Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-28

o0CktI tC IdilS. 1 ne genuine oOx QGS u fNcu top
With Mr.. Hin's picture. At All Drug Stores.
at my side. I say marched" but he
rather danced the way on his toe tips
and he neve. knew he was on the
earth. la guerre finic, C'etait
Guatre ans, ca est trop dur, nest ce
pas" We heard at eight o'clock in
the morning that the armistice was
signed. Our official celebration came
at night. And it was a night.
Nov. %. 1t is week since 1 have
written word. We have been doing
one night stands and mail has not
been taken. l feel very sorry that l
couldn't get you line as soon as the
war ended. You will be anxious to
know whether | am all right. I am.
We were under orders to move at
800 o'clock that morning (French
time). At $50 the order was can
cclled. We had heard in the morn
ing that the terms were signed. So
we shall come home all right. I'll bet
you did little work on that Monday;
it probably was too much for you.
But you felt better. | know what a
strain it must have been. We felt it;
the nervous pressure Of war is the
most terrible of it's horrors. and the
most universal. YOU get it at home,
though differently.
The war is over. Is it? The fight
ing has ceased-it was the most pc
culiar experience to fail to hear firing
~r 10 1rfh IL. CO.
airplanes flying at night with red and
green side lights and q real head
light. The war has ceased to bring
new troubles upon us, but it is still
on in the sad homes in France and
Britain and America. Oh. the hell
those unciean beasts the other side of
the Rhine loosed against a peaceful
world. Blame not the rulers and big
frogs alone, blame the whole cursed
race, mark them with the brand Of
Cain forever, There may be some
human beings there, there certainly
are millions of men, women, and even
children inhuman in their cruelty
and heartlessncss. They need watch
ing and you may bank Your last dol
lar on the fact that they'll set more
watching than they want. Their
fangs have been drawn, ell see 70 it
they grow no more.
There are all sorts Of rumors as to
our disposition. Some are positive
that we are going at once to the
good old L. S. A. 1t doesn't seem
possible, but very likely We'll be back
before very long time. We may not
know till we are on the boat. But
should we get orders to embark at
any time. I'll write Immediately. And
certainly I'll send telegram the
minute we should arrive. Don't be
in too big a hurry, but | expect to
enjoy Easter in Eassaiboro.
told you lot about the hospital,
didn't |? When | got near the com
pany (reportin; from a Corps ii. a.
DOWN | had a ride in a truck. The
divisi,n was in action. | was told
the band was on detail with the q.
NJ ! walked along beside bunch Of
Heinies who had just been captured.
Then ! got to the band. Wasn't
glad to see the boys again. There
are lot who arc my sort and | have
many warm friends. You can't i'm
"Rolhns," or "I'renchy" or Here.
what does mean. What does he
(she) say etc, etc. 1t may be a
key or 4 room or des oeufs, or a
thousand and one things. We Che
band) became Stevedores. Supplies
were to be sent forward, we loaded
the trucks. Supplies came in. we
packed. on our long since hardened
backs. four bushel sacks of oats,
bales OF hay. boxes of every imagi
nahle size, shape and character. all
the menage of Uncle Sans fighting
force. Then truck ride to the battle
ground" We We're moved around
when the division was relieved. And
after a few days we were sent for.
Yes, a message from far Ghostly
Powers That BE. AT last We were to
be bandsmen again. We played con-
certS twice a day, rehearSed three
times and filed in the interim be-
tween drinks by doing individual
practice. Really it was not SO bad,
but we were rather busy.
Iater--We have been bandsmen
ever since. At our first billet Rosie
res (please don't leave out any Syl-
lables) the condemned town, we wad-
ed in mud. lived in a barn. not a nice.
clean barn either. wore CD our gas
masks constantly CD and were COM
Portable when we were asleep. We
had TO stand privations, drill at 500
A. NJ. rehearse two houEs, hike from
two to five kilometers and play two or
three concerts. 1t was three times
the work ordinary soldiers were do
ing and at least twice what We could
do and do we'll We had no spare
time. Then we moved to Esize, St.
Dezier, the hilltop burg. Our occu-
pations there were keeping warm and
trying to play the Star Spangled
Banner with our fingers stiff from
the cold and our teeth chattering
time to the tune. Then Gery-our
ills there included billet big as Rob-
in, Hoods barn and as unbeatable
cold, damp, windows that lacked glass
and frames. When there we were not
comfortable even when We were
asleep Also we made a days excur-
sion 10 Salmagne--up hill both
ways: I'll swear it was! At least 20
kilometers did we drag our weary
bones and sore feet over those hill
tops. then we played two concerts to