davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
Letter to Mrs. Sam Agner
From Her Son, MIR. John
Agner.
ear Mother and Father:

My Dear Mother and Father:
How are you all getting along?
Fine. I truly hope. This leaves me
getting on just fine. I am somewhere
on the sea and am certainly enjoying
it but am thinking of you all.
t} Mother, if I can just get over
there and back safely won't that be
good, have rot been afraid on the
sea since starting because I know
that God is with me on the sea as
as on lan5 Don't worry because
you know that I lived Christian
life at home and that l will still
live the right kind of life.
There was great pleasure at home
while I was there but you know if
can get back home again it surely
will be greater pleasure. l guess |
will have something to tell you all.
Well, l will close for this time.
Will write you all another letter as
soon as I get to where l am going
and then you all can write me a
letter.
AS l have asked you all good
many times not to worry, please do
not. Just think I am going not only
to save our country but to save
my life and you all, too, and each
and every one of US.
AS l sit here and look at the
waves on the sea it makes me think
of the time you went to Charleston
and went out to the Isle of Palms.
Mother, it made me just a little
sick when I first started but it is
not so bad now. You can write and
tell Sister and Brother Eddie where
l am.
There is preaching at the Grove
church tomorrow and l know you
all will go. You know if were at
home that 1 would be right there,
too. I guess you all have fixed that
bridge so you can go to church now.
You asked me in the last letter
if that was picture of me and my
girl. 1t was just one that l bought
at Camp Sewer.
Well, I will close for this time
with many good wishes and lots and
lots of love to you all. 1 hope to see
you all soon. May God bless each
and every one of US is in each one
of my prayers. Tell all "howdy" for
me. will send you my address next
time l write.
Your devoted son,
John E. Agner.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
A Group of Interesting Letters From Our
Soldier Boys.

able to make crop now soon. l
certainly have got to buckle down
to it when I come home. Ruth and
I both will surely have to stir. l
think I; will soon be home. Chances
are good and everything looks bright
I think all of US boys will soon re-
turn. Won't that be happy day?
don't think any Of this last
draft will ever cross. I am so glad to
know the Ryan boys like army life.
The army is all right as long as you
are not so far from home. like the
army myself. We boys have good
time.
Mama this is my address: Co. B.
11Sth Inf. A. E. F., via New York.
Twill close with much love and
many kisses for you all. Give Ruth
my love and kiss her for me. Write
sooii- and long letter.
You said Harry could plow like
a man. He always was smart. Tell
himsto stick to it. 1t will make a
man of him. The boys will be lots of
help to Papa. Tell Harvey l say to be
a sport and give the girls a good
time He has got the brass all right.
Give all of the colored people my
best wishes. May God be with US
until we meet again.
Your devoted son,
! w. L. Bryan.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
Musical Given for Endowment
Fund.

On Tuesday evening, August 20,
a musical was given at the home of
Mrs. A. A. Woodson for-the purpose
of raising money toward endowing
a bed in the hospital at Neuilley,
France.
The War Relief Committee of the
Edgefeld chapter U. D. c. have
started this fund and so far have
raised over $4,000. The amount of
contributions received on this occa-
sion was $22.O6. A special feature of
the evening was the auctioning off
of lily, which brought $500.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
MIR. and MRS. L. H. Prescott
Receive Letter From Their
Son in France.
Dear Mother and All:

