The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-09
From Wednesdays Daily.


parents and All: / hope you have
not been worried since you haven't
heard from me for such a long
thing is as lovely as can be. OF
course / have seen quite bit OF
hardship since / last wrote you, but
now We are having rest. We sure
handed the Germans an awful dish
this time it being known all over
France" and also at home. l can't
describe it in this letter but you will
see it by our papers at home. l
have so much to write about this
time but am sorry to say that 1t
would not reach you as I'm not al
lowed to write all / know. i have
about a dozen letters to answer
from you but you see / destroyed
them all before this stunt was pull
ed off, as l didn't want to carry any
mail matter into the front line.
l am sending you lapel off a
boche prisoner for little souvenir.
/ wish to have you mention it in
your next letter whether you receive
it or not. / could send you quite a
few things taken from the Huns but
they are too large to send. l may
have the chance to bring home a
complete boche for a souvenir, but
it wouldn't be live one though. On
almost all the boches you will find
a belt worn by them with buckle
which reads (Gott Mitt Uns). in
our language that means (God is
with us). But I'm here to say that
they are mistaken. OF course they
have been taught to believe that so
much that they can't be told any
thing different The prisoners say
that the war will not last any longer
than fall as they are having hard
time to find something to eat. But
they claim they have plenty of am
munition over there None of the
Germans wanted to go back to
Germany. A priest was asked if he
wanted to go back and he said NO
SO | guess the soldiers and the
ruler doesn't agree very well.
Now as l destroyed those other
letters l will only try to answer this
one. I haven't heard nor seen any
thing of Brother Bert, but am pretty
sure he is all o. X. / may hear from
him though before SO very long. l
am glad to hear that you are all in
the best of health. l hope it con-
tinues so right along.
/ am sending you a paper which
you will find some good news on
the front page, as l think the censor
will let it by. AS l have other letters
to write l will have to check up on
this one soon. | have said about all
that / can and by this letter you
know that everything is all o. K.
with me. You can look for letter
from me again soon. But please
don't worry if you don't happen to
hear from me regular as you know
conditions won't allow us to write,
and again paper isn't always avail
able, so you see it is not all my
fault. Whenever there is a long
interval between letters you will
know that l am at the front.
/ met Edward Berg over here and
was surprised to see him. He is the
second Kato boy l have seen. He
said he had not written home for
some time so l will give you his
address so that any one who wishes
to write him can. Private Edward
Berg, Eighty seventh company, Sec
ond Battalion, Fifth Marines, A. E.
F., France.
Hoping these lines find you all in
the best of health and not worrying
too much about us lover there" l
am, Your loving son and brother,
Corporal Henry B. Wigen, company
G, Ninth Infantry, A. E. F., France.
Cermont Ferraud, Province of Puy-
de dome, France, July 10, 191S.-Mr.
William Bohrer. Dear Friend Bill:
Hello Bill. No l am not dead yet,
but / might just as well be for all
the letters 1 write. 1 have a few
minutes time SO l thought / had bet
ter write and let you know am
still in the game.
You can see where I am at, and
if you care to look it up you will
find / am not far from some of the
people that the firm knows. Mr.
Hatcher has asked me to call on this
party several times, but l haven't
had the time yet. They keep me
busy frying fish" as we call them.
am going to send you an A. E.
F. newspaper. 1t will probably in
boys in the shop. 1t is printed by
the soldiers and sure shows the
spirit of everyone.
Next month will make me a year
in country, and I'll tell you l am
getting to be some Frenchman l
suppose you get all the war news,
well, you surely will in this
paper and the way the boys take it.
We sure have scrappy bunch
1 have not heard from Bert Gluck
for quite spell, he is right in the
middle of it and probably don't get
time to write much. Just like us
fellows in the S. o. s., l must write
Mr.. Hatcher soon as l think l re-
ceived his last letter some time ago.
Did you hear that M. S. E. Harry
Deitz was married? Well if you
didn't / will tell you. He married
girl in Dayton, Ohio, and is, still
there.
1 don't see why / don't run onto
some of the fellows know. have
not met anyone yet that l knew in
civil life. / am getting along fine
and never was in better health.
Tomorrow is pay day and you can
believe me this is happy bunch
arotnd here tonight. / suppose the
old gang around the shop has nearly
all gone. Tell Charley and Jim he'll
10 for me and that / expect to see
them a year from this Christmas.