Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-29

isn't that bully ? True American r.
This is what one Of the Young Mems
Christian Association workers overseas
has written back in telling of the first
Ameriean soldiers chat came back from
the frpnt-line trenches.
The incident that he called ftrue Ameri-
can Is contained in the following ex-
tracts from one of his letters.
$. These boys turned out to be
among those who went first into the
front-lino trenches. They said il was a
strange and terrible experience, and that
they tet that only wonderful luck, or
the protection of God brought them out
safe. | suppose that is The feeling of
all who are for the first time experience
ing trench life, even in quiet sector.
''poNr SALUTE SHAKE OFFICERS SAID
"As they went, they passed some Of
our officers, and, Of course, saluted.
Don't salute us. boys. Shake hands
tho officers said. You're the first ones up
Wasn't that bully True American r
This Is just one of the incidents he
tells that show the 'bulv" spirit Of our
soldiers overseas, their true American
tendency to grin, under trying clroum-
stances. Even the soldiers in the French
hospital where he spent some weeks showed
these traits. he SAYS. and were known to
doctors and nurses as 'the smiling
Americans. He writes of them thus:
Il wish | could give you some idea
Of the boys who are hove.
81 BEioNG TO UNCLE SAM" SOLDIER sAYa.
''One boy is of German parentagei his
unCles fight for the Kaiser, but i belong
to Uncle Sam saws he. His younger
brothers were crazy on the subject nf
warships, and carved miniature ones
out Of blocks of wood for toys. In the
early daVs of the European war. these
lttlc vessels all had German names, but
rs soon rs tho United States broke with
tho Central Powers the names were AL
changed ~ once, and are now The Van
kce. olumbia Ghe Wisconsin, &c THIS
boy j. laid up With rheumatism, like my
self nuly vcrN mHch worse. and is being
sent back 10 the States a great hardshlp
Il him
Then there is a Mexican cowboy,
who has touch of T r.. and has been
told 10 90 home and get well, whereas
he Just wants 10 he well and 90 on with
his Job in the army lie Is an artillery
man. lie and ] have had some fine old
talks especially in the evening. when
We have quite while between dark and
sleep time about causes and tepees and
round-ups and campfires
SOLDIER rINns LETTER N HOME PAPER.
"A large amount of amusement has
come from q six-foot KID named
p marine M Scotch blood, from near
Philadelphia Tic Is the rare combination
If an irrcprcssble who isn't fresh The
nurses, especially the night nurses. make
= nt Of hlm hc half rpsenis il and half
likes ii You should have seen the way
he shot out sc his bed and over 10 mine
when he received a copy Of his first letter
home To his mother, printed in fun in /
he Chronlclc
"lhe'e Is great husky looking fair /
laicI \orthve-tciner whom I've got /
- know fccontlv. q fellow who looks to +
pe ms strong 81 an OK, has done hard
work all his life as he SAYS the Is Just
~ and has stood up with the best OF
hem in ;hc harvesting in North Dakota /
Vow he * bong sent home with the + B
Ip doesn't know what 10 make of il 3
smith Is from q Wisconsin region Of :
ough tmberland N first, when he
.ot 10 talking about his folks. and the
ifc out there. and the log business. and
he little schoolhouse where everything
outside Of home life centres, ! couldn't
make out WHY 1t all seemed So familiar
Then | remembered the early chapters ef
)r Anna Howard Shaw 5. life Strange
O think Of almost the samc conditions
visiting today as before the Civil War
II but the wolves, of which hear No !
MENTION es, they even have wolves. !