JUL LIA SIAASSs
Dear Mother and All:
Well, + guess this will be my last
chance to write to you all for some
time as I am going out tomorrow
night to try my hand on the Germans
for the first time and I hope you all
will not worry over me as am get
ting along all right so far and I am
praying every day for the time to
come when I will come sailing home
to you all again.
This is a beautiful country over
here, but give me the States for
mine. l haven't seen a pretty girl
since l left America These French
damsels may be beautiful to their
French beaus but they sure don't
look good to us.
Father, I hope you will make a
good crop this year as I know how
you need it these hard times. L am
certainly glad you like your work
with Mr.. Afford.
You all are certainly having a
good time over there to what the
poor people here are having. The
women and children are harvesting
the grain here now and just wish
the people in America could see these
poor women gathering the grain.
They cut it with hook with their
hands I could carry all they cut in
my arms as fast as they cut it and
at the same time play all of the ar
my games, so you can guess Tor
yourself how slow they are. They
are always on the go though. wish
every man in America could know
the hardships of the women and
children over here since the war
started. It just makes my heart ache
to see them.
jamie, you are certainly blessed
with good home, and l know Moth
and Father will take the best care Of
you you AID sthe baby until 7 come back.
1 I':s:n IN glad that you have been down
and stayed some with Mabel. l know
she was sweet to you for she is one
dear sister.
haven't seen a German since I've
been here except a few prisoners
but guess after today will see quite
a few.
There are lots of little villages
over here. We have been to num-
Der of places but couldn't find any
thing of much interest to me.
Will Bryant and l went out once
since we have been here and. we got
lost and were gone day and night
before we found our company.
saw Billy Byrd few days ago
for the first time in a long while and
sure was glad to see him too. He
looks well-just as fat as he can be.
Well, Mother, it is getting supper
time so I will have to say goodbye
to YOU all for this time Don't know
when / can write you all again but
rest assured that l will write every
chance l get.
wish you would send me the dear
old Advertiser every week as it will
be a great comfort to me to get the
Edgeheld news.
Write to me as often as you can.
NV address is the same except A. T.
O. No. 749. Love to all.
Stobo F. Prescott.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28

A prominent and very business
man on returning from lunch found
a slip on his desk asking him to call
I'D a certain number on the tele-
phone. He did so and this conversa-
ton followed:
"Do you want re?"
II don't know"
''Well, 1 haven't any time to be
fooling away; do you want me? VINO
are you anyway"
This is the insane asylum. If you
think you ought to be here. why,
come along"
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
Capt. Henry Tillman Tells OF
Voyage Over Sea.

Following are extracts from per-
sonal letter from Capt. Henry c. Till
man, of the 61st Coast Artillery as
published in the Greenwood Index:
i "On the Deep Blue, Near France"
You can never appreciate The
beautiful sameness Of this old ocean
until you have crossed it once. But
don't do that until the submarines
have been put out of business They
are constant menace to the pleasure
of such voyage. You cannot fully
realize the dastardly deviltry of the
little beasts until you get on one of
these life belts and sleep in your
clothes few hot nights in the bow
els Of the ship.
"But here's another side to the pic
ture toog The next time you hear any
one say anything about the United
States Navy, son, you get up on your
hind legs and salute. The internal
beast may get this ship yet, in which
case you will not get this letter, but
Uncle Sans Jackies have seen one
and quarter million men safely ov-
er and that is some feat-believe me.
We are in the war zone and prob
ably will see land tomorrow, but
most of us will sleep sound tonight,
and thank God for a navy that is not
afraid. I think these fellows on the
boat would actually go out of their
way to see a sub. And these destroy
ers are some boats!
You know as much as anyone how
I loved my father and how much ]
revere his memory and you will there
fore know what I think of the de-
stroyers when I tell you that l
would rather Secretary of the Navy
Daniels had named destroyer after
him than any other type of boat.
They are wonderful little boats and
are certainly doing more than their
bit to win this war.
Our second day out was bit
rough as it gets to be in the summer
time and l tell you there were some
sick boys on this boat. Most of
our Greenwood boys were as sick as
the .rest of them. Gaines and / prov
ed e. ts lssseasse dssail lors. dssleither of
US got the least bit sick.
eve get wireless messages on the
ship and keep up with the main news
of the day. We are all anxious to see
the full details of the American
French offensive. We are all feeling
fine and now the gang is ready for
any fate that comes. Of course we
have not forgotten the homes we
came from but most Of us are over
here on business and just as soon as
is over we will be vending our way
back to the same little towns we came
from. That is, most of US will and
those of US who happen not to come
back will be long remembered by the
rest of us. The men are in earnest
and making good soldiers. They will
give a good account for themselves.
"Well, enough for today. will not
close because l will want to add a
postscript when l see France.
P S., Well, we are in sight of land
First and island and then the main
land of France. Poor France-but
the Yanks are coming. H. c. I.
Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-08-28
Millinery.

