The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-01-10
Military Service In California

Mr. and Mrs. /. j. Smith of this place,
a graduate of Skowhegan High
School, University of Maine and the
Forestry Department of the Universe
ty of Michigan. His first work as
forester was in this State, and he sub
sequently went to Montana in the
Federal Forestry Service. From the
latter state, he went to Presidio, Cal
ifornia, to attend the Officers Train
ing School, from which he was COM
missioned as First Lieutenant, on No
vember 9th.
San Francisco, Cal, Dec. ID, 1917.
j Dear Folks:
l received your letter today. Gen
eva and Dads a couple days ago and
l can't remember just when | got
mothers There's nothing much to
do tonight so If | don't get writer's
cramp | ought to write something
/ Tomorrow report for duty; my vaca-
i tion Is over and | see so much work
ahead that I'm afraid letter writing
will be rather hard to settle down to.
I've got a commission but that isn't
entirely an assurance that | will be
! good enough for Uncle Sam to send to
France The more l see Of the bust
ness the more l realize what a big
! job it is to be an officer which means
a leader of men, an example for other
men to follows. The greatest thing
is to be able to teach men how to do
things, a fellow must have all kinds
of confidence and pep a clear brain
with the ability to size up a situation
in an instant and give the right COM
mand for action.
If | am lucky enough to get in the
trenches it will be the greatest thing
in the world and the one thing that
l hope for 1t surely will be harder
not to be one of the chosen few"
than it ever can be to start across
mo mans land"
Been enjoying myself these two
weeks around this town. Have sew
eral friends here and the vacation has
passed away altogether too quickly.
There is one habit which ! have at
tanned by being in the hills whieh is a
pretty good one, that is, the reading
habit If l can get the right kind
of reading there isn't much chance of
my getting lonesome and l always
take a run thru the book stores when
| strike a big town like this. Had
quite novel experience the other
day. | was nosing around among a
lot of books in great big store here,
looking them over and half reading
some of them and finally bought one.
Just as | started to leave | glanced
up at a globe of the world, you know
one of those revolving globes, which
have always thought would be fine
thing to have, that Is. II fellow was
where he could keep It, Out of Gu
riosity, / inquired of the clerk the
price of IL inch one. He had just
said $500 and | started on when an
elderly lady at my side spoke up and
said you take that" ! didn't know
what to make of it. but she persisted
and the clerk said sure in a deter
mined way and so in an embarrassed
manner | yielded. Then the lady
talked to me Tor fully half hour
about herself and about the War and
how she wanted to help all she could.
She was in Germany when the Wa
broke out and has travelled every
where including Maine | found out
that she is very wealthy and is from
one of the old and distinguished fam
lilies of this State. Stanford is the
name The clerk told me that she
often did such things when she takes
a liking to anybody and suppose my
uniform was the chief cause this time.
But l certainly appreciate her kind
ness although | am afraid l cannot
4 ho oil I,o nd h vii lao
wise to ship it so far home wish
you had it though for it is a fine one
and so nice to learn geography from.
We talked about boks and she wanted
to know If | had read this one and
that one, and she gave me "Cany On"
by Lieutenant ConiEgsby Dawson aud
"a Hilltop on the Maine" and ION the
, edge Of the War Zone" by Mildred
Aldrich "Cany On" is certainly
great book which every one ought to
read I'll send it to you-perhaps
you have read tits not big book
in volume but there is certainly some
big thoughts therein. | haven't read
the other two yet but they look good.
| think that was quite an experience
don't you? And she asked me to
write to her how | got along. She
gave me her age along with her
stories of childhood and it's too bad
she is so old isn't it?
| am afraid Germany is going to
make big drive before we can get
over there and help out Several of
my Montana frinds are there in the
National Guard contingent and | envy
them.
Well here's hoping | make good
and inside of or months start for
New York with my regiment I'll be
able to meet you there or in Boston
for a few days before sailing. Now
that's just a dream but it's sure a
good one. What if it should be true?
Isn't this great rich country tho
| have a chance to see some OF the
wealth which is displayed in this city.
War has its good side. A man with
good physique, and good brain is
just as good nowadays as multi
millionaire.
With much love,
RAYMOND.
| Write me