The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-15
Whaf Our
Lads Write
Dying Men Glad.

one peculiar thing about the world
war Is pointed out by John s. Lane
OF the supply company, quartermas-
ters corps, No. 30S, now in France
IN letter addressed to his mother.
MRS. Clarence E. Lane, 800 Carroll
street. This is that even the diving
seem to rejoice in the war and wish
they could get well enough to do
more fighting.
The French were very down-heart-
ca when we landed here, but since
the Yanks have done such good work
they are getting the fever and fight
Ing like they never did before" is
part of his news.
His letter follows:
We'll mother, you know the Yanks
are IN 1t for fair now and everything
indicates a victory for us, but God
alone knows of the cost 1t seems
| terrible to gloat over victory when
person really knows of the suffer
Ing and death that It takes to win it
or even to lose it which Is greater.
One has to be in it or near enough
to see the effects of 1t to really know
what it is. A peculiar thing is that
even the dying seem to rejoice in it
and only wish they could get we'll to
do the same thing over again. l have
seen men who retarded their recovery
by fretting because they were afraid
they would never get back into action
again.
II haven't heard from Tom Stack
since my last letter, ,but he was in
poor shape. Ewing was pretty well
banged up, too, but Tom suffered the
worst. | am safe for while and
from all indications unless the unex-
pected turns up will not be in any
great danger. My line of work doesn't
call for any fighting, but I have to
see that the fighters get plenty to
eat and wear, and believe me it is
some job. l would rather take my
chances with the gun any time. In
fact we boys just itch to get rife
| in our hands and get in the line.
| 1--WE celebrated the Fourth quite
differently from any ever saw, also
the 14th which Is the French 4th.
Cannon roared and aeroplanes bomb
ed in the sky so we didn't lack fire.
works. The French were very much
down-hearted when we landed here,
but since the Yanks have done such
good work they are getting the fever
and fighting as they never did before.
They treat us fine and we get along
as though we had known each other
all our lives. Austin was with me for
three days. / came in to dinner and
saw him standing by the shack and
l was so surprised l almost fell over.
and l hated to see him leave. He
an 20
soldier"
In letter to his sister, Miss Esther
Lane, dated July 23rd he writes:
1--WE are surely having great times
over here now. Everybody is up and
going and the Huns are beginning to
think that hell has been II ID loose
and 1t sure has Every day is 4th OF
July for the Yanks now and will be
until somebody gets whipped or ex
terminated The French and Ameri
cans are fighting side by side and
are sure making things hum.
81 like the country well enough, but
give me the U. S. A. any time.
at gets pretty hot here IN the day
time, but is cool nights. The flies are
pretty bad and torment the life out
of a fellow. I met lad one day last
week from home. His name was
Horne l do not know what his first
name is. We were all busy and into
it up to our neck so didn't have muct
of a chat with him. Do you know
anyone by that name?
81 see thousands of soldiers ever!
week but do not get chance to in
iouire where they are from. Haven
heard how Stack Is making 1t, bu
know he had quite time of it. viii
B. sure had quite write up. dfdn'
know he was in the army. Well,
must close"