Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-27
Lieut.. Cummings Tells Relatives
Of Waterville Soldiers Of Situation
and Experiences Of Co. Il Boys

duu LApClICnUCS !
ny a very gracious act on the part
nf Mrs. John g. Towne. wife OF Major
John q. Towne of this city who is in
service IN France. a gathering of moth
ers and other relatives of WaterVilie
soldiers. who are on overseas duty were
invited to her home for an hour Tues
day afternoon 10 meet Lieutenant
colonel and Mrs. Frank Cummings OF
Portland and to hear from Lieut.. Cum
mings. who has just returned from
France. something of their boys
where they are, how they are situated
pnd circumstances and conditions sur
rounding them in that land across the
water. word at first hand that
,heercd their hearts and gave them
fresh courage 10 meet whatever comes
lilo chara, terized as shameful the re-
ports ~ the lack Of morals OF the
American army. and Landed the splen-
did spirit of the boys. Ills presence
vas most welcome to Mrs. Joseph Cir
oux. for her son, Raymond, was ms
orderly in France, and to Mrs. W. IA.
IS. Abbott rs Lieut.. Cummings was
personally acquainted with her son
stephen.
Lieut. Cummings told briefly OF the
tourney across. Which occupied but IA
DAYS. and their landing In Borden
England. where they staid ~ days III
rest camp. Seven of the ten DAYS IL
raincd, and the boys were wet ana un-
comfortable, SO that when they went
into France. they were afflicted many
Of them with bad colds.
eilIets Not Barns
They were then put into billets. and
Lieut.. Cummings said. When YOU hear
that YOUR boy is living in a barn, don't
think tie barns are like the barns
here. The only difference between
harm and A house is the fact that barns
have stalls and the houses rooms. IN
the houses. there was no heat, only
ono fire on the big hearth in the living
room. the fire consisting of two sticks
coming to n point in the middle OF lie
hearth and the fire at the point. An
old ladv would sit at one SIDE OF lhe
Are and an old gentleman at the other
side Of tile fire, each armed WIN
blower with which they would enliven
tho fire once in u while. Inc lrc was
all they had for cooking, heating ana
everything.
The stable was next door and mere
they nut in the boys. IheN secureu
tsrred paper to stop the CRACKS useu
what boxes they could steal for lire-
wood and after time with their 1au-
koe ingenuity they became very com
Portable indeed.
II made us laugh ut the lhdisna'io'.
e>pressed in this country when some Oh
tho tfoops that were going TO leNas liaF-
eied as far as Kansas city IN DAY coach-
&c They travel IN freight cars over thete
which hold from 3 to 40 men or eight
LnrseS These the boys faCetlously cahed
horse cars The cars are very light anu
wien one is loaded three or four men can
essiiy push them along the rails The cars
mat arc rugged up for the transportation
OF troops have long planks run along the
sides for seats. and there are no backs
ard though these are not comfortable,
there is no grumbling, the boys take 1t II
the same splendid spirit that they I'M
d.rro all the hiscomforts OF war.
COMPANY II IL situated two and a hall
les from the rest OF the regiment. in
Arrl,n barracks, which are 4 sort Of
cne-story house with a double row Of
and " windows Of sheeting. They are made
10 accommodate IS hunks, but there are
~ cots iu double tiers In their quarters.
They are warm and comfortable, but in
my estimation are not so sanitary as the
hi.'ct"
Lieut. Cummings said that Sunny
France was used as a rather contempt
nous term hy the boys over there, be-
cause they have experienced great dea:
~ ram. II had been no colder than 10
degrees above zero. and for 10 days or
two weeks there had been about two
inches ~ snow. He said that the boys
were drilling out of doors every day,
forenoon and afternoon. and that with the
many years that he had been connected
With the army he had never seen troops
worked 50 hard
Have Plenty Of Sugar and Salt
l.. 4