did battle with the Germans and beat them to it every time, Had two German bonn bardments up here, but our artillery put their guns out of action Our guns pounded all day yesterday and most of the night l was on guard from 12 to 4 o'clock, then had to stand too out on the post, five of ns, from to 6. I want you to read "OVer the Top" it gives a fellow a good many points. We have to do our own cooking from ratiOns. I can make coffee and not burn it I made breakfast with tomato soup, hard tack broken in. and toast, then pulled the fellows out of bed to eat it Beef steak, mashed potatoes and bread pudding with the raisins mother sent in it. How is that for feed. Our private cook makes this dinner All the things my friends in Stafford send share with the boys. I got a box from MT. Cady, one from Mrs Dobsou and an album of Stafford views from Frank Lasbury. I have so many to write to. We have not been paid for three months. Now folks be happy and cheerful, like I am, and give my kind regards to, the Stafford people.
 Your affeotionate son,
 . Norman B. Phillips
 These are extracts from different letters dated from April to 27.
 ,@ StaffordviIIe.
 Piano tuning and expert piano-player work. Formerly with Sedgwick X Casey. Hartford. Chas $. Cady, Box 83 Staf fordvllIe. If
 A prayer service will be held in the M. E church Memorial day at z p m.
 Rev and Mrs J. M. von Deck and family moved last week from Bolton into the M. E. Parsonage.
 Miss Bertha Belcher was the week. end guest of her cousins, MT. and Mrs. Henry Brown, of Hartford.
 Herbert West has joined his family and is visiting his parents Mir and Mrs. Philo West, this week.
 Mr., and Mrs Frank Beloher and two sons and Mrs Esten Beloher. visited relatives in Mashapaug on Sunday
 Rev. MT. Von Deck will preach next Sunday morning on "Ohristian Unity '' The Epworth League topic for next Sunday evening will be " Education, the Doorway to Ser. vice. ; Leader, Miss Arlene Hanna.