Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-10-08
OUR BOYS
-. in
OUR CouNTRY'S SERVICE

The following letter from Private
Cecil A. Rollins. Colby college. II, to
his mother. Mrs. Merton A. Rollins Of
Vassalboro, says in part:
Somewhere in France.
Dear Mother:
We are in a quiet sector. I am
sitting on a wooded hilltop. beeches
and gray naples streaking the green
with delightful shade. above-a
cloudless sky. delicate blue. edged
with pinkish lacings,-the sun shafts
piercing the leaf canopy and in
comradeship with the light breeze
bringing the needed touch Of life and
warmth. Below and before me
fairy like-lies a picture of peace; an
open area of farming country. some
portions fresh opened by the pillow, a
few scattered spaces. golden-broWn
with the heads Of ripe grain. but pre-
dominant the dark green Of second
crop grass; beyond and slightly to the
left, a fair sized village half hidden
among it's towering trees, red-tiled
roofs and white walls sharply out
lined on the leafy background. In
the heart Of the village is the inevi-
table church, beautiful building
with a tall spire raising its needle
like head to the blue. Then beyond
the village and above it a far away
range Of quiet mountains blends the
dim blue vapors which hover about
their massive figures with the green
of the village, tree borders below and
the pink sky lacing above. Just at
this moment there is not a sound save
the whispering Of the breeze to the
tree tops, but-a second ago to our
right the shells Of the Germans were
splitting the air with their shrieking
and the thunder of their explosives.
Here and there over the face OF the
grassy acres stretch unsightly pat
ches of irregular depressions. shell
craters In the woods many proud
forest king lies fiat upon the earth or
leans broken on his companions.
mangled and torn by the flying shrap-
mel. Even the church has its mark OF
battle, for one Of the columns is shorn
Of it's crest, a good six feet OF its
length blown away by hurting mes
senger of Iron War. These things do
not look like peace.
1 don't think l am in great danger;
so far it has hardly seemed like war.
But there are these reminders.
Things are looking fine; everyone ex-
poets to be back to celebrate next
Fourth in the Good Old U. S. A."
Now I'll descend to common things.
That description was bit of spout
ing" but it is a very pretty scene
certainly.
We have trouble with our electric
light, as the Frenchman says ia lum-
iere ne marche pas" Queer way OF
saying it! 1t takes me quite While
to write a letter. l have to twirl my
beautiful auburn mustache once IN
ten minutes at most. then l must foot
a bit on my piccalo. By the way am
picking up lot of new ragtlme
things and songs by ear My roper
toire is now of considerable length
and variety from "Miserere" to Dix
ie." from There's a Long. Long
Trail" to ooh. Johnny" Well. I'll
adjourn to my other letter. You
know the absent proverb. Well, 1t
works, Bah George" A barrage OF
good wishes and love.
e0'N CECIL.
In another letter to friend he
says:
Dear o.
You would perhaps like to hear my
side Of things. I am a doughooy OF
Pershing's army over the seas. Could
7 be more explicit? After our bunch
was allotted to the various canton
ments, certain units which had been
waiting for US to fill up the ranks at
once packed up and crossed to
France. So it happens that I have
seen more soldering to the square
inch in four months than many IN
wear. 1t is not 50 bad yet and ran
CIV we'll not reach the depth OF horror
experienced by some Of our confreres.
French. British and Belgians. They
went to the bottom OF the Pit, rec
kon. and knew all it's black turns.
America is wonderfully fortunate in
coming in now and in staying out till
now. We have been in the battle
areas for some time. although in
ouiet sector. "C,est bien tranquille,
saw the French. q have exhausted
them and myself with my French. y,
I get along pretty we'll now-in fact'
I have been serving as interpreter
for our platoon. The job rather
staepers me. but when there's no bet
ter 1 can manage with patience ana
gestures as allies) Our baptism OF
fire has not been very impressive. but
T realize that we shall have our work
TO do. The Germans are not "feen-
ish" yet, although there are almost
countless .fte in the storm cloud OF
Shrecklichkeit" l gather
nv information from the papers.
Doubtless you have noticed the same
siens of weakness in the ranks OF the
Huns. 1. His reserves are almost
eone-he can give little rest to battle
worn division. and is using units
from other sectors than the ones at
tackled. 2. He is shortening bis line
giving up highly important ground
without a struggle, notably in the
Flanders region. 3. The resistance
mower Of the rank and file Of the SOL
diers seem to be amazingly weakened.
The grea. number OF prisoners taken.
especially the 6isproportionate ex-
cess Of cannon in comparison with
the gun prisoner ratio Of other re-
treats, etc.,-all show the speed Of the |
advance and the po"r defense. 4.
rLo IIindonhiirz line is riercoi with