Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-10-10
From Joe H. Smith

Ulle MITIOT. ! VIII Wy w "iAVS
few lines, for l would be los
without the paper. ! would have
written sooner, but Iowa has
moved down, here, and | thought
I would see how many there are
of them. About 10000 came.
] had a good time coming
down. We had some time al
Mountain Grove. One of our men
fell off the train; so we got in
miles of Cabool. A man named
Chas. Salts said: Let US stop
the train and go after him." SO
the conductor said: He can
come on the next train," bpt
Salts said to stop and we went
back, met him and came on to
Cabool. There were no sleepers
there. Our next stop was West
Plains hot much there and at
Thayer. We made it O. K. until
we got to Hoxie, Ark. l was on
the rear car and the conductor
was in the cab. | think the con.
ductor and fireman shook hands.
The road wasn't straight all the
way. Newport was the next
place-we stopped there an hour
and saw 100000 acres of cotton
There were frogs on the track.
We could not make any time, got
to Little Rock at 8:2O a. m, and all
of US got off there when the train
stopped, but Il soldier said, Get
back in your car" so we did. He
fed us. We came on to Camp
Pike, and | am here
When we arrived it was rain
ing. We came to a house and our
lieutenant said, Boys, this is
your home" lacked a day hay
ing it Il month. Every time |
look ut it it makes me homesick
to go back to it, for there were
some shade trees by it. | have
done nothing for a week but eat.
I feel 1000 better. [ am II or II
pounds heavier than / was. Tn.
Gle Sam feeds US well. l have
eaten beef and spuds till ! do not
want to look at them. We do not
get chicken here, but have fish
once every 3 days fora change.
| am up at the Y. M. G. A. Most
of the boys | came with are gone.
They called $ special men two
weeks ago. was turned down,
but we don't know when we will
go till the lieutenant tells us to
pack our bed. / may be gone by
the time this letter reaches you,
but my mail will follow. This
camp has 10000 soldiers, and is
8 miles square. The negroes
make pretty soldiers. On a hike,
they sing all the time. | have
been On guard last night and all
day, so l think I will go to bed.
We had a good rain yesterday,
the first in 8 weeks. That is a
nice job, to be police. They won't
let me carry a gun. Some more
Iowa boys have come in, and
some more negroes. 80 we do not
get lonesome, for there is toe
much going on. Que boy here
weighs 265 pounds. 1900 mel
just passed-some boys. One Of
my Wright county friends wen,
over to take out4his insurance
and after he signed UP for $40,
600. a big auto truck ran ovel
him and broke his leg in 3 places
it sure was too bad. Lieut.
Clifton Robinett is 2 miles from
me. | haven't seen him yet.
am in speaking distance of Geo
Gaskill.
| wonder when old Kaiser Bill
Will stop this ruthless slaughter
OF German lads there at the front,
Who wade in blood and water.
1t seems to me he ought to know
That when the Yanks get over there
Five million strong and mad as n
He'll have no show'on earth, sir.
For Uncle Sam has got the dough-,
The Yanks have got the gizzard
! To go where Pershing tells chem to,
If it's to face a blizzaod.
;, And If he says, ego DER the top"
You'd better hunt your hole, Bill,
:, And stay in it till they have passed
. Then crowd still further in, Bill.
Send the paper. ] received
letter from. brother John, sayin'
. he came to Grovespring and wa
married and was going to Franc
this week. Hello to everybody
Yours truly, Joe Fl. Smith.