Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1918-05-23

for the second time IN q ysoy to Sivs W
MS g0sNfwI occupation of civj life, TO
leave his home 0Bd his wife and child.
IL is q hssMs0s docsSseMt and not The less
interesting in that IS has come to light
ne0vLy year after IL sUas sUviissm.)
MY dear, sss rs<.s44t
AS / kissed yOn and the dear kid
die this morning and % we waved
farewell at the train there was muoh
that wanted to say. But somehow
/ could find no words. Thia ID the
second time. dear. that We have faced
the possibility of war. It seemed
serious when the Mexican trouble
threatened. It was serious for us,
more serious than for many. because
we had to give up everything. who
would have. thought that DO soon
again the call would comet But I
cannot help feeling glad that It has
come. Somehow I am proud today,
prouder than I ever have been that
the uniform ! wear h that Of the
United States.
have wanted this country to en-
ter the war. have wanted II know
ing ell the time that &C would mean
separation from you. And I feel IN
my heart that you have wanted Il.
We both have an old lineage; and Il
is = proud oaa. Your family and
mine were united In Revolutionary
days in lighting for freedom and In
protesting against the tyranny Of q
German King. How history repeats
itself. We ere Joined In marriage
now and yet the old tic, the tie Of
love Of right Ii stronger even than
that; for we give up lifo that I'm our
marriage has been beautifully happy
I'm order that may serve the right
love and that you may serve IL, too.
For yours 10 patriotic duty. You
will be lonely; 30 will !.
So far as you are concerned, / do
not feel that this separation 10 for
ever. Even IL do not come back to
our home In America, ! know that
we shall meet. Thi9 is firm cOnvic-
ton with me. do not assert Il now
in order that you may be buoyed up,
for know that you share this faith.
Our love Is founded upon something
substantial. It has been tried and
tested. You know, dear, how we
used to joke about the NTH year Of
married life as the most dangerous
was TO us. The loss Of little Ethel
l scarcely can think Of 1t even now.
And how one thing followed another!
Yet through 1t all there was some
thing very sweet in cur relationship.
We never doubted each other through
any OF the trials Of that year; and
each minigtered TO the other.
It seems hard, now that every
thing would have been such smooth
sailing. But what q glorious privi-
lege it 10 to be among the firgt TO 80!
What an opportunity there 10 for me
to serve. / did not Join the National
Guard to serve merely in peace. I
felt that It was an arm Of the service
that could be employed immediately
by the government. believed In
preparedness. The country would
not have II. We did what we could
In the Guard. It was not much: but
It was the best we could do.
We are not finished soldiers; no
one realizes that better than do.
There Is much, very much, that ]
have to learn. When we get on the
other side 1t will be case Of apply
ing ali my zeal for learning to this
one thing. have responsibility to
the men who are with me; and
would never want It said that any one
of them lost his life, or was wounded
even, because of something that ]
did not know or something that
had left undOne.
They are ffne fellows, all those
that are with me. / suppose I'm the
hnsne Of each OF them there In stu
alton like that In our home. Each
has made some great sacrifice to
serve his country.
This Ia . longer letter than Ishad
planned; but there was 30 much
wanted to say. Watch over the kid
die. Teach him at home before he
goes to school. Teach him to be
brave; teach him that IL his daddy
does not come back he IL the man Of
the house. Make him love my mem
DRY. And as early IS you can, direct
his thoughts to God and Christ Jesus.
If am not to rejOin you here, teach
him that he and you will rejOin me
there.
Goodbye. dear. Everything
could do have done. II It does 30
happen that l shall not come back,
you will flnd full arrangements made.
Open the envelope addressed to yos
which you will find in the safe deposit
vault Goodbye, wife Of my heart:
know that shall always think Of you
and that / hope-oh! how hope-N
may be given Us to pick up the ends
of our life again. God bless and keep
Won EnNAR