We have already received several
large shipments of ladies', Misses
and children's hats.
Miss Mary Holland, who was with
us last season, will be with US again.
She will arrive next Monday.
RUBENSTEIN.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Heavens in December
BY WILLIAM F. RIGGE.

During this month the days have
their shortest length, from 9 hours
"a minutes on the lst to 9 hours
10 minutes from the 18th to the
3lst, so that the variation is less
than a quarter of an hour. Taking
seconds into account, the shortest
day of the year is December p.
On that day at 9:42 a. m. the sun
enters Capricorn, reaches its far
thest south and winter begins. The
earliest sunsets, 4:S3, occur from the.
9TH to the 18th, but the latest sun
rise does not come until January 3.
The sun is II minutes fast on the
LIST, on time on the 18th, and 8 min
utes slow on the 3lst on Omaha
time, but from IS to % minutes slow
on central time, as may be seen
from the noon column.
The winter consultations, with
their brilliant stars, are coming into
better view in the early part of the
tight. But city lights make the
best of them hard to see. Jupiter,
the brightest OF the planets, is also
in good position in the eastern sky
in the early evening, and is contin-
ually rising higher every night. Sa-
turn rises on the 18th at 1908 p.
NJ, but Venus and Mars are too near
the sun to be seen. The moon is
in conjunction with Jupiter on the
18th and with Saturn on the I'D.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
New Eastern Star Chapter
Makes Initiation Record

Rev. Carl N. Wordep, pastor OF
St. Matthias Episcopal church, is
patron of the new Liberty Chapter,
Order of the Eastern Star. The
new chapter, which was organized
on Pershing's birthday, September
II, held its first public meeting
Saturday evening in Masonic tenn
pie. Intervening meetings had to
be postponed on account of the In
fluenza.
Rev. Mr.. Worden, who came here
six years ago from Michigan, is &C
tive in social service work, espe-
cially in connection with the juven-
lie court and Boy Scout movement.
Mrs. Cuthbert Vincent, prominent
clubwoman, is matron of the chap
ter.
A class of 81 men was initiated
in connection with the banquet last
evening, at which $50 were present
More than 200 members have al
ready been initiated, which estab-
lished record for the new organi-
cation. Heretofore, class limitations
have not been held in connection
with Eastern Star organizations
The new chapter is better equipped
in ritualistic necessities than any in
the state, the members assert.
Liberty chapter is the sixth in
Omaha. The others are Vesta
Maple Leaf, Fortenelle, NarcissuS
and Adah chapters.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Hawaii to Ask Statehood.

Honolulu, T. H., Nov, SOL.
Kuhio Kalanlanaole, reelected ter
ritorial delegate to congress, will
leave for Washington early in De-
cember. His first move, it was
stated, will be to ask congress for
statehood for Hawaii.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Al Hall and Bob Barry
Head Excellent Bill
Now Playing at Gayety

Al X. Hall and Bobby Barry, two
great burlesque favorites, kept con-
tinual mirth and merriment ruling
over the two big audiences which
saw the opening performances OF
Maids of America" at the Gayety
yesterday. Appearing in variety
of misht costumes, the pair have
style of humor that is all their own.
The show is above the average.
Costumes are stunning and the
scenery is unique and plentiful for
the eight scenes of the show.
Mae Stanley is a charming prin-
cipal with an excellent voice. Flor
ence Rother and Jane May add to
the long program of melodious songs
well sung.
Fields, Keene and Walsh put on
specially which was received with
immense enthusiasm.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01

