Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-21

~ Mrg Henry Thurons home. Mr. and
Mrs Charles Gray will orne on from
Pittsburg for the family party. and then
Will come ~ Wilmington - s'ay over thc
ncZt weekend
Joseph y Weaver will come fron1
Chicago for Christmas, and after 'ayng
with Mr. md Mrs Weaver next week viii
Ge guests of Mrs Clement Weaver and
/. Mr. and Mrs John DickryH Philadelphia
Nir and Mrs n Clay Thompson viii
pond Chis'mas IN Washington y. Q
Mr. I'D Mrs Frank I. Connabis came
up from Washington, - g., yesterday
and wcnt over 10 View York City toiay
- stay 1911 after Christmas
Nir and Mrs Z. N Harrington and
Miss Hcion Hauiugton viii DYe dance
Christmas night, ~ 'he New Century
Cto. for bic enlisted mcu ~ the Peuusvl-
yania station
Mrs. Clarence +. Dawson and Wan
wright Dawson arc here from Washington,
- g.. spending the holidays Nth Nr
and Mre ~ II Collins
Major William & Spcaknan Is har-
ing q most interesting time, pcnetrst-
ing Germany with the vanguard * tho
American forces lie finds NJ distrrs
among the Germans plenty ~ iood
plenty of stock in their shops and moth
ing whatever 70 merit any gYmpathv
Toward them IN 2 letter n &owcynbcT
- hc writes
What viii you say when tel you
I I have been wice in Metz, ! havc evrn
I drunk Munich beer, eaten the bact
J bread and cheese. Ia truth ! had q mort
I s,lnptuou- meal ii Metz, one shall
\ long remember because The window
/ of the restaurant where sat looked
ont On the enormous pubic sriare. ~
.r3z fho frst ~undav "afer" and ~ vaS
I fetc Jour The little frightened
4 Alsaclan girl n heir national costume
! were everywhere color, a regular Tsin-
bow; flag. of rance Hoated from,
/ might sav. every window. here and there
/ the American Tag, handmade, too few
stars, but an attempt a. the american
4 4ar. bv people 70 whom II was probably
/! unknown Here and there IN English
/ flag, here and there an Italian flag, NAV
Re. with that Of Alsace-Lorrane with
lts cross
Metz Il q beautiful city, an air of
warmth, nf cleanliness, stores, goods
well stocked with beautiful things,
silks galore. works of art, pottery, CHINA
3are, delightfully."- attractive. France gam
I'D much when she gained Metz. ! shall
sec more OF Alsace-LoTaIne, probably
more ~ Germany, for | understand.
forward we 20. I shall ike 70 be stationed
ID Metz.
Between there and where I SIT in
nv little shack in muddy Bocheland.
writing YOU, still by the light OF single
candle all is ruin. such ruins. and be-
yond the ruins, shell holes and the site
of the last push. / cannot describe it;
snail not even attempt to. From 4
little gav back | saw The shells break
ng on The outer fortIhcations of Metz,
and the German positions round about.
I did not cream the breaking shells wer-
tearing their way so effectively, but
they were.
II wish vou could see ay snack.
an mud 70 the knees, my feet are stIf
in the rubber boots you 80 kindly bought
for me. The morning 5 wood Is cut IN
little pieces and drying on top Of the
( stove. 1 Lieutenant ls playing chess
with 4 fellow officer, a candle stuck on
top 0f au empty can gives them their
light. An old soup kettle with a quart
or 50 Of water IS ready to boh for shaw
ing water.
some while ago saw on bulletin
board some lougnboy ) poetry. cop
led id.
When this cruel war IS over and we've
laid aside our hates,
I And I've crossed the bounding oilc~r
to our beloved United States,
When J sleep in thin paiamas, not in
sweater. socks and pants,
/. III look back upon my billet, where |
froze in sunny France.
| am cold, nay feet are cold, I want
to get them out Of these muddy boots
my bedding roll with its fleece line u
/ sleeping has LOOKS good. It is good about
: i. m, TOO good, am very comfort
able aoos 4. n, when the other fellow
builds the ire. Then, when the shack
is nice and warm, I think it IS The best
shack in the world. II isn't exactly air
tight, but its not bad, especially about
/ I q. u.