New Britain herald., 1918-09-13
WAR WILL END SOON
 ROBERTS DECLARES PlaiDVille Soldier in Hospital Re-
 covering From Hun Gas ALL THE BOYS HAPPY

They Felt Satisfied at Seeing Boche
 Hit the Trail for Berlin-Coal Econ Called.
 Leon Roberts, who is in France with the American Expeditionary force, has written several letters to his mother, who lives on East street. The keynote of his letters is that the war will soon be over. He says, We will be back home soon, and I am going to stay. No more war for me-" The letters in part follow:
 Dear Mother:
 As l have a few spare minutes I will try and write, as l have not writ ten for some time. Paper is very scarce and I had to beg this. I am feeling pretty good lately. I suppose you have heard all about us and the big battle by this time. We sure did give them hell while 1t lasted, can tell you. but some of the poor boys will never be the same again and some will never go back
 Well, mother, the war will be over this year and we won't be long getting back home, and believe me l sure am going to stay. No more war for me. Let somebody else do little. There are lots of them over here but they are not doing anything yet. This war will be over before they get started. 1 hope l can gets lots of paper soon so 1 can write to everyone to whom I owe letters. It will take me a week to catch up. Well, I'll close for this time as I have no more paper.
 LEON" Dear Mother:-
 T hve lots of time to write to you now as l am in the hospital and I feel a lot better now than I did when l came in here. Believe me, it seems good to have a bed and to eat three | times a day. l sure am resting up for I was all in when l got here. The train I came in on had 500 other boys so I am not alone here. There are six | other boys from the company here but none from Plainville. l don't know l what hospital they are in. have | been here for six days. There is no 1 need to worry as I am all right now. l don't know how long I will be here, 1 and l don't care. as l sure need the 1 rest and the gas has put my heart on | the bum. The only cure for it is rest, but I have to be doing something all l the time, I am so restless so l help 1 around the kitchen. There are lots | of boys here suffering from gas and wounds but they are all coming along fine.
 They are still hitting the Boche hard, and l hope they keep up until they give up, which I hope will be soon, as l am sure tired of this war It is nearly year we have been over  and I sure hope the boys get one.
 The last Plainville boy I saw was Earl Madeley. He was shot in the stomach by machine gun bullet and died sometime afterwards. I did not have time to stop and fix him, but the Red Cross was right behind me so they looked after him all right. Walter Lv- ingston is all right only a little wound in the leg. I was the last Plainville boy to leave the company and there was only a handful of us left then would like to tell you more about it but you would never get it. I will close with love to all and don't worry about me.
 'LEON." Dear Mother:
 T am writing to let you know I am feeling prety we'll and am still resting in the, hospital. You don't need to worry abuut me, as I can still write and I cannot be very badly off when I can do that. What do you think of the fighting we have been do- ing? We sure did give them all they could stand and more too, and the boys are still at them and will never give up until they quit which most of us think will be this year. I may stay here in the hospital this winter. I don't mind for we have some nice nurses who do all they can for us and make us comfortable. If I can get over this cough I will be satisfied. can taste gas every time I cough, for I. was only five feet from where it hit and it put me to sleep for a long time. When I woke up I was on my way to a first aid station and I sure did have some sleep, the boys say, and it is a wonder I wasn't blown to pieces by that shell. Well mother, I shall close for today, as I feel all in. ]
 TTN