Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1918-02-28
, ROOKIE WRITES A
LETTER TO MA
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Kamp Johnstong. Fla. Feb 10.
Dear Ma Ge but you must not ex-
pect much of letter from me this
week cause / aint in no condition for
writin to anyone. Oh Ma but l am
some sick little boy and don't care
much whether die or whether don't
for Ma just hurts all over at one
time, but Ma they say CANT have no
fever now but I believe had rather
have the fever than what they give
Inc to keep me from havin it. Well
Ma the other day our Mr.. Capting
lind US mp outside our house and ask
ed as how many had been shot. A
whole lot Of rs what had ben here
but short time said we bad not Ma
how did they expect US to get shot
when We aint never been to battle but
there shore must have been whole
lot of these fellers what have been to
France for there wasn't many of
them that had not been shot Well
Ma l didn't want to get shot just for
the fun Of the thing so after he had
told us to fall out of the line l went
to him told him l didn't want to get
shot If / could help it. Well be just
LATED and said be would see about
that After while he come to us
and said for us to foller him and Ma
believe me IL ever did get cold feet
IL was then hated to think about
You and Pa and the chilluns worryin
about me and he didn't even give us
no chance to write no letter about
havin to get shot. Wei the funeral
procession started off and Ma he
shore did pick out a nice place to
shoot us for he led us to a place
what has a whole lot of houses with
porches leadin from one to the other.
guess that was SO they could role
away them what gets KILLED instead
of just shot and Ma it was right on
the bank Of the river so they could
throw us in If we died. or at least
that was what l thought stood
there outside the buildings and thot
about all the mean things ever done
and Ma begin to wish that hadn't
said that hadn't been shot and the:l
l thought about it that If got killed
I couldn't see all the pretty flowers
what the people would send but ttot
as how the people back home might
build one of them stone monuments
foi me like they did for them fellers
what got shot when Pa was in the
army Well finally he hollered at me,
All right Rookie, you come next
Well my heart got up into my mouth
as l started into that buildin and ]
Dever thought would come out again.
got inside and feller all dressed up
IN white tole me to take off my coat.
l done so and while l was taking it
off asked him if he was the head
shooter and he said yess. Then l ask
ed him where he was goin to shoot
me, and he said in the arm. Well
that didn't sound so bad so l decided
to let her go and l said to him shoot
dock or let them other fellels do so
and he held my arm out and took up a
little thing what had a sharp point to
and before | knowed what he was doin
he jabbed it into my arm and Ma
tried to hit him but he dodged out of
the way. asked him what he meant
stickin pin in me and he said / was
shot so get out of tue way and let an
Other feller get bisn. l LATED at him
cause di1n't hear no gun and but
then my arm commenced to hurt and
felt funny al be tole me to get out
of the way. Well l wen out again an
the Capting told me to go home an
believe me did cause was getting
sick and before long | was shore neff
sick and Ma kinder wished they had
shot me but they say KANT have few
er 80 l guess when I gets all right /
will be all right, The fellers say
toat they don't shoot you sho noff but
that is jnst nickername that they
call it. Anyhow l can say got shot
when | come home and wont no body
no no bettel But will have to close
now, so tell Pa and the chilluns and
everyone elese hello for me. l will |
write again next week. Yore son.
A ROOKIE.