Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1918-11-22

To Mrs. Agnes Compton, Cove Greek,
Virginia.
Base Hospital No. ii, A. E. F.,
October 6, 1918.
am sure you have given up all
hopes Of ever hearing from me again,
but l am giving you a surprise. A
surprise wont kill any one, but surely
will give them the scare of their life
sometimes. You see l was surprised
when Boche fed n few of his ma
chine gun bullets my way and scared
when one went through my leg. :,
was scared still more when shell
bursted under me and filled me full
of holes and shrapncl. In less than
an hour l was wounded five times o.
rather in five places. Both legs, my
shoulder, arm and hand. My hand
is in bad condition and that is why
/ have to write like this. You see
can't move my fingers as of old. One
is perfectly useless and two are near
ly as bad. The piece of shrapnl that
went in the back of my hand came
out between two of the fingers. They
have taken n small piece out since l
have been here. / have been in bed
for nearly q month now and sure will
be glad when | get out for this sure
Nv stiresome. ] feel like / have been
in for year and time drags like
everything. / am in good place.
Everyone is so nice to all wounded
BOYS. / am in n hospital on the At
lantic coast and the breezes are great
but is gets so cold during the night.
wish / could step across the ocean,
I'd come home tonight, for lew
hours. When l was in the hospital
this summer after being gasscd l was
in Paris all the time. saw all there
was to be seen and believe me tnat is
wonderful city. 1t isn't like any
thing we have III the States. All the
people there are crazy about the ma
rines, so you see l had an exceptian-
ally nice time. They would gather
around us on tie streets md nearly
kiss us. Well, maybe some of them
did? They had cir raids and the
"Big Berthas" bombarded Paris while
I was there, but that was awiuiiy
tame to the times we have on the
front. One time when we were ad-
vancing on the "Huns" one of then
aeroplanes came close down to us
and opened upo on our men with ms
machine gun. He hit two, but before
he could make his "get away" we op-
ened up with rifles and machine guns
and "Mr. Hun" came down in flames
That made four planes that our COM
pany has shot down in battle. Our
machines sure had tile control of the
cir and made the Germans hunt
hole for themselves.
MY hand is getting pretty tired sc
Il have to stop soon. i had five
letters from rnother and one from
cousin Margaret today. Mother had
lust returned from Cedar Bluff. Cous-
in was at her mothers home in Penn
.;ylvania. She sure is wonderful
cousin. How is leila getting along
Is she away at ccEool row?? Give
ell the C. B. girls my love. I'm com
ing back there some of tnese days
and we will have some parties. no"
does that suit your opinion? Write
to me soon end often. With worlds
Of love for each one, especially your
mother, Your old cousin,
VERGlL.
P. S.-Ask "Perk" how he would like
to be over here with me. Give uncle
Pats folks my best when you SEE
them.
From v. A. Ratliff, 9th Regt., U. S
Marines. to his cousin, H. MCGUIRE
Cedar Bluff, Va.
MFR. and Mrs. C. T. Keister's Boy
Are All in France.
The following three letters are from
the sons of C. T. Keister, of Tanners
Vile:
With the American Expeditionar,
Forces, September 20, 1918.
Dear mama and pap and Clint:
/ received your letter No. l yes
terday, which was written Angus
18th. And gee whiz, but it sure di
me good, and the pictures and woul
not take a horse for them as we'll a
I love horses.
We sure do get lot of horses sho
up mighty bad here. Almost make
a fellow sick to look at them. Sur
am glad l don't have to work wit
them, for it is a dirty job.
We saddlers have got one of tn
best jobs on the vet corps. Have go
a good dry place to work in. DraN
more money than first class private
and there are three Of us and on
could do the work, so you see the