Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-01-03
Ycrc's hoping 50, A & there NH


that's the home town Qfss our
friend the kaiser. stood nn the
spot where the kaiser's old man
was crowned, and hope to stafid
on the spot where The present
kaiser''s crown will be taken from
him -and before another Xmas i
that spot will be. (
l am going to Verdun The first
chance | get. The Germans still
shell this place, but it isl always
about noon. z .s
Well, Dad, there's one thing
more want to tell YOU about
Paris, and that is they have sugar
there. Honest! l had some in
my coffee. You know it's so sell
dom we get sugar. Every time 1
think about it get lump in my
throat.
| guess I'd better close before
you think am trying ito get
smart with you.
am sending you little SOU
venir TO show you l haven't for
gotten you. It's the best can do
This Xmas. No, it isn't that, but
I'm broke.
Lots of love to all, and Merry
Xmas and Happy New Year.
Don't worry about me. Il think
for Xmas dinner we will have tur-
key, but if it is a bean dinner
beans are better than sauerkraut.
Your son, FRANCIS.
Somewhere in France, Dec. 4.
Dear Mother:
DO you remember five#months
ago today, chat was the Fourth of
July, you were in Chicago to see
me? Remember walking, around
to The beach in Lincoln park then
we came back to the pier in a
ship? Nothing slow about us,
was there9 ] only wish you could
go to Paris with me tomorrow at
noon. As long as you can't, I'll
promise to take care of your boy.
saw the article where said
that was not so about the fellows
getting under the engine when the
Huns were Smelling their train.
told you that so you wouldn't
WORRY. told someone else all
about il, so suppose that will be
in there too, then I'd be making
myself out we'll, you know. New
ertheless, il was so, but no one
was hurt, so why should we
worry? If they didn't come over
once in a while we would die for
excitement. There's no human
mind that can picture such
lonesome spot as we are in at the
present time.
One night last week three train
loads of German prisoners went
through here. The French had
captured them the day before, and
in nearly every car there were
many of them crying. They were
only kids.
Among them was an American
no, not an American, but a Ger
man who once lived in America.
He spoke to one of the fellows.
They got to talking and he said
his mother was starving. He also
said the soldiers got it all and
that wasn't much.
According to the paper we get
here, there have been two food
riots in Berlin in the last two
weeks. The French paper stated
that the war would be over by
June.
You would be surprised to see
how many aliens there are in the
German army. In nearly every
bunch they capture you will find
one. The one that was i'm this
particular bunch admitted he
made the greatest mistake of his
life.
Yesterday they started the big
guns TO work, and they have been
rolling ever since. | don't know
whether the FritZies are attacking
or the French, but we will say the
French. No use hanging crepe.
You know, have been wonder
ing, ever since / came here, if
Santa Claus gels this far away,
and sure enough, he does.
l received seven boxes and fiji
teen letters last night, and there
are still sixty-nine sacks of mail
at headquarters. Everything is
fine. | have eaten so much feel
uncomfortable. I'm sure if the
Fritzies could see the fruit cake
have, they would want little
peace. have so much tobacco .
| could start store. | received
the razor Eva sent me, and I'll
say | sure needed it, don't know
how to thank everyone for all Of
this, but if you could see how
tickled | was when ! received it,
you could have told how much I
appreciated it. | received more
than anyone else in camp. Two
h9OS nf mail N,oc fnp Micco,,p;