davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20


Dear Santa Claus:
Plea bring nice little doll Ah41
shuts and opens her eyes. pa1r ~
skates. doll carriage. a httic st0t1 Is
iron and a ironing board. applex A11eE
grapes, candy. . horn. big CA444e~
mas tree, a sleigh, a teasets = rt4@osS
and two chairs. / am = lit4is It'll
8 years old.
with much loyes
GERTRUDE ANNE GREENS.
Dec. Is. 1918. ssssss
Bacon's Castle. Va, Dec. ~. 1911.
My Dear santa Claus: ss 81
/ am little boy ave ys1rs A1k
All the year. have been trytA&
be good 10 you would bring me
thing nice. Please hrias ne = Nt1lA
automobile and some buildinE LII
And pleas sc bring me some BFAxit
and picture book With low tA
you and Mrs. Sanity. .sss sEss
Your little boy y 81 5assss
wAvERLY WILSON BAR41
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20

NAHA SOA ~ pAAte tAAS q Seot SN0h
doll. pair of vases. pair of mittons.
, and candies, nuts. oranges, apples,
raisins. dates. Bye. bye.
From your little friend.
SALLIE KATHLEEN SHORES.
My dear Santa Claus:
/ want you to bring me a bicycle
and I hope you will bring me an
overcoat, and l want you to bring me
a pair of gloves and cain.
Yours truly,
HILTON l.. JAMES.
Corbin street. Washington Park.
Louisa, Va. Dec. IA, 1918.
My Dear good Santa:
! am going to tell you what | want
YOU to bring me for Christmas.
want sky rocket and some Roman
candles and some big fire crackers. !
kinds of fruit you have and some
cakes too. want TO save my fire
works for the Fourth OF July. as
can't get them at that time, Please
bring me a story book, bring Sadie
and David one too.
l am one of your boys.
JESSE BEELEE
r. S. Sadie and David is my broth
er and sister.
louisa Va. Dec "a. 1918.
Dear Santa Claus.
am little girl seven years old.
would like for you to bring me
. some candy and fruit and nuts for
Christmas. would also like to have
new story hook. Please don't for
get to give the poor little girl who
lives in the mountains some nice
warn clothes and some toys. and
uAr%n Cond thinmS "a Aat r AM ynnr
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20

StuAcbakee FGuv. 1917: GnOa Tires
! top, 6-st-class mechanical condition
! A bargain. The owner drafted
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20

December II. 1918.
My Dear Santa Claus:
I am little girl twelve years old.
I am going to tell you. what l want
you to bring me. Please bring me q
nice scarf and cap, red MILDLY tie,
and some handkerchiefs, also some
fruit and fire works. Wishing you q
Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year.
Your little friend
ANNIE BOISEAU BEVILLE.
Sutherland, Va.
p. $. Don't forget my other iittls
brothers and sisters.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20

Ford, Virginia, Dec. IS. 1918.
Dear Santa Claus:
Please bring me a doll, a tea set
a game. and a. harp. ] hope you
didn't have the "fiu'' F% ~~%.
With love,
CARRIE LEE SMITH.
Ford. Virginia, Dec. is, 1918.
Dear Santa Claus:
Please bring me harp, a blue serge
suit. and watch. Please do not
forget me.
Lovingly.
CLAUDE FOwLKES
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-20

Dear Old Santa:
I am q little boy years old -
want you to bring me pistol tAnts
win shoot caps, pop gun. rubber tn
some fire crackers II you cen Ana
them, candy raisin and oraSse1ss I
will try and be good little boy. and
my house.
You little boy,
WA t~T.ApE AfrQf5 ~
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
CHAPTER XIV.

