The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-03-08
Henry Wilkinson Appreciates
The Card Sent By The
Caisson Club
MODE OF LIVING is
DESCRIBED In FULL
Seems AS Though Entire
France Has Been Covered
In Moves

The following letter, received by
their son, Henry, who is somewhere
/ in France" gives an excellent de-
scription of the mode of living of the
American soldier before he enters the
trenches, and the French people with
whom the soldiers associate, not neg.
! lecting the kind of weather the boys
"over there" are having or their sur
roundings outside of camp:
! Sunday Night, Feb. 8, 1918.
Dear Mother and Dad:
/ received the first letter from you,
Dad, on this side few days ago and
it was certainly good. Glad you are
settled in the new home and both
we'll From the newspapers, you have
been having the same line of extreme
weather we have had, but we kept
fairly comfortable through it all and
the last couple of weeks have been
! fine. | even discovered some flowers
blooming the other day; seems very.
much like spring. ] hate to think of
more cold weather still to come after
this warm spell.
The hardest thing for me is the
time; morning just merges into night
and it's gone. A week isn't any long
er than a day used to. be. I'm well
and hearty with plenty of eats,
clothes and smokes and a good, dry
place to sleep at night, so please do
not worry about me.
We get the New York and Chicago
papers which help us keep in touch
with the things at home. / got all
the papers and magazines you spoke
of sending, also the Christmas card
from the Caisson club from good old
Knox, which made be glad. We will
all be pretty busy from now on, so
don't worry if you do not hear from
me as often as you think you should.
Cleos Christmas box and some let
ters arrived a few days ago. The
box had been broken and repacked,
but everything was in good shape.
We had a fairly good Christmas
Day, with plenty of snow and a real
turkey dinner, but other than that
there was nothing to indicate the
day. AS we started on four days
hike in the big snowstorm which you
probably read of, it was just as well
they were late, for it saved us carry
ing them on this last move.
Yes, we move occasionally. In fact,
it seems as though we have been all
over France since we landed. | don't
really need anything, but would like
fountain pen and some ink tablets,
as mine was broken in the last move,
and some Philip Morris would be ap-
preciated. ! have smoked most ey-
erything, but crave a good cigarette
again.
Tell Sherman not to worry because
he isn't over here; someone has to
stay at home and keep things going
for us-also tell him ! am still true
to him for ] am wearing a pair OF
Goodrich hip-boots.
The birthday cards, letters and box
came yesterday. You were certainly
thoughtful in your selections. | feel
little older, that's true, and as for
the next one, a question mark is
about the best you can do. One thing
is pretty certain, Thoughtful spend
it in France if | am lucky enough tc
see another one, but don't worry
about me. am probably as safe here
, as | would be any place. If it's com
ing to me, I'll get il and if | were
with you, Henry" or something
might run over me anyway. | shoulC
worry; they may put me to shovelins
coal or | may just sit around anC
} watch the steam guage-you can
l. never tell.
!. Thanks for all the letters and pic
g lures, Keep the good work up, TO
- they are all very welcome and hell
: me so much. Please send me Steve
+ address, so ! can thank him for tn,
y cigarettes. ] often think of you il
j, this land of French-fried potatoe
o and mushrooms. lived with an oil
lady for a while who would so out ey
h cry morning and get an apron full o
a mushrooms and cook them for me.
Il was always mystery to me wher
l. she got them, with snow on tn
j. ground, but they manage to kee
green things growing all winter here
It's a pretty country, hilly, with Al