The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-10-04
LETTERS. FROM BOYS
IN THE ARMY CAMPS

celVed the following Ietter IrOu Del
geant George H. Bradley
Somewhere in France" My Dear
Friend:-In the hospital again! Now
isn't that the limit? / was only sick
with the battery for six weeks when
l got it again. On the eighth of Au-
gust my right hand was crippled and
my index finger nearly taken off, nec-
essitating an operation, but it is heal
ing splendidly, thanks to the effic-
iency of our splendid medical corps.
Il shall soon be back in the fray in as
good a condition as ever. l received
two letters from you while we were
right in the "thick of things" and l
assure you it helped out quite bit
to know that your friends are think
ing of you once in awhile. | suppose
that your brother is in the service by
this time. | certainly wish him the
best of luck and hope that he finds
the service agreeable. / have not
heard from Howard as | know he
must be busy helping to get ready
food for us who are, "over here" VIII
close now hoping you will write soon
again. 1 am yours truly, George.
- Mrs. Paul Iverson received the fol-
lowing letter from her son, Benjamin
Iverson, who is in France:
Somewhere in France, September
4. 1918. My Dearest Mother: / know
that you are more than worried at
not hearing from me for two weeks,
but mother, this is the first time l
have not written at least once week
since | arrived in France. But L can
assure you that it was impossible for
me to have written sooner. I have
not ever been quite as busy as OF
late and you can imagine what 1t
must be up at the "big show" But
nevertheless | am well and getting
along fine.
You do not know how good it
seems to be able to relax once again,
clean UP and write few letters. Your
letters, paper, etc., have been COM
ing through in fine shape so was sur
prised to hear my mail had not been
reaching you in better time. AL
though I have not been getting as
much mail as l would like, people
have been real faithful in writing
The last letter l received from you
was the one you wrote before going
to Minneapolis. l do hope you had
good visit. How are all the folks !?
Imagine to yourself, mother, an old
fashioned French cottage, very small
and very, very plain. whose little
windows are shaded and whose door
step is always clean and smooth. This
is the kind Of a place l am writing
at tonight The good French lady
who lives here happened by the place
where we are staying and upon see
ing me all cramped up trying to write
on my knees, invited me in to write
On her table. After talking to her
a while 1 learned that she had been
driven out of her home some time
back by the HunssanN Tlac taken ref
ugc in this little cottage She spoke
of her sons and the tears came to her
eyes for she had lost two since the
war.
Really mother, l could write pages
if / was only permitted and about
the big show because 1 have seen
plenty of it. In about two weeks
will get my first service stripe given
for foreign service.
Well, mother, / do hope you are
well and everything is going good.
There is not much news so with love
to all and tell them to write, l am
your loving son, Benjamin.
Don't be Stacker when the Liber-
ty loan solicitors call on you tomor-
row.
Camp Funston, Kan, September %,
TTyl.
Mankato, MINI. We wish to put be-
fore the public the true and real
spirit Of a. soldier by the name of
Thomas HSmas who made his home
at Mapleton and Mankato. He has
been in our company since it's or
ganization and is considered the life
of this company as he always wears
a CHEEKY smile for everyone.
Thomas Homas was born in Santa
Marva, Greece, on December %, 1894,
a Christmas gift. He came to this
country six years ago but that does
not make any difference because we
know that Greece is as good coun-
try as we have in the world He was
at Mapleton and Mankato most of
the time since his arrival
me uduiC IudI is uS0u Ill Speaking
to him here is the Greek Yankee
Devil. He attracts absolute attention
and he never frownS or gets angry.
He does the same stunts that Doug
las Fairbanks and George Walsh do
in the movies and he also looks like
George Walsh. We try to make him
angry just for fun sometimes but he
smiles and says Brother Yankee you
know where / am from. Then we
ask him where, and he says, Mime
sofa. Ha. Ha. Every morning when he
gets up he sings a scng in Greek en-
titled "My Pretty Rose Flower Girl"
/ wish / had million hearts to love
you with them all.
The Greek Yankee Devil has the
best heart that anyone can have. AS
an example, the other day l received
a telegram that my mother, was SER
iously ill. | was sitting on my bunk
crying and the Greek Yankee Devil
happened to come in and see me. He
said, brother, what is the matter with
you? AS soon as he learned what
the trouble was he started to cry
Anyone should be proud to have a
friend like this Greek Yankee and
YOU people should be proud of this
Minnesota boy.
His strength is absolutely marvel
Gus. The other day he picked I'D y
sack of sugar in each hand and took
one in >his teeth and jumped around
with it as if it were. only a mere
trifle. and we know that each sack