Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1918-01-04
NOTE IN SOCK
BRINGS REPLY

oTTUMWA WOMAN RECEIVES
INTERESTING LETTER FROM
: SOLDIER IN CAMP DEVENs.
In reply to a note left in the toe OF
pair of socks she had knit for the
Red Cross for use of the soldiers at
home and abroad, Mrs. T. Eliot TAFT
has received an interesting letter from
Camp Devens, Mass. Mrs. TAFT took
this means to offer her aid to the re
cipient of the socks in supplying any
articles he might need that the army
does not supply, such as tobacco, can
dy or reading matter. The reply com
ing from camp $500 miles distant
, from here, teens with interest for
the young man who received the Red
Cross gift and note was the first one
called in the draft at his home city
of Danvers, Mass. He tells the story
of his service in the following letter:
ENvIED BY HIS FELLOWS.
Dear Madam:
Like the prodigal son wandering
from coast, your very kind note
reached me here at our lonesome lit
tie war-camp home at Camp Devens,
Massachusetts. The boys up here
tell me that it is very lucky to find
anything in q stocking, but am q
) firm believer in the first command
ment, which says: We must not
adore false gods will have to take
it some other way. am sure you
will be pleased to hear from soldier
boy away up here 1,50O miles from
your home, and assure you that l
will never forget your kindness to
me.
i NOW, know that you will want
| to know something about the poor
soldier boy who received your pres
ent, and just for fun am going to
tell you some of my experiences IN
life and more at our camp.
| FROM GEN. PUTNAM's HOME.
! 1T was just two months ago that l
learned that I was to become part
of Uncle Sans great war machine. l
live in the little town of Danvers,
Mass, which is known as village
where onions are raised and also is
the seat of the largest insane hos
pital in the world Outside of that
Danvers is real quiet town, a very
patriotic town, too, for it was there
that General Putnam left his pillow In
the field and taking his faithful old
horse, he rode all the way to Concord,
some twenty-five miles or more away
to fight in the battle of Concord and
Lexington. 1t was there that Rebec-
ca Nurse was hanged for witch craft
in the Revolutionary days because
she could say the Lords prayer in
Latin as we'll as English. 1t was
there that Washington visited and
had a little sham battle with General
Gage, one of Washington's men hav-
ing fired the shot at General Gage
which is still lodged in the door OF
the George Peabody estate. 1t was
there that 240 men died for this great
country of ours in the Revolutionary
war. when the population was but
1,4O0. God grant that might do half
as well as those who went before me
from Danvers.
FIRST NAME ON DRAFT LIST
1.-TWO months ago, as correspondent
for a Boston paper and publisher or
the Danvers Review, I stood beside the
bulletin on Danvers square waiting
anxiously to see Who would be the
first man to be drafted from Danvers.
/ was just 81 years old few days be-
fore, and feeling like a man. was
rather anxious to be among the lucky
ones. And sure enough my name was
the first to go on the bulletin.
80 when the history Of this war is
written, suppose the citizens of DAN
yers will have this little story to re-
late.
81 being a German. that is, my moth
err is a German. some of the citizens
took this as a joke. Some OF them
Missed when my name went on the
bulletin. l said nothing, but walked
home to tell my mother that was Sc
lected to help defeat the Germans. that
is the German government. My moth
err with bitter tears in her eyes looked
at me very sadly. and after recovering
her senses told me that I must go. at
the same time telling me that I was an
American citizen and it was my duty
to stick by my country whatever might
happen.
A PRIVILEGE TO FIGHT
"T felt quite relieved at this. for al
WAYS thought there was something
wonderful about fighting for ones
country Not that have any desire to
kill German. or any other enemy of
Uncle Sans, but feel that it is only
secondary to fighting for God to fight
for such great country.
Some Of those who Kissed me were
also drafted. and some OF them are
home today because they are not Mt Tor
service. have always kept myself Mt
for service, physically, morally, and
mentally, because my mother always
told me that it was an old custom in
Germany TO be always fit to defend
the country. OF course my mother Is
an American, as true as any American
can be. She came from Germany when
a small child, because in Germany,
unlike America, a human being is not