Each day In the Argonne levied fts
toll of victims. sometimes many. some
times only few. II Is only natural
that the morale OF the soldiers should
not be at its best under these circum-
stances. With the same Indifference
that the men had once gone to their
work to support their wives and chill
dren they now went into action. This
business of killing had become daily
routine. Whenever we discussed our
situation. the crown prince and the
commander OF the Sixteenth army
corps. Lieutenant General Won Mudra.
Jared worst.
The troops in the Arconne forest be-
longed TO the Sixteenth corps, the Thir-
ty-third and Thirty-fonrth divisions.
Neither the crown prince nor Won Mud
ra had ever been seen in the trenches.
One of the members on the crown
princes staff was the old field mar
shal. Count Won Haeseler. former com
mander OF the Sixteenth corps. who,
before the war. was considered hui
man fiend. These three called Clover
Leaf by the soldiers, were far more de
spised by most of the men than were
the French cannon. which sought our
miserable lives.
The Hobenzollern heir did not nna
life hard at his headquarters several
kilometers behind the battle front. II
was easy for him to make himself
popular with his order TO 20 ahead at
the cost Of thousands of lives. He was
very well liked among the high officers.
with whom he sat behind a stove al
though the progress was not fast
enough for them.
He honored Won Mudra with the or
der Pour la Merite." but Of the sol
diers he never had thought.
They had not seen n bed for months.
They were never given chance to re-
move their clothing.
They received only shells and steel
and were almost eaten up by verrnin.
They were covered with lice. There
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
cesyas.: By paroa E,st h<Y .

The next night we were sent into
the trenches again. There was little
to do. so we talked with the men who
had REINFORCED us from the interior
Of Germany. They knew absolutely
nothing of our retreat from the Marine
hnd were astonished when we pictured
to them the events of the last few
dnys-
The following morning we left the
trench before daybreak and went into
quarters at Cernay-en-Dormois. We
were billeted in the middle of the vii
lage in an abandoned house. Our field
kitchens failed to arrive, so we pre-
pared ourselves n meal of fowl and
whatever else we discovered. When
ever anyone espied chicken there
were twenty men racing for 1t. Toward
evening long provision trains arrived.
as well as fresh troops. They went
to the front in long columns and re
lieved the exhausted men.
Soon the whole village was crowded
with soldiers. After a rest of two days
the regular nightly pioneer service was
resumed. Every night we were sent
to the front-line trenches to build wire
obstacles. The French found us out
by the noise required to set up the
posts, so that we had fresh losses
almost every night. We completed the
task of setting up barbed wire entan-
clements in the sector assigned TO us
In about fourteen days. During this
period we rested by day. but at night
we went out regularly. But our rest
had many Interruptions, for the enemy
artillery Oombarded the village regu-
larly. This always happened at GER
tain hours. for instance, In the begin
ming. every noon from twelve to two
O'CLOCK. fifty to eighty shells fell in the
village. Sometimes they were shrap-
mel. sent over by the field artillery. We
soon grew accustomed to this, despite
the fact that soldiers of other detach-
Inents were killed or wounded daily.
Once or twice during this noon bom-
bardinent shrapnel shell fell into our
room and burst without doing much
damage. The room would be filled
with dust and smoke, yet no one would
think of leaving. This firing was re-
peated daily with ever-increasing vio-
lence.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01


four months l WINS in the Argonne for
ests we gained 400 meters. The fol-
lowing data will Indicate how heavy a
price was paid in lives for this little
piece OF France.
Each regiment had Its own GENE
terry. There was the One Hundred and
Forty-fifth infantry regulars. the Sixty
seventh. and One Hundred and Seven
ty-third infantry regulars and the
One Hundred and Fifth Hirsch-
berg battalion. On the day we were re-
lieved from duty in the Argonne for
ests there were more dead In these
cemeteries than there were survivors
of the several regiments. The Sixty
seventh regiment had more than 1000
dead. All the victims were members
of that unit except a few pioneers,
who had been assigned to duty with
1t. There WIS never day without
some loss OF life. and ON the days when
the storming attacks were made, death
had an extremely large harvest.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
CHAPTER XII.

