Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-11-05
LETTER FROM c. II. INGRAHAM

Charles I'll. Ingraham writes from
France under date of Oct. 1st:
Am still up here at the
saw mill, where I have been wosk-
ing with the boys. Last Saturday
l took my organ and music. climbed
on lumber wagon, and went up to
camp one mile from here. where
the boys are all negroes except the
officers. We had a vaudeville show
that night and Sunday morning at
1920, held service and talked
to them about 20 minutes. Got one
OF the sergeants to do the PRAYING
for US. 1t rained all day Sunday so
| sat around with the Junior officers
and visited, but took time to try out
some OF the coons on buck and wing
dancing. We had a fine dinner at
noon, of chicken, with vegetables,
two kinds of cake and all sorts of
good things. / left my folding or
gan for the boys to play on until
the next morning and | came back
to the mill about 4 o'clock.
Last night the colored fellows
came down and gave an entertain
ment for the mill boys.
This morning Mr.. Powell and I
were invited over to Capt. Hag-
CARDS tent for breakfast and we
had fried chicken, baking powder
biscuits with gravy, and good coffee.
There is certainly dandy bunch of
men and officers here and hate to
move, but | must get back to nv
headquarters, then on to another
camp.
| took fine walk few mornings
ago with Capt. Haggard, and we
visited several peasants homes,
where he was treating some sick
members of the family-they all in
sisted that we eat, but we declined
until the last place, where we had
bread, homemade cheese, and
bottle of red wine, warmed by put
ting in one-third of a glass of hot
water and then sweetened a little
it is just grape juice and real good.
The cheese is round, about two
inches thick and inches across and
very delicious the lady gave us two
cheeses when we left, so we have
had them every meal since.
Every Tuesday some Frenchman
comes to the Y hut with a movie
machine and gives a free entertain
lnent. Tonight while the show was
on the saw mill stopped fand we
heard shooting-it was only a Boche
plane floating around and the anti
aircraft guns shooting at it. How
ever it was soon over and the show
went on.
This morning two French women
came into the Y hut and said at the
postoffice in a little town near here
it was posted that Bulgaria has
thrown down her arms and asked
for peace on the Allies terms. so
there is lots of good feeling here to-
night as everybody thinks it is the
beginning of the end. 1t is now
evening of Oct. 3rd.
! didn't get time to post my let
ter as was too busy. Yesterday
they sent for me to go to another
place to take charge of hut. This
town is about % kilometers from
my headquarters town and about
four times as big. Just got here
today and will sleep in the hut to-
night. There is a fine new brick
building being built here in which
the are to have quarters. The
electrician was in today to ask me
about wiring for lights.
There is a great field here for
amusement activities which I will
start as soon as I get Strengthened
around.
For one thing they have Just or
gained new band and [ can HELM
them in this way. bought a cor
net for one of the coons up at the
mill and am going to buy guitar
next week for another one.
The ride up here was beautiful
and the roads are fine have been
running Ford and it maks me feel
at home. Have nice iron cot with
a mattress and my blankets are on.
and it looks pretty good to me. /
WiolI IHCJ WOuIu lCL Tue stay around
here most of the winter.
The weather seems to be about
like Wisconsin, so far. A good deal
of rain in September and it has be-
gun to frost.
Otober 4 in the morning.
Last night at this point, we heard
someone yell to put out the lights.
so we all ducked for the safety
trenches, but nothing happened, ex-
cept the barrage fire made by the
anti-aircraft guns. We came bach
and got to bed, when we had an
other call, then got to bed and slept
fine.
The new band here hasn't any
American music, so I am going
down to my headquarters tomorrow
and get seven band arrangements
for songs that l brought from New
York.
Write to A. P. 0. 1872, Y. M. C. A.