and lived on raw vegetables we took
from gardens. At last we reached
the Rhine at point between
Schatfhausen and Basic.
Rhine Banks Guarded.
I'VE found that at every place
where We might approach the bank
it was thoroughly guarded. We de-
cided then to find a creek if posi-
bic and wade down it until we
struck the Rhine. The current in
the one we found was very swift and
the water cold. Willis had Just
taken off most his clothes for the
plunge into the Rhine, when he was
swept away by the current which
at that point moved about II kilo-
meters an hour.
1T was an awful trip in the cold
water with eddies swishing me
around, and at one tin | turned on
my back to float as long as possible
1t seemed that it was impossible to
bring that bank any closer with
my waning strength, Finally | was
fortunate enough to be caught in an
eddy that swept me to the shore.
When able to walk. | found a
farm house and was warmly we'll
coined by the Swiss peasants. |
told, them of Willis and asked them
to send someone down the bank
to look for him. A short distance
down the road the peasant met one
of his neighbors who had come to
look for me. Willis had landed
much the same as ] had, was treat
ed as | had been by another peasant
and had sent a messenger for me
just as | had for him. Willis went
to France and | assume has joined
his command by this time
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
M-L-
STANDS FOR
Mentho Laxene
Cold, Cough and Catarrh Medi.
cine for Young and Old.

You buy it Of any we'll stocked
druggist in 21A OF. bottles and take
it in ten-drop doses, or better yet,
mix it with simple sugar syrup,
made by dissolving y of a pound
of graduated sugar in half-pint
of boiling water, 1t is so easy to
make whole pint of cold and cough
syrup that tens of thousands of
mothers make it every year for
their loved ones.
All agree that this homemade
cough syrup is free from harmful
drugs, and that only few doses are
required for each case, so that a
pint may last family throughout
the winter season.
For colds, catarsh, cough, and
bronchitis there is nothing superior
for prompt, lasting relief. Guar
anteed by the Blackburn Products
Co., Dayton, Ohio, to please .
money back.-Adv.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Harold V. Smith Dies of
Wounds Received in Action

Harold V. Smith, an Omaha boy,
Mas given his life in the service
overseas. Private Smith was the
son of Mr.. and Mrs. S. H. Smith
2004 Vinton street, and was born in
Omaha "a years ago. He attended
the Vinton school and was employ
I'd by an Omaha newspaper. In
March of 1917 he enlisted in the
army and was sent to Camp Cody
where he remained for more than
year. Private Smith was mem
Der of B company, One Hundred
Twenty-seventh infantry, which
went to France in June of this year.
He died of wounds received in &C
ton October II. He is survived by
his parents and two sisters. Mrs.
Mary Quade and Mrs. Clay Smith,
and two brothers, William, with
the army in France, and Virgil OF
Omaha.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01

within a month | had regained my
strength. There were about $50
Russian officers and Is American Of
heers in the camp"
Lieutenant Isaacs and other Off
GERS immediately began to lay plans
TO. escape by collecting necessary
articles, such as pieces of wire and
no and short boards with which to
make ladder if necessary. They
also traded some OF their food to a
Russian for a pair of wire cutters
be had struggled into the camp.
Three different times they had their
escape plans completed, each time
with the connivance of a Russian,
and each time they had reason to
believe the Germans had been J.
praised and they did not try,
Make Escape Plans.
Finally we learned that they were
to take all the Russians away on
October 7, and, working without the
Russians, we planned to try ag.in
on the night OF October E. Fifteen
feet from our barred windows was
high barbed wire fence which turned
inward at the top much the same
as at our internment camps in the
states. Between the fence and our
window was a ditch seven feet wide
filled with scrapped barbed wire. We
had almost severed the bars of the
window in the room in which | was
imprisoned, using an improvlsed
saw one of the officers had obtained
from a Russian.
Two other officers with ME were
to use two tennis court markers, IS
feet long, as a bridge from our win
dow to the top of the barbed-wire
fence. The wooden markers which
we calculated would barely hold us
when strapped together were to be
brought into Our room after the roll
call at night.
"We figured that soon after the
attempt the guards would be at
tracted, from the main gate, SO three
officers elected to try dash there
at the proper moment. Three others
were to attempt to get through the
fence with the wirs cutters, M:,e
two others planned to get over. We
had fixed the electric light wires so
that we could quickly short circuit
them. This was to be done exactly
at 1890 o'clock, when every man
was to be ready to 60.
A Risky Trip.
II will tell the name of only one
of the officers, as | do not know the
fate of the others. He was Corp.
B. Willis of Boston, a member of
the Lafayette Escadrille. He was
one of those who were to dash |
through the gate, and he and | had |
rendezvous two miles from camp.
when the lights were extinguish-
ed by the short circuiting, we
forced the bars as quietly as posi-
Bile, and ran out the two markers
strapped together, and darkened
with shoe backing as much as pos
sible in the short time we had
There as no moon but the sky |
was clear.
"One of the window bars stuck,
and we made considerable noise |
forcing it, but it didn't take us long |
to start the risky trip to the top of
the fence. got outside all right,
but there were guards both to my
right and left. There were no pro-
tecting trees, so l ran as fast as |
could with bullets whistling about
me.
II met Willis at the rendezvous
and we set out southwest. We
travelled at night, slept in the day
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01