The Inhabitants of Cernay who had
remained. mostly old people. were all
gathered in Il barn because of the fear
of spies. Here they were guarded by
soldiers. As the enemy bombardment
always occurred at a certain hour, our
commander thought that somebody in
the village was in communication with
the enemy by means of concealed
telephone. II was even discovered
that the hands of the church clock had
been turned and at one time stood at
six and shortly after at five O'Clock.
The spy who signaled the enemy by
means of this clock was not discov-
cred, neither anyone using concealed
telephone instrument. In order to
catch the right one all the civilians
were interned in the barn. These
civilian prisoners were supplied in the
same way the soldiers were, with food
and drink. but were also exposed, like
the soldiers, to the daily lombard
ments, which in time destroyed the
whole village. Two women and one
child had been killed In this manner
and yet the people were not removed.
Almost daily houses caught fire in the
village and burned down. The shells
were now falling regularly at eight
O'clock in the evening. They were of
heavy caliber. At eight o'clock prompt
iy, when the first shell arrived, we left
the town. There followed, in short in
tervais, fourteen to fifteen shells, the
iron ration" We believed that the
French cannon sending these shells
were brought up somewhere at night.
When We returned from our prone
made, as we called the nightly excur-
sion. we were sent to our places in the
breaches. There we were used for ev-
cry kind of duty. One evening we
were called up to fortify farm taken
from the French the previous day. We
had to build machine guns and place
them.
Our camp at Cernsy-en-Dermois was
continually under heavy bOmbardment.
Finally rest became impossible The
heavy-caliber shells struck the roofs
OF the houses and penetrated to the
cellars. The civilians We're taken away
after several had been killed by shells.
After about ten weeks in this country
we were sent TO another part OF the
front. Our destination was kept from
us.
At the depot at ChalleraDge we en-
tered a train waiting for us. It con-
sisted of second and third class
coaches. The train rolled slowly
through the beautiful country. and for
the first time since the war began we
saw the light behind the front. All the
depots. crossings and bridges were oc-
cupied by the military. Everywhere
was activity. Long trains loaded with
agricultural machinery of every vari-
ely stood at the larger stations. The
crew of our train consisted Of officials
OF the Prussinn stnte railways. They
had trayersed this county, often and
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01

told us that there was no agricultural
machine In all occupied territory. The
same thing happened with all machln-
cry of industry that could he spared.
Everywhere we saw the finest kind
OF machinery en- route to Germany.
In the evening we passed Sedan.
Early the next morning we arrived at
Montmedy. Here we had to leave the
train and were permitted to go TO the
city for several hours. Montmedy is
the principal base of the Fifth army,
commanded by the crown prince. Enor
nous stores of war materials were
gHthered here. Added to this there
was the army field post institute and
the executive offices of the railways as
well as number of hospitals.
1t was very lively In Montmedy.
Many wounded men were seen stroll
ling through the city and an especially
large number of officers all at home
were attached to single etapes. In
faultless uniform, carrying riding
whips, they strolled around. This
point was about thirty-6ve kilometers
behind Verdun and one hundred kilo-
meters from our former position. As
we marched away shortly after noon
we suspected that we were being
taken to the neighborhood of Yerdun.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01

was scarcely enough water for drink
Ing purposes, to say nothing of water
for washing their clothes.
Our hair and boards were long and
when we were given some hours of
rest the lice would not let us sleep.
While we were In the trenches the bull
lets did not do much damage but daily
men were killed by Indirect FIRE. The
thousands which whizze1 through Tie
air every minute flew over our heads.
They struck trees or branches and
glanced of, striking the men In the
trenches. Failing TO pierce their OBJ
ject directly they tore terrible gaping
wounds as they entered the mems
bodies sideways. Whenever we heard
charges concerning dum-dum bullets.
we thought Of these cross-shots. nj
though we never doubted the existence
OF the dum-duIps.
7 Whether or not dum-dum bullets
were mnde In the munitions factories
] cannot say. suspect they were. How
ever. ! did see many dum-dum bullets
mnde by the soldiers themselves. The
points wer, filed on from German mus.
ket shells so that the nickel covering
was perforated. barring the lead Milling.
The bullet lattencd when 1t struck
Its object. II. for instance, Il entered
mans arm. the explosive charge In II
would so shnttcr the arm ms to blow It
entirely on and leave II hanging by the
skin.
German soldiers were frequently
seen supplying themselves with DUN
dun bullets In the trenches. preparing
to inhict terrible wounds.
On January o. 1915. the Germans at
tackled on their entire front Of the Ar
gonne forest sector and several hun.
tred prisoners were taken. The hand
to-hand night continued until six o'clock
In the evening.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
CHAPTER XIII.

