Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-09-11
LIEUT.. KELLY ASKS.
CITY TO SHOW HIM.
NO SPECIAL HONOR.
WRITES LETTER SAYING HE
WOULD PREFER NO CElE6RA-
TON IN HONOR OF HIS HOME.
COMING.

lNlS IS letttT lIblH olta"u HAo'
immortal to return from the battle
SCARED fields of Europe. II is sell.
/ explanatory, and, while It's decision
| will be regretted by every man, wo-
man and child at home, the interpre-
! ,ation can only be one that renectS
the greatest and purest motives upon
/ a young man who has proven himself
| 100 per cent big, physically mentally
and in heart. Lieut.. Harry Kelly is
the writer.
/ He says
! Walter Riei Hospital,
Washington, d. L.
Dear Father;
/ Your letter received asking me as
to whether had changed my mind
regarding the proposed reception on
nv return to Ottawa. No, Father,
there has been no change on my part
+ in fact the more | think about 1t, the
greater the feeling that Il is best that
il should not be. 1t is not matter
of stage fright that prompts me to
make this decision. A. one stage OF
/ the game this might have been so,
but the trip across soon drives feel
ings like that out OF one As | told
YOU when here there are many rea'
sons for me feeling like this.
In the first place, | do not feel as
though deserve such an ovation, any
more than any one of our boys Who
has gone across to do his share -
this big scrap Ottawa will be just
as dear to them as to me, and their
homecoming should call for the same
I Kind of a reception or demonstration,
: regardless OF some individual cir
cumstance which perchance fell to the
Il lot of one as against another equally
deserving Don't you think its dan
gtrOus precedent?
: Ottawa has many, many men on the
line today Father, | know what that
. means. 1t follows as natural con
, sequence Of war. that some Of these
lads will not return. Ottawa has re
- ceiycl the news that one of its best
= sons and soldiers has given all fol
; his country. Compared to his sacrl
d fee, mine was negligible.
j Now, father, | know that il it had
, been my fate ID never return, a public
| demonstration celebrating the home
, coming of another, would cause al
, least to a certain degree the recur
5 renee OF the pain and anguish botf
= mother ami YOU would have gone
through. Does it not impress you thai
way? If Ottawa has not shown its ap
preciatoa in anv outward manner TO
that boy who from the start was will
ing to give, and did give all, should /
FOR NE?
Now, father. don't grow impatien
with al lthis rambling It's awful,
this subject in writing am dea1l,
t. in earnest. ! can hardly wait to ge
! back to dear Old Eastwood and OF
Il tawa once more. II seems to me a.
4 though | have been away for year
u instead Of months. The day Sc
e you all once more will be a red lette
n day in my life. But want to arriy
II with nobody but you and the folk
: knowing it-jump into the Velie an
e slip over home. Tell my friends
a want to see them as bad as they wan
n to see me, but for heavens sake pu
1t off the noise and pomp.
T. Your replies when | was talking
1T make known to YOU my wishes
10 least | feared YOU did not understan
e. meA But | hope this letter convince
IL YOU that ! mean just what | say,
In know your position and your fei
that the public might misconsrue m
mt attitude, | don't want this and hent
10 my effort to truly argue the matter
In this letter. II YOU know what promp
d. me to take the position, ! am N
Is afraid that you will have trouble
carrying your point am glad yC
n. agree with me. know that moth
Y and the rest Of the folks would be @
It. posed to anything Of a public natur
on Father do your very best ho
OF YOU kept we'll returning and that "
ne found mother and everybody at hon
he we'll have no definite knowled
r0 as to when | viii be able to retul
probably ten or twelve days. Ju
came from church. Il is now tr
for The noon mess. Love to Moth,
he Marie and all
'e. Write soon.
al IIApI