The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-13
40 MI. FOR NEWS
TOpekan in France Made Long
Trip for State Journal.
Sergeant Major Jones Writes of
Experience With Mail.
MADE PART OF TRIP ON FOOT
Son of A. s. Jones Tells How
Boys "Ate Up" Papers.
Even Classified Ads and Re-
ceipts Were DevOured.

A Topeka man in France wanted
news from his home town bad enough
to make a motorcycle trip of forty
miles after a Topeka State Journal.
That man is Sergt. Maj. Mark T.
Jones, the son of Mr. and Mrs. S. A.
sec-rd division, American expedition
airy force. 1t happened that Jones.
who had enlisted as a private. had
been advanced step by step to his
present place, which is the highest
non-commisSioned office. In that
the mail which was sent to him from
home, followed him about without
catching up with him.
An accumulation of letters and pa
pers had collected at a certain point
that was forty miles from his situa-
from the city on the Kaw bank: he
was hungry for some word pictures
of the scenes along the white way for
word of the comings and goings of his
own people. His parents had sub
scriUed for the State journal for
their son as soon as he left home.
Weather Was Bad.
| The weather for young Jones's trip
to the postoffice was far from good
1t had been raining and the roads
were wretched. A part of the forty
miles had to be made on foot, but with
the aid of a motorcycle and the feet
that were used to marching, he made
the journey, garnered in twenty-one
newspapers and some letters, and then
set out on the return expedition of
| forty miles, making the round trip of
eighty miles for news from home. He
wrote to his parents that his arrival
| at camp with the papers was hailed
with joy, and while there was not an
other Topeka man in his company,
those twenty-one Journals from To-
peka, were simply "eaten up" by the
boys. "They read every word of them"
at the top, to the last word of the last
page, including the want ads, the fun
| Mes the doings of society, the white
goods sales, potato recipes. and ALL"
Jones Well Known Here.
| Sergeant-Ma Jones was brought
I'D and educated in Topeka, and is
well remembered as secretary in the
Santa Fee He went from Topeka to
Chicago to take position in the test
department Of the Santa Fe, and I'M
media ely after war was declared, he
| returned at double quick time to To-
peka to enlist from his own city. He
was sent at once to the south. He
| suffered some injuries in an accident
at the camp in Texas, and came back
to Topeka, where he underwent an
/ operation, which kept him here about
forty days. Just before his return. he
was married to Gladys Wellman. Inn
mediately after reaching camp, he
was sent with his regiment to France.
He writes back to his parents:
| Don't worry about me. All the
men are well taken care of here. 1
never sleep cold, for have two feather
beds, one under me, and the other over
me on cold nights. And for the love
/ O. Mike, don't send me any clothing.
General Pershing himself hasn't any
thing on me in the matter of clothes.
1t would take mule team to haul my
wardrobe about. If you send any
/ thing let it be candy and tobacco.
While we men realize the seriousness
of our mission over here. yet for all
! that 1 think a young man could not
have a finer experience than we are
getting"
Boys Long for Papers.
! In speaking of his sons letter, the
! father of the young man, s. A. Jones,
Topeka printer. said:
when the chaps over there are so
keen for news from home. / think ev-
cry household that has a member in
the service should see that he gets his
daily paper from home We haven't
heard from Mark since the new drive"
| Jones said, land of course we are wor-
ried. for we suppose that he is in the
thick of the fighting. But we look
| for news just as soon as he can get
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