The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-09
A CRIPPLED BOYS
REQUEST
A Touching Story of the War


A touching letter, says the Army
and Navy Journal, was recently re-
ceived by Lieutenant Colonel Jack
W. Heard, U. S. A, on duty at head
quarters, Air Service Flying School.
PAYNE Field, West Point, Miss, from
a little ctippled boy named Wardle
G. Dawson, who lives near the fort
He said, III part: II don't have very
much pleasure, but your ffiers and
their wonderful stunts give me more
pleasure than anything in my life. |
can sit in cu1 front yard and sec them
all day. Won't you please ask them
to do all their wonders right where
| can zee them? I live in South
Okolona, in green two story bunga-
low. due south of the Baptist church,
and if thtt- will fly straight north up
that long road and street south of the
Baptist church my mamma has
twenty acre field right by our house:
and I don't think she will care if they
light right in the corn And last.
won't YOU OF your aviators drop me
letter in our yard sometime? /
have two 81 others already in France
and three more to go in the next
draft, but / will never be able to do
anything hut wave at you all and yell
| 'Ru1rah for Uncle Samn I hope /
haven't troubled you by writing, and
pardon pencil, but I'm too shaky to
use a pen
To this appeal Colonel Heard sent
| the following sympathetic reply:
':Your letter, my little FRIEND af-
forded me o great deal of pleasure:
and / am glad to be able to oblige a
fine young American like you, who
| has not the health and strength to be
| a soldier. You must not let your
condition discourage you, for it is not
only those who bear arms who will
do their part in winning the wal and
achieving victory for freedom. Those
who accent hardships with fortitude
and can raGiate happiness in spite Of
misfortune are the bravest sort of
people, and it is brave men and wom-
Ell and blySand girls who have made
our country what it is and are going
to keep it so. 1 am glad to know
that our flers and their ships bring
you joy, ard | hope you will be able
to see them very frequently. | know
that if o1:, men realized that they
were being watched by such a fine
little patriot and loyal friend it would
be source Of inspiration to them
RI
good work,
~ do not believe it will be possible
to have them land in your mothcr's
field if it is cultivated, for you know
that ships must have perfectly
level, cleac, field in which to land sue
cessfully. Besides, we try very hard
not to injure crops or anything else
in the performance of our duties, fol
the county needs all its resources
very badly and the soldiers must dc
everything in their power to conserve
and increase them. | am going tt
have one OF our aviators drop this
note to you and also copy of The
Payne Field ICONS, and | want tt
tell you tat both | and all the Nom
bers of my command regard you as
one Of our true friends. With five
of your blothers in uniform, fighting
for their country, and you at home
doing your bit in the best way yol
can, Uncle Sam may we'll feel salts
fled with The way in which the Daw-
son family has responded to the cal
and the fact that far and wide
throughout the land all American:
are rallying to the flag enables US al
TO look to the future with firm con
! fidcncc and great hope"