The Washington herald., 1918-09-13
HOLE IN A HILL
HIS ONLY HOME
A. Boone Cost Writes Of
Y. M. c. A. Help on
Front Line.

A hole IN a hill long and wide
enough to contain his body and deep
enough to. get him below the surface
Of the ground was the home for sew
eral days Of Sergt. A. Boone Cost,
former Washington boy, and an en-
ploye of the Washington Navy Yard.
who Is now in France with the 109th
T.. s. Infantry.
Writing to Page Mex. Etchison. re-
ligious work director Of the Y. NJ.
c. A here, who has recently returned
from France, Sergt. Cost describes
some Of his experiences and living
conditions behind the front lines in
the following manner:
Il ran into K OF G. man the
other day who was distributing paper
free. I secured a few sheets from
him and am going to use some of 1t
IN writing you a few lines. 1 also
secured some from Y. NJ. c. A. man
the same day, but have already used
IT. You understand that when We are
IN the field like this We must get
what we can, as we are at the mercy
Of agencies that bring 1t to US.
she'll Kills aYy Man.
These agencies are very good to
US. This is especially true Of the Y.
NJ. c. A. Their work over here Is
wonderful. Indeed it has been our
experience-and I believe it is general
that the closer We get to the front
the more supplies We get from them.
These men live just the same as we
do, travel as we do, and brave the
came dangers We have one secre-
tary assigned to our regiment. Our
battalion also had one, but he was
killed by a shell-or rather, died from
shock when a shell struck close by
him There was universal sorrow at
his death, as he had become a favor
ite with all Of Us. He was a Presby-
terian minister.
7 am the official mail censor OF my
company, and as such it is my duty
to look over all outgoing mail. Be
heve me, know from the comments
the, fellows make in their letters
about the work Of the Y. NJ. c. A.,
what they think OF il. It has estab-
Hshed itself in their favor.
We'll, Etchison, we have been over
here for some months now and have
been in action several times. We have
seen some pretty hot fighting and
have naturally suffered some casual
ties. Ny company, however. has been
favored so far. One reason for this
is that our battalion is at present
in reserve. We are lying a few miles
behind the front lines just now. but
are ready and expecting a call up
to the front at any time to be used
as support.
Shelter Is Welcome.
We are dug in alongside Of a
steep hill. Ny present home is a hole
in the ground just long enough and
wide enough to contain my body and
deep enough to get me below the sur
face of the ground. This may not
strike you as being a very comforta-
bic home, but when the shells are
falling around, throwing shrapnel in
all directions, it is mighty nice to
have such a place to duck into. And
though We are not in the front lines
We are. OF course. within shell range.
Indeed, as I write this. shells are
falling on the other side of the hill
II is all right so long as they con-
tlnue falling over there. but If they
begin coming on this side, I shall
have to beat hasty retreat into my
hole. Last night we had several raids
from airplanes. They dropped bombs
around US. but hurt no one.
We feel that you folks back home
are rejoicing over our present vic
tories Well. I can tell you, from per-
sOnal experience. that they are true
We have driven them back 50 fast
vat the manner of their going has
II been at all particular. We suffer
u , illusions as to what may still lie
yefore US, but nevertheless the future
looks rosy"