The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-10-26
LUKE VICKERS' MOTHER
GETS LETTER FROM FRIEND
Tells of The Esteem in Which He
Was Held by Officers And Compan-
ions "Oyer There
st. Jean DeMonts, France.
September IL. 1918.

st. Jean DeMonts, France.
September IL. 1918.
Mrs. Nettie w. Vickers,
Church Creek, Nd.
| Dear Mrs. Vickers:
Ever since your dear son died,
Sept. 9Th, l have wanted to write
you some of the things l knew your
heart would long to hear.
To begin with: l met your son
very soon, in fact, the first night he
got here. He and some of his class
mates came into the to look rs ov-
er and to buy some things at the
canteen where [ was busy. Then l
saw your son when he was resting
for few days in the hospital He
was not sick enough to be in bed for
more than a day or so, and he. loved
to read. | used to go over with
fresh magazines, papers, books. etc,
and we got to know each other. that
way. | recall so we'll one night when
| took over to see him an eminent
French Doctor and his pretty dough
ters, who were my dinner guests.
Your son was playing some game
just outside his room. The room
fronted piney stretch of woods. He
came forward and We all chatted to-
gether in French. Your son Scon-
versed well. Then the last Saturday
night he was alive he came overshere
to see me to get some books changed.
l had been too busy to go over THAT
day or the day before. We had such
nice talk about books. l also re-
call how the blue of a scarf 1 wore on
my white dress attracted him, and he
told me that with him it was an eS-
pecial favorite, that particular shade,
as it called up so many memories that
were dear to h1n. He was thinking
that night, l think, Of the charming
girl whose picture was found in his
pocket. If l knew her name and ad-
dress | should also write her.
The sudden death of your son
caused sorrow TO the entire camp,for
he was favorite not only among the
officers, but even the enlisted men
who knew him spoke we'll of him. l
recall one man saying the day after
he had died that just the day before
he had come into these enlisted neen
and said he had written home to say
the many things he was going to do
after the war, when he got back to
the good old U. S. A
The funeral was most impressive.
The two aviators who had met death
suddenly were buried together, sad
the officers and men walked eilzI1oSs
to the little cemetery tucked away in
the woods where our brave men are
gently laid to rest. The flowers were
beautiful and many, and | enclose
few of those used because l know
from my own great sorrow, (I have
lost a dear husband that all the lit
tie things count. l made wreath of
beautiful asters and pink roses and
a fiat piece of heliotrope and orchid
like lilies, that found in little gar
den III the village. There was love
ly cross of crimson dahlias, with laur
ell leaves that was lovely, on the
American flag. The tributes of flow
ers from the French people were
many, and it would cheer your brok-
en- heart to know that even though
buried so far from home, your son
was beloved by throng of soldiers
and civilians, too, who were glad to
pay their respects to the courageous
men who had gone.
My heart goes out to you In your
sorrow, but 1 rejoice with you in the
rich memories that you will have of
a son courageous, sympatheticalI-
kind to all, able and valiant, who d1d
his part in the worlds greatest war.
With sympathy sincere, faithfully
yours,
CATHERINE E. HILL,
II Rue de Equesseoll,
Paris, France. |