Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-05-23
REMARKABLE LETTER
OF FORMER CHELSEA
WOMAN IN Y WORK

WOMAN IN Y WORK
Following is letter from Mrs.
Mary Osmun, written to her brothers
and sisters. She is in y. NJ. c. A.
work in France. She is the second
daughter of the late William and
Susan Searles whose home has al
ways been in Chelsea.
Permanent address.
Il Rue d'Aguessean,
Paris, France.
Sun. Z. II. March 10.
Dearest Bears:
1t is long time since l wrote and
| am terribly sorry, but I've been in
changing about and couldn't settle
down to letter writing. Now | owe
about a hundred letters and / think
l really must begin to write very
short ones and get caught up. 1t is
so wonderful to get letters here
probably I've said that before-but
when | say that we just eat them up
it comes nearer to what they are to
us than anything else | can say. This
me fifteen letters-three from Lettie
and one from Ed-these also included
one from Edith and another from Eva
to Lettie-and two or three letters
from others so in all | had about
twenty-five letters. | had a wonder
full time getting in touch with you all.
| always laugh and cry over them and
n no
same. We just need these heart
stirring experiences TO appreciate
what the boys are going through.
We're all alike. We get blue and al
most desperate when the letters are
far between and we are IS different
as possible when a letter arrives. |
could cite all kinds Of instances to
prove the truth Of this. But just now
| have so many other things to write
about.
April 49, Dear Tom and Edna and
all the others. You see this letter
was begun a month ago. | am glad
that ! can state that I've written to
you-or at least, to Lettie and Eva.
SO it isn't quite so bad as it looks.
Dear old Toms good letter with its
generous draft came day or two
ago. 1t sure must have Travelled on a
slow steamer for see it is dated Feb.
! IS and I've had several letters that
came in three weeks. | suppose it's
| just as 1t happens. If il comes
through England | know by expert
ence it takes a great deal of time.
Poor England. What sad days for
them must be these! l have had lit
tie glinpses that help me to under
stand just a bit Of what they are suf-
fering. Can you really know over
home what tremendous days these
are in the worlds history. The hor-
ror of it never seems to reach me
personally, but | look on aghast at
what is transpiring. should think
the sum total OF all this horrible
| agony of mind and body would make
God himself grow sick and despair
| ing. / only know that We are all sure
| over here that we must keep on and
reVer falter for one moment or every
thing we hold dear is lost. If | could
tell you my experiences of the last
month, as | some time will, you'd
understand better what | mean by all
this harangue. But this much | am
going to risk. After my vacation |
was sent to fairly good sized town,
about twenty-five miles from the
town or camp where | was all winter.
to take charge of little home.
There were few troops stationed there
but 1t is an important railway center
and our boys are passing through
constantly. So this dear little fur
nished fiat was obtained. stayed
there a few days alone-a French
woman lived in the second fiat and
my bedroom was in the top third
story. The Secretary lived at the
hotel. After a week | got COM
panion--in fact | went to Paris and
time for two weeks. The house was
so pretty and home like, the gardens
in front and hack were beginning to
bloom and the boys just thought it
was the best of anything they'd seen
since they'd left America. And then
this drive began and those nasty
Huns did some damage to our town
land our little house suffered. NY
:
little companion and l had been sent
out of town and now for three weeks
we've been sort of astray. We
STAYED in Paris a week and bv that
! time George appeared-he was close
to where the weather was very un-
pleasant. He has gone now to anoth-
er place which is much safer and
Mrs. d. and l are at the camp where
I was all winter. helping out all we
can and awaiting developments. You
may imagine from all this that / shall
have some tales to tell when 1 get
hack that I doubt If the censor would
allow to pass by letter / am safe
enough here so YOU need not worry.
But George has been sent to another
Mace very close to the front. / pre-
sume il is all right, he promises to be
as cautions as he can. What .
n,onstrous thing this war is Last
night read a letter one OF the men
,eceiyed from his wife. Poor girl.
What torture II is 70 the woman ut
--sr rTHL