After n march OF Is kilometers we
reached the town of Jametz. Here
everything was offered us by the in
habitants. We were treated with cOf-
fee, milk and meat We went on early
the next morning and in the evening
arrived at Damvillers. where we heard
that we were about five kilometers be
hind the firing line. The same evening
we advanced to the little village of
Wavrille, which was our destination.
We took up our quarters In q house
which had been abandoned by its in
habitants. We were attached to the
Ninth reserve division and the nc. t
morning went to our position. Fifteen
of us were assigned to duty with an
infantry company. On the entire line.
as fur as we could see. there was no
musketry fire. Only the artillery on
both sides kept up a weak action. We
were not accustomed to this quietude
I'm the trenches. but the men who had
been there for some time told us that
frequently not single shot was fired
for days and that no activity was
shown
Enormous forces of artillery were
being moblized. New guns continued
to arrive every day and were installed
without going into action. The trans
pOrtation of munitions and material
was also very brisk. We did not sus-
pect at this time that this was the first
preparation for a great offensive.
After four weeks in this vicinity we
were sent to another part of the front.
once more without being told our des-
tination. We marched away and in the
afternoon we arrived at Dun-sur-
Meuse.
Hardly had we entered the town
when the German crown prince. accom-
panied by several officers and a large
pack Of bunting dogs rode by.
Good morning. pioneers I" he called
out to us.
Then he inspected our unit closely.
He spoke to our captain. after which
one OF the officers OF his staff took us
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
This Village Had Changed hsnds
More Than Fifteen Timea

pect Of having to 80 TO that spot.
Scarcely bsd we crossed the heights
when some shells burst behind US. The
French artillery even singled out indi-
viduals. While vauquois was In their
possession they could coordinate the
entire neighbcrhood. We understood
now why this ash heap had been con
tested for 20 bitterly.
We ran down hill TIL we came TO
yarennes. The southern section of the
town had been wrecked by shells and
hrr. Many chlmneys were all that was
teft standing OF whole rows OF
houses. Soldiers everywhere collected
scraps Of metal which were transport
ed TO Germany. The church bells were
loaded on wagons and sent nway. All
the copper. tin. brass and nickel which
could be found was gathered
The next morning we went into the
trenches. We had to reach our post
tioD before daybreak. for with daylight
the French kept all the approaches un
der IRE. There was not much of a
trench in yauquoi-- All that could he
seen was single stone pile. Literally.
'''e WINS H"ts ih iHi> 'tNu. ous NN'h'
left upon another. The ruins of this
village Ind changed hands more
than fifteen times. when We arrive;
one.half OF vnuquols was In German
hands The French were in possession
OF the highest points from which they
could overlook the country for many
miles.
In default OF trench we sought
cover behind the stones. for II was I'M
possible TO dig trenches here. as the ar
tillery leveled everything. The soldiers
concealed themselves behind stone
walls aud fired. Artillery OF all call
ber covered these ruins. Amid nlI this
destruction lay an army OF corpses.
mostly German.
To BE Concluded Next Week.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
BELIEVES SON WAS ON
THE SAN DIEGO.

James Coleman who resides at ii4
North Fourteenth street. believes his
son. Lee Coleman. was on the United
States cruiser San Diego. when IL
was torpedoed by German sutmar.
inc on Fire Island. New York. last
Friday morning Mr.. Coleman was
naturally much distressed when he
heard OF the destruction Of the san
Diego on his sons account and feared
that he was drowned when the vessel
went down. Inquiry. however. at fho
naval recruiting office in Denver ellie
tied the reply that nobody by the
name OF Coleman appears In the iiss
of the missing from the ships crew
Young Coleman enlisted in the navy
at Cripple Creek and was. when last
heard from. a fireman on the San
Diego
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01

A fellow pioneer and myself found
ourselves in bit OF trench held by
eight Frencbmen. II was impossible TO
retire so we accepted the unequal fight
Fortunately we were well supplied
with hand grenades.
We cut the fuses short so that they
would explode as quickly as possible.
threw one among the eight soldiers.
Before the men could get out OF the
way of the first, the second one fol-
lowed. which exploded In their midst.
We took advantage of the confusion
thus created to hurl five more. Our
enemies were now reduced to four men.
We opened fire with our muskets, clos
Ing in on the four. Their bullets
whizzed around our heads. One man
was shot in The mouth. That left three.
They turned and tried TO fee.
In such moments us these one is in a
great rage and forgets danger entirely.
We were very close to our enemies
now, right on their heels when the last
uiaD stumbled and fell.
I sprang on top of him. He defend
ed himself with his fists. My comrade
went after the other two. bleeding nj
the mouth. this man fought on. After
l had knocked several OF his teeth ont
he raised his hands and surrendered.
! released him from my grip and
looked him over carefully. He was
about thirty-fye yenrs old. He showed
me his wedding ring and talked TO me.
knew what he wanted, he wanted his
life.
He gnve me his canteen that l might
drink some wine and wept. Perhaps
he thought OF his wife and children.
pressed his hand and he showed me
his bleeding teeth. ] called him fool
and told him he was lucky Ia have got
ten away with the loss OF only n few
moiars. WAS glad I had not killed
hl.c- ltook him back myself. In order
to protect him against being misused.
AS delivered him over 10 where the
prisoners were being assembled. he
pressed my hand aud smiled.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
The Canon City Record, Thursday, August l. 1918
II ali passing troops wers as weil treat
ed as we had been.

