The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1918-01-17

/ Letters From and About Soldiers i
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The weather encountered in France,
according to a letter TO his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. j. z. Thomson, fDm Al.
fred Thomson, member of an engin-
eers regiment now part of the French
expeditionary forces. is very similar to
that of Oregon. The young soldier
writes that it has rained little, mist
ed little and that about three times
he and his comrades have been given
glimpse of the sun.
Young Thomsen's letter is in high
praise of the work of the Y. M. c. A.
He writes:
"The Y. M. C. A. has set up two
tents with stoves in them, since we
arrived. This makes it very nice for
US boys, as we now have place to go
in the evenings to warm up bit and
write few lines if we choose. The
Y. M. c. A. is certainly going to play
great part in this struggle. They
are going TO start French class soon,
and | think will take this in. may
not learn very much, but every little
bit helps. | think | will be able to
speak few words before come back.
'0ur Y. M. c. A. manager here
read us some news that was certainly
good. One of the items concerned the
plans of the United States to raise
$35, 900, 600 for Y. NJ. C. A. work that
the campaign had closed with a total
raised of $50, 900. was certainly
glad to hear this good news, for the Y.
M. C. A. is doing more for US boys
than you people can imagine. They are
giving us boys in the service the best.
1.-The Y. NJ. c. A. provides us with
amusements of many kinds. We are
going to have an entertainment this
evening. OF course the boys have been
asked to help. and as a whole they
have responded. In other ways, too
numerous to mention, the organization
is helping u.s."
The following is portion of letter
received by Miss Georgia Lynn from
Ben Ross, gunner abroard one of Uncle
Sans battleships in South American
waters. Mr.. Ross and Miss Lynn,
when both were youngsters, were the
only children of the town of Elgin,
Utah:
81 am sending the ships magazine,
The Salvo, which will tell you better
than about our southern cruise since
May Z, 1917. | am also sending you
copy of speech, made by an official
of Uruguay, that shows the sentiment
with which we were received in Monte
vIdeo. We have been treated like long
lost brothers everywhere that we have
been in S. A.
81 sure have been having some time
trying to write this letter. 1t seems
that everybody has been trying to see
how much noise he could make. They
have just finished a boat race which
was pulled between my division and
another. 1t was an exciting race, but
there wasn't half as much yelling as
there would have been if we had just
been paid, because there are always
$500 or $1,000 out on pay day race.
''The boys get pretty homesick for
the old U. S. A. and get reckless once
in while, but it doesn't last long be-
cause there is always something doing
to keep their minds off their troubles.
We have moving pictures every night
and base ball game every week or
so.
Leon lie Francq last week received a
postcard from his son, Melvin, who
holds the rank of corporal in the in
fantry forces, announcing his safe ar
rival in France. The young mans fa-
ther is a native of Belgium. His pa
ternal grandfather was professor of
ancient languages in Belgian schools.
81 am proud that have boy who
can help my adopted land punish Ger
many for the wrongs done my native
country" says Mr.. lie Franco. my
boy is a native American, having been
born in Montana.
Mr.. and Mrs. d. A. Kerr have re-
ceived letter from their son, Arthur,
who with his chum and neighbor, John
Clarkson. recently enlisted in regi-
ment of engineers, announcing that
the young man is a patient at Wash
ington. d. c., military hospital, suf-
fering from lobar pneumonia.
Young Kerr writes that he is heart
broken. as his regiment, with his
chum, is already en- route for France
while he has been left behind. The
young man says he will be confined in
the hospital for several weeks.
Yale McCarty, naval student in
training at Harvard University, writes
his father, M. Z. McCarty, that he en-
joyed a pleasant reunion during the
Christmas holidays with Clifford Nc
Donald, who is at the Newport, R. l.,
naval training station. Young Mr..
Mcdonald, who was participating in a
furolugh, visited Boston and met young
McCarty by accident. The boys, the
letter stated, recalled Hood River high
school days and thoroughly enjoyed
their visit with each other.
Mr.. and Mrs. F. H. Blagg have re-
ceived a letter from their son, Henry,
member of a regiment of engineers,
who is now stationed at an eastern
cantonment. Mr.. Blagg. who was one
of the noted athletes at the Oregon
Agricultural College, says his regiment
expects to see service in France at an
early date.
MIR. and Mrs. H. j. Frederick have
received letter from their son, who
recently enlisted with the British
Royal Engineers Corps in Portland,
that announces his safe arrival in It,
ally. Young Frederick states that he
has been transferred to inland naviga-