MOONS PHASES
New moon on the Sd at 3:19 a. m.
First quarter on the 10th at 1881 p. m
Full moon on the 18th at IT p. m.
Last quarter on the 25th at 1891 a. m
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Guide to Omaha Prepared
for Soldiers at the Forts

The Bureau OF Publicity and the
War Camp Community Service have
Joined hands in issuing a small peck
ct guide to Omaha for the soldiers
at Fort Omaha and Crook. 1t con-
tains handy new map of Omaha
and its street car lines, and lists OF
clubs, libraries, museums, art gal
,eries, parks, resorts, swimming and
skating points, business blocks,
buildings, banks and a street direc-
Etnrk
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Penny Thriller is Tame
Beside Story of This Yank

liminary distributing camp at Vii
lingen, Baden. In. the railway car
riage with him were two guards. He
was unaware of conditions at Il e
Villingen camp, and decided to try
to get away from the train if the
slightest opportunity came.
One of the guards seemed to be
doing While the other was interest
ed in something out the other side of
the carriage, when | dove through
the carriage window" the officer
said. The train was moving more
rapidly that | believed, for | re-
ceived an awful bump on the head
and both of my knees were cut on
the iron ties of the parallel track.
Il scrambled into the brush as
best | could. Very soon bull is
were whistling about me as the train
had been stopped and guards were
on my trail. | could not make
speed in the condition | was in, so
to save my life l held up my hands
in token of surrender when ..
guards were about Is yards away.
Beaten and Kicked.
when they came up to me one of
them welcomed me with a blow with
his rifle. l was beaten and kicked
and knocked down seven or eight
times before they finally loaded me
back into. the train.
ARRIVING at the camp I was
swathed in paper bandages-they
have very little cloth in Germany
you know. Had it not been for food
supplied by the Red Cross Pm sure
| would have starved to death, but
with that we Jared very well and
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Casualties in Air Forces of
Great Britain Exceed 1000

London, Nov. 30.-Casualties ir
the Royal air forces from April
when the air forces were amalga-
mated, to November II were:
Killed, 2,680; wounded, missing
and prisoners, 1900; according to
an official statement by the air min,
istry. The total air casualties
throughout the war will be an,
nounced later.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
To Enlarge Delegation.

Toxic, Nov. 50,-Japan's delega-
ton to the peace conference is be-
ing enlarged. In response to re-
quest from the government that they
name delegates representing the
business interests. the Chambers of
Commerce have selected President
Junnosuke lnouye Of the Yokohama
Specie bank as the representative OF
tie banking and economic circles,
and Kikusaburo Fukui Of the bust
ness interests. A representative OF
industry will be chosen from Osaka,
the important industrial center.
Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-01
Fred Ferrl Stabbed
While in a Pool Hall

Fred Fsrrl. Prague, hotel, was
stabbed in the right side Saturday
afternoon Yin a pool hall at Four
Eeenth and Douglas streets. He was
taken to the police station, given
emergency treatment and taken to
the. Lord Lister hospital. His in
juries are considered serious.
Ferrl describes his assailant as
one-armed Italian. He gave no rea-
son for the attack.