Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-08-31
Letters From
Local Soldiers
serrt. Edward j. Miller

This is Saturday and we have a
half holiday, so a few Of the boys and
I requested passes to Richmond. We
really should be at the barracks at
tending to other things, but it is ru-
mored at the school that the officials
actually desire the candidates to leave
everything and go to the city. so that
they may relax the strain they are
under mentally and physically, all the
week. Most of the boys &c to Peters,
burg, about twenty minutes by tEolley
from camp. This place seems to be
quite a regular city. My first impress
sions were not very favorable, you
may be sure. but 1T seems that the
railroad station Is located on the out
skirts of the city and In a very poor
section.
I have not as yet taken a look at
the sights of the city. having taken
the first opportunity to write to you.
The Y. NJ. @. A. we are in nov Is a
very large building and has all kinds
of games, swimming pool and etc.
We have taken rooms here for the
night and there are sailors and SOL
diers galore walking about or other
wise amusing themselves. The great
naval base, Newport News, Is only q
short distance away. / have Saturday
and Sunday on leave and intend to
make the most of 1t and see IL your
description of the country will tally
with mine.
We have finished one week at the
camp and have about sixteen moro
to go. which does not sound very
much If you say 1t fast. They are
putting their thumbs down tighter
each day around here. Many of the
boys become discouraged for various
reasons, but they are out the next day
with the same old go-to-it smile.
They have a system here whereby
dement's are given for such reasons
as unclean rifle. raising head In ranks,
talking, moving a fnger-each take
a demerit. The boys go round the
camp with their municipalities attached
on the shirt at the left breast, so YOU
can readily see that a chap has to
keep his eyes and EAR open at all
times in order to keep clear. One of
the boys with me today received one
for raising a finger in ranks. Took
It to heart pretty much. We have a
corporal In our squad who has al
ready received three dement's but he
had only three weeks training prior
to coming to school, so he is at a
great disadvantage. you see.
We have about four hours drilling
a day which I enjoy very much. The
balance of the time is spent in study.
We had a written examination this
morning and it proved to be very
easy. I had plugged away to beat
the Old Harry and was CITE disap-
pointed when such easy questions
were asked. The subject . we are
studying now is drill Regulations"
Some Of the problems are very knotty
and intricate. We get up here at 5;1b
A. NJ. That Is what / can truly call
an early hour. You can see the dew
IN the grass, tho noon shining at its
full. It is the time of morning when
the birds are just commencing to
sing; the faint streaks of dawn COM
ing away to the east; then the sun
comes VI, which creates such pic
turesqpe scenes. 1 firmly believe that
the most interesting scene in all Vir-
GINA is the sky. 1 never saw anything
SO beautiful before. Each day the
sky is of q pretty blue color with
clouds of shining silver. One has to
see It In order to really appreciate
the difference. Please don't think
that I'm becoming a sky dreamer. for
you see, my eyes SO seldom get above
the tent tops Of u camp That to
look at the sky once in a while Is a
great diversion.
Coming down to Richmond from
Petersburg by electric line Z saw SO
many tall and stately pine trees that
the old song, Trail of the Lonesome
Pine" came back to me strongly. We
passed plantations, large and very
digniled looking. The old colonial
mansions are very much in evidence
around here. Some day we are all
going to live In a house of this design.
l love the large, cozy verandas, the
great dignity and aloofness OF a resi-
dence of this kind. In all these homes
n observes service flags, with three,
md onrn affFnae oUan ou tannu a q Ava
stars on them. saw how the peanuts
grow. Just like small tomato plants.
The cornstalks are strikingly tall and
one can see acres and acres OF them
everywhere. Another thing, q North
erner readily feels that he is south of
the Mason-Dixon line. Everywhere
you can see that the color line is
drawn tightly. At the railroad sta
tons there are signs. BLACK"
When in trolley cars the coiored per-
SOL always takes one OF the four rear
seats. / believe there sure would be
a riot IL he should take IL upon him.
self to become comfortable in any
other seat. Young colored lads ga
lore. Husky kids they are. too. Most
of them have jobs Is bootblacks. I
have on my russell boots today and /
had one OF those boys try to shine
men 4AtN 4 QlAG0 Alu AAApOEclOAO
to shine with polish. This lad tried
with all his might. His black eyes
were almost popping out OF his head
in an effort to shine those boots. He
finally threw up the Job. very much
surprised. and then / told him what
the trouble was. 1t surely was fun
for all OF us.
Today is Sunday. The boys grabbed
me as / was half way thru my letter
and took me to a dance. 1t was held
girls are very nice and friendly. Each
who must introduce the soldier be-
dance. Danced for three hours and
had a very enjoyable time. The me
thing / enjoy hearing is the dialect OF
he says 'How-de-do." Many of the
boys OF the school were at the dance,
after which we took a plunge in the
pool and then a stroll around the city.
The capital buildings are very pre-
tentious but cannot be compared fav-
orably with those at Trenton. I may
visit a few historical places today II
we do not decide upon a definite pro-
gram.
One is brought back with a Jolt 10
the seriousness of civil life, that is.
the high cost of living, when on a
spree OF this kind. Supper costs us
ninety-nve cents apiece! You can't
realize, folks. perhaps. how expensive
this life is on a soldiers pay, for the
minute you look at the part that
comes down 20 you Il disappears. One
a -. - 49, q. LnaA IN fhA eE4wa - go