Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-09-01

Whom people tHN thht our HnlhI,Ih
leave their morale behind upon inIn.
ing the army. they have but - read
tho following lottcr, clipped irom 10
little Georgia weekly ntwFpupc' l'
have that idea thoroughly rctulo ].
II ~ hard 10 understand how any
man ar women can read IL lettor
Ike the following one, frow a toh'
% refined az this mans seems 10 h'
without a feeling of awe and reysr-
ence stealing over him at what our
boys are doing 'ovur thorc.'
This letter shows. more thnu nnr.
thing else could. the feelings uf o.
group Of sOldirrs when thyH have a
rest period. II anyone c1n read ~
without a tear stealing from ne eyes
they are either stronger or weaker
than the average ~ humanity
France. sunday, duiY Z. 1918.
~ Dear papa g~l.h'b yesterday
afternoon whlBed up the road .
few miles tow1trd tho trent tom lit,
sie village Lhat the Germans had
rpyaged sofne time ago And un-
der a gr5Ve of trees we're n Froup of
AmertcAn troops resting, on their
way back from tho1 front, and tney
were singing.
abide with me.
Fast falls ihe ovontide,
The darkness deeDenh
Lord, with mo abide
The last time heard This was
back In McDonOuEh: this Time II Vas
somewhere IN France" My ears.
stlli warm from the thunder OF hnt.
tie, eagerly drank IN tho soft
a.
The major commanding the column
his officers by his side, stood Just
whore was son the fringe ~ the
gathering. IN the darher shodows.
but dimly aecn. Many OF the towna-
people were collected. scarce under
standing. yet held In n spell by the
soft sweetness of the music. And
never before N alien land had home
come back TO me aA IN that twilight
hour. a.
FOR n moment or two tho singing
ceased; tho hymn vns ended. The
roll OF the gums but mile or two
away seemed strangely unusual
even they were silent. 4 few low
grooming notes scarce whisper.
like the slghH Of tho night wind IN
the tree topE-and then came to
those who had listened
- "tsad, Wiraly Llrhi.
Amid the enclrcina gloon
Who In this world 10 WHOM, thtse
lines were familiar could have re-.
mained sllontg Many hal been con.
tent only 10 listen 20 tho previous
hymn. but with tho gray shadows
deepening around us until all was
fndlstinct no moe al 50 dulled hut
stretched out lts being 20 the great
I God OF hattie.
over the old square lined with
hlgh-pitohed gables. lts quaint oil
church tower "a shapeless bldt on the
sky against which the lurid light Of
battle stabbed the darkness. tho plea
for guidance rolled on una onward
20 the very gates OF heaven, No rank
or file there. but one great appeal
from the very human souls ~ that
wRyaide group indeed. a song OF
prayer wrung from those who fcll
that amid the dangers 30 real. 50
near, only one Power could lead
them IN the way OF safety,
That song ended. the circle began
to wnver bit but the soldiers were
leath 70 break the solemn kpell cast
s "Just another. sergeant" someois
pleaded. The circle steadied. ana
FOR a moment the gums we're silent
Then. with deafenlng crash,
nearby hbwitRer rent the very
heavens and M the Ekv for an IN
stRnt with hlood-red Flnre. There
was the silence Of awe. then
''onrard. Chrishsn soliiers
Marching as 10 var
The sergeant teit the call ~ the
suns and boldly led that song OF
bottln, That sound Of terror no close
40 compelling, had reused In cvery
heart the dread call that has taken
them far from home. from case and
safety. from friends and families:
but those be the things for which We
tight
And II ia onward we are rulnr
There IA no doubt I'm our minds no
hesitation IN our actions No fear
can be allotted 90 these brave 'ada
who, IN this femote part OF Frrnce.
, sang again their hymns Of p.uycr
And praise.
To some, perhaps, their words had
almost faded from memory, hut frou
home and sunday schools and
churches, too. the lines came echo
inE hack over all the years.
The last line had died away. e-'h0-
ing up tho narrow streets Amer
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