Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-09-11
OUR BOYS
OUR CQUNTRY'S SERVICE

Two sons Of the late Rev Robert
Peacock, DR.. Harold l.. Peacock, now
Lieut.. leacock in ID. r. c.. Base Hos
pital No. and Private Robert Pea
cock, 9th Machine Gune Battalion,
4. +. F., have recently written home
to their sister, Mrs. Seth a. Moulton
of Portland, who is now visiting on
Riverside Drive, Augusta, as follows:
From II. J.. Peacock. LIST Lieut..
d. r. c., Base Hospital No. Z, A. Z.
r.
Aug. ], 1918.
Dear Sister Ep:
| hardly know how to start to write
you. for l want to tell you as much
write. However, | am sitting in my
room which | share with Lieut.. III. NJ.
Goodwin, in one of two buildings that
make up officers quarters in our hos
pital. The room is 12x14x10 and is
very comfortable. We arrived here
the afternoon Of the Goth, hot, hun
CRY and tired, as we had been on the
train, five in compartment for long
hours. We were overjoyed to find
that we could take a shower and
looked like snow man with suds FOR
minutes and believe there are layers
undcr vet.
For the ending of this page may
wish you n very happy birthday to-
morrow.
] guess | gave IN account Of our
stay at our original camp, and so will
start With the second lap. the hap
penings following our orders to move
inland And between times do YOU
remember at Melton how YOU and
used to spend pleasant evenings TAX
ing our big book and using our
imagination. You asked me to write
of our surroundings and I'll try to
give You the trip telling as much as
can. What word would YOU use to
describe the above in case Of actual
happening. say in pearl time and
having some money. Guess You'll get
my thought anyway. Possibly later
we may be able to tell Of cur where
ahouts, but | won't write the name Of
tho place until ! am sure.
Now | go back to the day we left
on our second lap. ] was down to
tho barracks with a detail Of 20 men
TO get 4 cart Of water, as I told YOU
VIC had to carry it for every purpose.
Another officer told me our orders
had como so wo hustled back to
camp. We aired and packed our
bedding rolls hand baggage, filled
our canteens and parked our haver
sacks and turned in under the stars
about 10. We arose at $50 stiff and
chilled to cat bacon, bread and cCf-
fee and didn't it taste good. Camp
was broken and soon we were off fol
tho train.
have said it took these people to
make me feel, am l sympathetic TO q
degree of unrciability, do | under
estimate the avarice OF people every
where" Judge for yourself in the
| following: There was clear sky
wonderful stars and waning moon
! light. 1t was Just a few minutes be
! fore dawn. We rose in the stiffness
of the country. A few yards away a
camp fire was burning. Around il
! stood men and officers, silhouetted
! against the background of sky Soor
/ clatter and command swelled our lii
! tie village and we took our PAGES in
I line for breakfast.
| :. face looked into mine. a thought
came to me. Madonna, She was a
| child, a French orphan Of possibly
II. She stood with two other girls
and boy of like age. forward of two
named; waiting for d'argent fol-
| crusts, for coffee and for the rem
nants left after breaking camp
! She had lost her father and works in
! a store for III hours a day. Sunday
| 5. for S1.O0. francs a week. I gave
! her a measly franc and believe
came nearer to the teachings of my
youth than all my church con-
tributions put together. | had a
couple of cakes of chocolate in my
knapsack and | took her aside and
! shared one between herself and the
! other girl. while they chartered wild
i ly, evidently afraid to be away from
! their vigil They had been there
! since midnight and had sung for the
boys, who had given them little
purse. 1t was q lesson. picture for
an artist, a subject for any writer
A mere happening. (Gave the kid a
! franc for Alf) We arrived at the
train, entrained after having gulped
hot coffee and ffapjacks fried in
overworked fat. and eaten with
! Karo- Good. we'll I guess, as
| our camp diet on our field stores had
been limited.
We were fortunate in getting some
good cars, travelling first class FIVE to
q section.
The country is hilly, with fire.
quent streams. but we saw but few
large ones. AS I've said the houses
are of stone. often with leanto struc-
lures adjoining with thatch roofs,
evidently as barns. The exterior
looks neat as a rule. though from
casual observation I can't say that
applies so much to the inside. AS
the train passed through cuts. high
on the banks above us would be
children. women holding children by
the hand. crying vive Amerique.
good bye. Ae we passed fields under
cultivation. women, old men and chill
dren would stop with hats off to
wave. while some ambitious urchin
would scramble UP the bank. CRYING
L for ci0