New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1918-03-20
SOLDIERS LETTER
FROM "OVER THERE

Mrs. Edward r. Nichols of Route 5,
New Ulm, and her mother, Mrs. VIM.
R. Lewis of Lake Crystal who is visit
ing her, have both received letters
recently from Corporal VIM. E. Nichols
who is serving with the 801st Aero
Repair Squadron with the American
Expeditionary Forces in France There
were several letters, all coming together,
and the young man explains in one of
them that probably they were all held
up to be read by the censors and that
was why they were delayed. The first
of the series was written January %
and the last of the four on February 10th.
The young man speaks of meeting
former acquaintance of Montana and
says it surely feels good to see some
one that he has known before but goes
on to say that while he sometimes wishes
there was someone with him that he
knew, that the association in the army
is such that the soldiers have come to
think just as much Of one another as
tho they had been comrades for number
of years. He spoke Of someone who had
chance to 60 with him but decided not
to, because he thot he could make more
where he was. Corporal Nichols says
this is true, but says that he would not
take all the money he has ever made for
all he has learned and seen since he has
been in the army. He tells Of his trans
fer from the 10TH Aero Squadron to
the 801st Aero Squadron but does not
say why the change was made.
The letter to his grandmother tells
of receiving two pairs Of socks that she
helped to knit for him. He says that
all of the boys who have seen them want
to know where he got them and want
him to sell a pair of them but nothing
doing, he would not part with them
for anything, for he knows that when
he has them on he will not have to worry
about getting cold feet. He says further
that he got some socks from the Red
Cross; that they were very good but
'they aren't in it with these"
Quoting from the letter, Corporal
Nichols says: ''Things here are very
interesting to us and some things seem
very odd. They have market days here
like you used to say they had in the
early days. You can see them coming
to town with hay, hogs, cattle and every
thing that they can sell. Then they have
stands in town, same as they have at
the grove of the 9TH of July. At these
stands they have nearly everything that
the farmer needs from halter ropes up
to dress-goods for the women.
They drive horses, goats, oxen, and
dogs and we certainly had to laugh
when we saw the dogs hitched up.
eve are having fine weather in this
part of France. We were out the other
day and I picked flowers on the hill
sides which shows that the climate is
| fine. .---.1.,- = i. ~ -..
"There is only one thing about being
over here and that is it takes SO long
before we get an answer to our letters.
"The Y. M. C. A. here sells about
everything we need which we all APP
preciate very much.
II received box Of candy from sister
Sadie in Montana which had been on
the road over two months. It was dried
up but was good just. the same.
eve have ball grounds here which
we enjoy very much. We have fairly
good team in our squadron SO that makes
it interesting to watch them play.
II surely wish / could talk French
for great many ask if can but ! have
to shake my head that / can't. hope
to be able to pick up little Of it after
awhile"