The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-11-15


rifle. do not know whether hit him
was pleased to learn that you are
getting a lot of mail from Owen, be-
cause in this long lapse of time tat
YOU will not hear from me you will
that I took a shot at him with my
at least hear from him, which will
help to keep you cheerful. l have \
letter written to Owen in my posses
sion now but am unable to mail it,
the same as yours. I am going to
write him again in few days. That
was fine of him 10 send you that pill
low top. was glad to see that Blue
Earth county went dry. 1t will not
be long before the state is dry. and
then nation wide prohibition. have
taken the liberty to mention one of
the battles we were in, and as |
think it will not be cut out by the
censor, I am going to mention some
of the places we visited.
We landed in this country at Brest
and from there we entrained to Ii
bourne. We Detained here and
went in trucks to st. Pardon where
Battery C was located for some time.
Then we camped for some time near
Bordeaux. and from there we went to
the front. I am sitting on my bunk
writing and every now and then a
trench rat Ca trife larger than our
mice there) will sick his little head
out of one of the r numerous holes
in the ground and look at me with
his little black EYES. Sometimes he
gets so friendly thlt he will come up
slowly toward me then when I look
at him he scurrie' back to his hole.
When he thinks lam not looking he
will come out of me of the holes in
the side of the trnch and hurry to
another one undo the head of my
bunk. do not ore just so he does
not get too familir some night and
chew my ear off. The coolies too are
very dear friendsof mine, but l like
them better whenthey are about five
miles away. nd few of them
once, but about three weeks ago
when we got to ! place where such
thing was possible, l took a bath
in a bucket of old water, (atmos-
|
! clean underwear They stick in the
seams of ones underwear, so that
afternoon I was On cootie hunt in
nv soiled undrwear. Up here a
fellow is lucky ithe can take off his
outer clothes Qt alone his under
wear) once in typ weeks, and bath
once month isl luxury. Four p. m.
Just finished mydinner. We break
fast any time fron 700 to 1000 and
dinner from 1: t $3.50. If fellow is
not around whel they dish it up he
is out of luck til It's all, so he has to
keep his eyes I'D ears open during
those hours. Ittakes quite while
for mail to com to me from Owen.
Received a lett from him on Sep
TENDER 4th, an expected letter
from him in til, last mail sure but
was disappointe, I can imagine how
he would like tbe over here, but he
does not realiEehe nice place he has
down there gurding the canal. He
would soon fildout after being up at
+ieo s----t fora lo.inla of waeLS- 10 :
ceived nictEtter from Miss Bluhm,
st. Louis. Sc wrote "You are some
: where in Ftnce and i am in No
, mans and, d there is not man to
; be fould he now days.. She also
mentided bout receiving a letter
, from Ter brther, Lieutenent A. B.
;. ;. Bluhm i'm VII ch he wrote of not hav-
= ing ha his dothes and not even his
= shoes nd Stockings off for six days.
. She vote h m that she would not
:, want be aDund when he took off
y, his sh,s. o. course we have gas
y masksver here for such occasions.
:, I CUES / will never get chance to
e see Eiand, as I thought l would.
: There, no such thing as furloughs
=, for African soldiers in this country,
~ and aioon as the war is over, we
=. will abe only too glad of the chance
- to gethck to the dear old U. S. A.
. Yes, lways remember all of you in
~ my de petitions to our Heavenly
Fatheasking Him to keep you free
: from row and worry, so you dear
~ ones your part by maintaining a
~ happAnd cheerful aspect during
~ theseiing times. l know how hari
- it is tyou to wait so long before
- you r from ME, especially now
II II whenam in a little more danger
" Gus fl of this war, but do not let
II, your inds be troubled, put all of
~ your st in God, and everything will
-. be fGe best
a. d. Bullking of trouble and danger
= is loig on the dark side of life,
III somag we very seldom do up here
'wheNerything goes on with a song
~ and beer. We are all looking for
lln ward that great day when we can
~, ~. set fon the soil of the dear old
tie .... -;.,, ~
-. of Cicters in the army, but with
on my in God I fear no evil, and
ny as wrote in your letter, another
~ hinhat helps a great deal is,
'ui "WlTould father and mother say?"
~. my diary up to date, and as
i. you it will be nice thing to look
ny CveIen get home, both for you
We folkh myself.
'us Al perfect health and it pleas
us US ed rery much to learn that you
w folklore all enjoying the same
ie bles; I hope and pray that you
,,u will tinue so for some time.
eW Wove and prayers for you all,
't ~ amur loving son and brother,
" Mer&
80 DdMother and All: Haven't
do writyou for some time, so I pre-
nc; sumbetter get busy before you
1uu thinIam knocked off, as it is, /
30