Arizona republican., 1918-01-06

A gentleman who is stopping in
 the valley and who became
 Sammy Backer'' has lately received
 a letter from his Sammy. The eN-
 pression of gratitude it conveys re-
 pays him for the trouble and expense
 of accepting the position of Sammy Backer. Referring to letters he had
 received from the gentleman. the sol dier Somewhere in France" says:
 q was certainly very much sur
 prised, as well as greatly pleased
 when I read your letter in which you told me of the many things you had sent me, but felt rather ashamed when I read a copy of my letter of September and fully realized that
 had virtually asked for. so much.
 I also felt no little concern when l
 realized that through my seeming
 negligence in answering your letter
 l did not appreciate your offer re
 sulting in your asking for the name
 of second Sammy. It occurred tC
 me that if he should be as full of
 wants as I was it would be more or
 less a burdeH or an imposition or
 good nature.
 T do not believe I can express my
 gratitude for your kindness and con
 sideration, and when the things all
 came in today, photograph and all. had you seen me smoking one of
 those excellent cigars and looking at all the other presents with as much delight and enthusiasm as l did on Christmas morning when I was a boy, looking into my stocking to see what SaLta had brought me l then you would have been able to see what I am now unable to ex- plain, just how great my apprecia- tion was.
 Through experience I have learned how much happier one is in sivins when one knows that the gift is | really appreciated. For that reasol. | I am going to tell you why a Sammy l Backer is such a Godsend to me. h | the first place. my father. if he | survives to December 26, will have | reached the age of S7 years, and being of very moderate circum- stances, of course, I would not ask
 my people to. send me things l might need ever so bad. As you know, q,
 soldiers salary is but s33 per month, and having a wife aI.d son, of course. Il I allot that to them and make q | few dollars additional each month l. doing the regimental tailor work
 after hours and nights, whenever III get a chance. This added to my small salary allows me to send them HI enough to exist on, but of course
 does lot leave them anything to send
 me, tobacco, etc. In fact, it is quito H difficult for them to get along, I an sure. However, my little girl is American enough to do her bit anC make the best of things, and is. am sure, very glad that the fathel of our dear little son is doing what he can for so just a cause. And could I but tell you in this lette | what I should like to tell you, | could surprise you, for the peopl, at home do not realize fully jus how necessary it is that Prussiarfsn be stamped out for humanity's sake If they did, the draft law woul, never have been passed: it would not have been necessary
 H The Sammy at this point, with hi family in mind, makes inquiry abou the extra compensation law which III he understands, provides an extr III S32.50 for a wife and child who ar | dependent upon soldier. The Samm, | Backer is requested, if there is sucl a law, and it is in effect, to assis the wife of the Sammy in securinl III the benefit of it. He adds, 70 course I know that if the law is il HI effect she will sooner or later ge HI it, but things of this kind nov H slowly, and this winter is when sh III will need it most. I do not want [ be a burden to you in asking you | III spend so much time on me, but III you can do this without greatly in u cohveniencing you it would be grea. HI ly appreciated by me"
 HI After writing of many other mat H ters the Sammy discloses that he Ina good taste in reading matters, fo II he writes: 'If you are a subscribe III to the Literary Digest. Currer HI Events, or other good magazines. yo might occasionally mail me one aftt II you are through with it. It woul HI help to keep up with the happenins II of the world, for outside our sma HI sphere we know very little and or HI want sto keep up with the importar HI things.
 HI Again thanking you from ti | bottom of my heart for your kint HI ness and an. interest in your Hi HI known Sammy, and assuring yc HI that I will strive to do my duty ar HI conduct myself in such a way as deserve the consideration shown m II I'll ask you to remember me in vol III prayers. Wishing you and yours HI very merry Christmas and a hapT New Year, I beg to remain al HI hope to be worth of being