Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-24
OTTAWA BOY WITH.
YANKS IN ITALY.
LIKES ARMY LIFE
SECT. CLARENCE GLOVER QUAR-
TERED IN LARGE CASTLE
WRITES INTERESTINGLY OF Ex.
PERlENCES LOVER THERE.q

One of the best war letters TO arrive
in Ottawa up to the present time came
yesterday from Sergt Clarence W.
Glover. an Ottawa boy who is in Italy
with the American Expeiitionary
Forces. Sergt. Glover was In the first
ship load Of American troops to arrive
in Italy and is now stationed in an old
Italian castle,
His descriptions of Italy are remark
able and have been greatly enjoyed
by those who have read them. The
letter is published in full below:
Headquarters Detachment,
United States Army Ambulance
Serv., with the Italian Army,
Aug. IA, 1918.
Dear Folks:
| received fathers letter today say
ing that no letter had been received
from me up to that time July 22),
but | suppose BY this date you are
seems to take just about month for
mail to go back and forth, so it is not
surprising that | was SO long without
mail from 'the states and you have
been so long in hearing from me. |
have received quite aslarge number
of letters and papers since the mail
started coming This family letter
will have to do as an answer to most
of it.
Quite c few things have happened
since last wrote. In the first place,
| am in different place. The sea is
long ways behind, and | miss it a
good deal, althougai they say there
is good bathing here. This is a very
historical place and | expect it viii
be interesting In fact, all | have
seen of it SO far has been very inter.
esting, We feel as though We were
at last getting into the war. am
doing considerable work for the colo
mel again, which is what | like At
the other place l. was doing mostly
general headquarters work. A few
days before | left bit off, quite a
job was notified about one minute
before a general courtmartial was 10
begin that | was to report it. hadn t
taken dictation for about two months,
but orders was orders so | grabbe !
+ pencil and book and ran in. 1t was
not so bad except when the counsel be-
came excited and then | had to slow
them down. A general courtmartial
| has to be reported just like a case in
court, and had to go the limit to
/ get it all in | guess got it all right,
\ though, as so far | haven't heard any
thing from it. That was just before
! left, and hardy had time to get
i my things together, as they had to
| have the record of the case in short
time.
am continuing this letter in diff
ierent place than where the first two
paragraphs were written In the
meantime | have been moved to a
palace TO do my work. You would
be surprised if you could see the way
| am situated just now, with my type
writer setting on table which is
probably a few centuries old below
a gorgeous brass chandelier and sur
i rounded on all sides with paintings o.
ancients in full regalia which are al
most hidden in gigantic gold lea
frames. The space that isn't covered
with pictures or large mirrors is GOV
cred with fine tapestries. There arr
over thirty large rooms on this foo
/, alone ana there are three floors. Th,
ball room, right back of me, is abou
the most gorgeous thing ever saw
finished in gold. | never expected t,
do soldering in palace, but yol
, never know what YOU will get in th
army.
The people in this place are YER,
nice to u.s. as they were in the las
place. 1t is not so much of city, 4
we get "A pretty good idea Of the if
! of the village class around here
I Three Of us have an invitation to cal
L this evening and we expect to hav
q an interesting time. Only one of u
= can speak Italian fuently, but We al
Y manage to be understood. They seer
g to be a family of the better class, ant
{. as YOU know, the better class of tn
r northern italians are very culture
t. and refined The daughters of tn
A family are students Of the Uniyersit
?, of Florence.
We had beautiful overland trip
& this place. Being a motor organic
o tion, We move entirely overland
., have already described the wonderf
n. view from the mountains over Il
(COntinueo on paRe Z. col. Al