The Ordway new era., 1918-03-15
Soldier Boy Letter

Following are two letters received
from w. c. Walker by his mother,
Mrs. ID. F. Bartlett, of this city. One
was written from England and one
from France. Those who have kept
posted on the movement of troops
can read between lines and CLEAN q
great deal of information from these
two letters.
England, Sometime A D.
Dear Mother and Dad
Well, here we are in merry. ole
England, anG I have so many thirgs
that l want to say that Ton MT
permitted to. that it seems almost
us,leat for me to try to .te tuI
letter at all You no doubt nuve
my card from N Y advising of my
safe arrival here and from the dope
we get on censorship in this country
that card contained about all | can
tell.
We had a very good trip over 'he
big pond and most of the fellows
came thru with very little sickness.
The grub and all were good but the
air down in the third class part of
the ship was the worst thing the boys
had to contend with. The scenery
along the line was a little monoton-
Gus and the road bed was even rough
er than the Mo. Pac. Our ship run
into no mines and was hit by no
torpedoes but nevertheless I've had
all the experience with submarines
that / care about and as long as the
war continues l am content to take
my sea trips on land. We had several
noted Americans and Englishmen on
board and as / was lucky enough TO
catch guard in the first class lobby
twice. have some interesting items
stored away for future use.
Just as we pulled into port over
here a steamer flying Old Glory pull
edo along side of us and I'm telling
you that never realized before what
thrill a sight of the Grand Old
Glory could send thru person. When
we landed about the first thing | saw
was Henry" chugging up the street
and little further along an adver-
tisement of Broadway Jones" at
local theatre and further on adds
of Quaker Oats and Ivory Soap and
then when we passed the American
Express company's office we almost
thot we had been landed back in
America. Sounds funny, doesn't it.
Back in America"
| But when we hit the rail roads
we realized at oIce that we were not
in the land of Hills and Goulds. The
road beds are fine and the stations
are immense but when you see the
rolling stock and the rate they are
sent over the rails you wonder what
keeps them from following the engine
as tail does a kite. The passenger
coaches are divided in first, second
and third classes and each coach is
made up of compartments seating
eight people. The freight cars are
regular toysand 1t amused us to see
an American three-shovel Gang plow
loaded on a flat car and taking up
all the room on it. The gondolas
are no larger than the dump cars
that Roberts Bros used on the grade
on the Milwaukee back in Iowa.
However, they do the work and
they landed us in our ca.up after 60
ing thru some of the most beautiful
country l ever saw. This country
is certainly clean and free from
weeds and waste land and imagine
that farmer here knows the value
OF a shilling as well as any class of
people anywhere.
We were served on the way with
hot coffee and right here l want to
say again what I've told you SO many
times before, that the American Red
i
are doing a great, big. wonderful
work and no one not in the army
can realize the good they are doing
and the cheer and happiness they are
spreading at this time. One of the
first things that greeted us on our
arrival here was the Red Cross and
the Red Triangle.
| AS to the army movements or news
I'm In the dark and even If knew
anything / would not be permitted
to tell 1t. But can say that all
the Ordway contingent of B. Bat
terry is feeling fine and that a Nigh
ty good spirit prevails over here
and while we all realize we have
big job to do over here everybody
is digging in and 1t can't be so very
| long until we will have II done and
be coming back.
Now mother. and Dad, please don't
worry II some Of my letters seem a
long time in coming for / expect to
be a busy hombre from now on and
may have a very few opportunities
to write. But as long as you don't
hear from me you can rest assured
that I'm getting along fine for ar
rangements have been made to notify
parents at once in case of accident.
In the future address all my mail
as follows:
Private William C. Walker. Battery
B. 14Sth I. A. A. e. /.
, Just this and no more or 1t may
be delayed.
Give Dad, Nelson and all my
friends my best and let me hear from
you when ever you have time. Any
little piece of gossip is interesting
when a fellow is away from home,
you know.
Yours,
BILLY.