The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-02-06
RARE HORSEBACK FEATS.
Were Being Performed By the Boys
Training at Leon Springs, Tex

From their son, Earle h. Williams
who is in the officers training camp a
Leon Springs, Tex, Mr. and Mrs. i
A. Williams have received an interesting
letter, extracts from which are given al
follows:
Here | am in Texas, away down by
the Rio Grande. 1t seems so strange and
| can hardly make myself believe that
/ am so far away, yet ! know i must
be so. Am feeling fine and ike the
country very, very much. Although it is
! far from fun down here, the days are
very pleasant, not too warm, and the
nights as cold as can be. We reached
here Sunday afternoon, after travelling
| four days and nights.
There are to be 400 men in this camp,
with 100 men in company. and this
week is to be simply period OF ex-
tensive training in everything, telephone,
telegraph wig -wag, semaphore, motor
cycle, motor trucks. touring cars, horse
manship, aviation, trench work. In fact,
everything which is needed in war, in
be? They are the picked men from
havs a wonderful crowd of fellows here
for the camp, but why shouldn't they
be? TIL eyare the picked men from
every company in the L. s. and are nat
urally the best men. In fact they are
the cream of Americas manhood already
in the service.
Jan. 81, 1918.
This is the first chance have had to
write in two weeks. We have been ter
ribly busy all the week from a. m.
till $3.50 p. m every day ! got by
11nt la., 4
had an exam. in French during the mid
die of the week and passed that, SO that
| am to act as an instructor in French
when the French class starts. Had one
exam. last night which | passed 0. X,
and had three to-day, all of which
seemed easy to me. Some of them said
they were hard, but 7 couldn't see it
that way
Am feeling fine, except for being lame
from riding horse bareback, which is
part of our training, and some of the
horses sure do have hard backs. Yes
terday ! had PAGER and we had to
ride kneeling on their backs, and it sure
was fun with this PAGER, for there We're
no jounces at all, and l just let her go |
as fast as she wanted to. We also have |
to ride with one hand hanging onto the |
name, and the other touching the front |
hoof of the horse, with one leg clinging
to the back and one to the stomach. 1t |
seems impossible, but it isn't, but it is
mighty hard work just the same.
There is fellow here who graduated |
from Dartmouth in 1918, so he was there
A year while | was there, and we had
some great chats together. Twenty
FIVE fellows came from Camp jackson
with me
Jan. 2S.
just line to-day to tell you that
am o. X, working harder and harder
every day, but feeling O. X. Went to
San Antonio Saturday p. m. just to
Keep my mind off my studies for few
minutes.
The Red Cross bundle came day before
and the other bundle sent TO
amp Jackson. came the same day, and
hey all came in handy, for ''norther"
struck here Sunday noon, and it Is cold
odd, cold. ! have the wristlets on and
ent one pair 10 another below. but am
yoing to keep both pair; also have one
,air OF the socks, and they are certainly
warm. Everything is going on fine, and
IN getting along all right. Haven't
ime for any more tonight. All your
etters have come and will answer them ,
When | have time. Lots of love. Earle.