II ali passing troops werd a. well treat
ed as we had been.
"Oh, yes." II young woman answered.
but only few come here. The crown
prince. however, has An especial at
tachment for the pioneers"
We were quartered over night. Sol
diers told us that Dun-sur-Meuse was
the headquarters of the Fifth army.
There were gay times In the town, with
an open-air concert every day. The Off
GERS often received women visitors
from Germany. u
After hard march we arrived at
the front positions. In a veritable
labyrinth of trenches, filled with water.
we had the utmost difhculty finding
our way about. Finally we arrived Mt
the very front. The French were only
ten meters away and before we had
been there two days we took part In a
hand grenade encounter.
Some distance back we established a
pioneer depot. twenty-five of our men
did nothing but assemble hand gre
nades. We were soon settled and ready
for an emergency.
In camp we were divided among
various troops. They showed us how
the warfare waged at this front re-
quired every imaginable kind of fight
ing. There was mining. sapping. hand
grenade throwing. mine throwing and
light patrol battles. This went on day
after day and night after night, with
4S hours In the trench and 12-hour
rest. The shortage Of men made a
less strenuous schedule impossible.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
HARRY BOWEN BUYS
HARRISON AVENUE HOME.

Hurry r Bowen has purchased from
c. L. Reynolds the residence proper
ty now occupied by the latter at 1903
Harrison avenue and will take poses.
sion of 1t as a home. about the middle
of next month. This is the property
formerly owned and tenarted BY Cyrus
Weaber and family. now living at
Goodpasturc. Colorado. Mr.. and Mrs.
Reynolds and family are planning to
remove in the course OF the next few
weeks to the Pacific coast with the in
tention OF establishing themselves In
Washington Mr. Bowen acquired tho
property thru tho real estate agency
OF Hodgin 4 sharman.
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01
naus and interned in Germany"

mans and interned in Germany.
We received orders to mnrch to
varennes and left the next morning.
AS we reached the heights OF Narennes
about noon we saw the wide country
before us and the city nesting in the
valley. Farther up on the heights was
vauquois. Nothing could be seen or
any houses but through our fjeid glasses
We could make out an enormous ASH
heap. Shells fell there continuously
and we were frightened at the pros
The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-01

to Red Cross establishment where
we were banqueted and given wine.
The headquarters Of the HohenzoI-
lern heir were located at Dun-sur-
Mense. The ladies' of the Red Cross
treated uy cordially. We asked their
Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-03-07
WORLDS NEWS IN
CONDENSED FORM

WASHINGTON. The senate ap-
proved an item in the agricultural bill
allowing $250,O00 to he distributed in
the form of prize money to farmers.
NEW YORk.-A wireless plant here
has been in communication with Ger
many, it was revealed in connection
with a raid on the tower of the Trinity
building.
SHINGTON.-The war depart
ment asked for an additional S450,000,-
600 for the aviation program. The
urgent deficiency bill was reported
carrying more than a billion dollars
largely for the army and navy. The
president put ban on private flying.
NEW YoRk.-Theodore Roosevelt
will be deaf in his left ear the rest of
his life, according To the statement 49,
sued by his physicians on the eve of
his leaving the hospital, but otherwise
lie is in better shape than before"
PARIS.-British and French senti-
ment is strongly opposed to permitting
Germany and Austria TO share I'm the
division of the raw materials of the
world after the war.
WASH NGTON.-Edward ~ Hurley
announced that the nation would place
rs completed vessels in service in
March, and would launch "a additional
vessels this month.