The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-05-30

dated March 10th. and addressed to his
father. The young man is volunteer
and has for some months been in
France. and recently a relative wrote
from his home town. saying, I" He con-
tinues well and is still in the thick of
the fight" Those knowing how delicate
he was as Il youth will he pleased to
learn of his physical attainments of
to-day.
Lieut.. I'ayne's home is in Charleston.
w. Va. and he is the youngest of three
SONS of Hon. J. Nj. Payne. and when it
is added, that he is nephew Of the
owner Of the Banner many who see
this in print will at once call to mind
that his mother (whose death occurred
some years agO) was born and reared
III Bossier Parish. The eldest son. Maj.
AEney Payne. has for some years been
I'm the regular army. At present he is
stationed at Fortress Monroe, where
his duties are in training recruits for
the Army.
Lieut. Payne's letter follows:
Dear Father: Received your letter
of January I'D to-day, and just can't
tell you how very, very glad l was to
hear from You again. Hadn't heard
for some little time. Am glad to know
YOU are all well at home, and that the
war hasn't affected your health as it
has your pocketbOOk. 1t has improved
both for me.
Am glad You sent me the letter pub
lished by Mrs. Haynes, as wanted to
see how letter of mine looked in
print. Am sorry can't make my let
ters more in teresting. hut it is hard to
do without violating the censorship
regulations. Ours are even stricter
than those Of the British, but | expect
to zee them loosen up after we've
learned the game better and know bet
ter what to write and what not to.
think we will he able to write that we
have returned from the trenches and
tell about our life later on. but we can't
do it now. 1t is really better that we
shouldn't now. but later think it will
he all right. You can get much more
out Of the papers than we can write
and all have seen in print is perfectly
| reliable. The articles In the SatHfdd!
Erening Post are good. and YOU Cal
| learn more from them than l couli
| write.
Our life l.; certainly interesting and
| ut times. exciting 1t is hard, hare
work. Though. and we are not the nice
looking yildiers you see Oh the street.
at home We arc required to keep a.
clean as possible, but that Is a hare
I j5ss. II |, yet 4 bkth once 4 week | Con
slider myself lucky. and dry shoes leg
gins. etc. are not always to he had fo;
the asking | pay my striker" s., ;
month to look after my clothes and
often have to help him. He has othe
duties to perform also, but his chic
duty is to look after me. He carrie
messages, goes after things need, AM
find I'd be in had shape without him
Each officer is allowed one at the front
but behind the lines there is only on
for two lieutenants. They are absc
lutely necessary. and while their chic
duties are to clean clothes behind til
lines, they have much more to do u
front.
understand there has been som
more bowling about cur excessiv
drinking over here, but please don't bt
lieve it, We have some. of course, bu
it isn't nearly so bad as expected
; to be. The men are behaving then
selves better than bunch of collee
students would, I'm sure, if they Wei
turned loose over here. During til
winter it was Lad at times, but sine
the company I'm now in was organi
ed we have had only two men in I'll
guard house. Don't worry about OF
bOozing or our behavior.
We are doing some good fightil
. now. and I'm sure Fritz has learned
have great respect for us. He hash
put anything over on us since last ia
when he got away with that little raj
We know the game much better no.
and ] know we. are better right no
: than he is. We don't fear him, thou:
we respect his fighting ability, and
believe we will have him OH the r,
vet. l believe it can be done, and
hope and pray l live to see the d;
when he has to pull out l haven't Il
> counted for any share Of them yet, al
may never do it, as Il lieutenant has
much else to do l don't see how he Ii
much time to get any Roche. As lo
} as my platoon gets enough of them
Il he willing to fOrego the pleasure. ho
ever. If it. wasn't for losing some
my own men, I'd like to see him col
over after me so my autorifiemen cou
show him some shooting. My teal
shoot better than the French instru
ors had could. and the Boche we
and are. afraid of them.
The Y. NJ. G.. A. is OH the job he
as well as the Salvation Army. Til
are both doing good work and help
make our life more pleasant. The III
in charge here was with the c. and
for years-a Mr.. Walker.
Well. father, certainly miss you
Il whole lot these days, and pray Il
may get back to you some day.
think of you a great deal. and the ILL
do. think of You the more certain
am that / have the best father of d
hoy in this world. A boy never reall
how much his parents mean to b
= until he gets away off from them lik
! anl-and then he knows. When l TIN
of some of the fool things I've d.
and what worry Nv caused. you. |
! like I'd make better target for a d
sniper than anything else. There's I
good thing coming out OF this wal
nothing else does, and that is, a lot