Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-02-26

was a peaceful one. You have often
told me how these old caretakers
have shown you their cathedrals,
galleries, etc, L wished for the same
experience, consequently when l am
off duty L take advantage of every
opportunity, of course things are
much different now than in times
of peace.
None of my Christmas packages
have arrived as yet. but l am liv-
ing in hope and shall hope for a sur
prise on New Years day. Mail ar
rives here most irregularly and at
present it has been ten days since
it's arrival.
Newspapers of the Front
We now have a Newspaper in the
section, which is published monthly
and contains some Aews and jokes
on what we are dqFg. l am send
ing in this same mail a copy of the
first edition. l am afraid you will
not understand lots of the articles
written for many have happened en-
route here.
Its getting colder here and there
is plenty of snow now, yet that does
not hinder the fighting even at night
the aeroplanes keep busy.
Just last night an alarm went up
was quite evident to us. for we have
anti-air craft guns all around us
and they keep firing away. We could
plainly see the shrapnel bursting in
the sky around for miles. The old
guns kept booming away. Its all
in the game, but we live in hope
that our squad of machines will not
be sighted, though we have all our
cars camouflaged, for to have "a
present" dropped in our quarters
would mean anything but Happy
New Year.
cannot realize that tomorrow
will be 1918, yet days and dates
mean nothing to us here, for the
days go on just the same and we live
| only to see the end of this war,
which to me looks to be far in the
| distance, unless something very un-
foreseen should arise.
l often tried to picture what the
people of Harrisburg would do, if
an alarm was given, "the planes are
coming" Just a few miles back of
us there is a little village and the
planes are payin a nightly visit
there. You are so helpless at
the mercy of these things and even
when we watch them fly over our
quarters enroute to the villages it
makes you shudder to think if they
carried an extra bomb and just
wanted to have a little sport, they
would use it on the first big sight of
ambulances they saw.
Y. NJ. G. A. Work Praised
I forgot to tell you we have a Ii
brary in our section, and are col
lecting many books which will be
| invaluable later on. Speaking of
Y. NJ. c. A. work that is one organi-
zation that is doing a wonderful
work.
At most all army posts there is "a
hut" where any of the men may go
to purchase things, write, rest, etc.
They are always crowded and are
the popular meeting places. In
Paris they have a large building
equipped with reading rooms, pool
rooms, writing rooms and a large
canteen, where American women
serve and chat with he soldiers.
Nearly every evening an entertain
ment is given and the building is
always crowded. They also manage
hotel which is run at cost and
never is the place less than packed.
The American people may feel we'll
repaid for their gifts and it all has
gone to give their men in the army
on foreign soil gift that shall never
be forgotten by them.
Must run along now. Give my
best to all inquiring friends.
Meade.