The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-08-08
"ERVlVAL L AMERICANA"
EVERYBODY WAS SHOUTING

| EuSene avery, son OF Mr.. and MRS.
w. E. Avery. of Columbia, age 10,
| volunteered last year and went to
Italy with the Ambulance Corps or
ganized by DR.. Wyman. He writes
the following interesting letter de-
scribing the arrival of American SOL
liers on Italian soil:
Dear Papa:
"We have at last set foot on land
and are very we'll satisfied so far.
eve had dandy trip. was in
no hurry for it to come to an end.
wish could tell you about all we
saw, but if did, about all you would
get would be lace curtain.
I'VE saw number of United
States sailors and they sure were
glad to see us. / met five boys from
South Carolina. / don't know who
was the happiest. We gave them to-
bacco in exchange for candy. The
band played and we had good time
together.
"When we were leaving they here
all up and down the ropes and mast.
1t looked as if they were everywhere
from the water to the clouds. One
fellow was standing on the crows nest
with one foot and waving the other.
| l have never seen such cheering be-
fore. The crews of an Itaian boat also
showed a great enthusiasm, but of
course there were not so many. We
saw some kind of a boat of almost
every nature.
ut seems to be quite stylish to
wear mustache and the longer the
better. The captain of the boat will
never have to wear glasses as his
protects his eyes from all trash, wind
and glare.
eve landed yesterday but spent
the day on the boat. So the people
| did not see much of us until the pa
rade in the afternoon. They did not
know we were coming and had ne
chance to make arrangements, but
the way they turned out, cheered and
showed their spirit was something
wonderful.
"They filled the road with flowers
and threw them from the streets.
windows and house tops. Everybody
that could talk was shouting 'Erviva l.
Americana!
81 could not but smile when /
thought of the boys at home paying
$1.50 for wee handful of flowers
to try to win lady fair and here we
| are walking on them. There was
roses, red, white and blue carnations
| daisies, sweet shrub. oleander and
lots of others.
ut was easy to see that they had
| their whole heart in it.
"All the men either have on a uni
form or a black band on their arm
and most of the women wear black
They don't have the bright cheerful
look of the girls at home but they are
very, very pretty.
after the parade we went up on
top of hill verlooking the city and
listened to some speeches which were
very good.
"The people sure have faith in the
United State and look on Wilson as
the greatest man in the world.
after that we went to our bar
racks and after seeing the clean
whitewashed walls, and sheets we
were very much pleased and we went
out to look about. saw a sunset
| which have heard 80 much about
think this is very pretty place, as
well as being historical
"The days are very long here and
| it was still light when we went to
bed at 10 p. m. l don't understand
it, as we are further north than New
York. Anyway one boy from Sally,
South Carolina, discovered something
crawling up his pretty white sheet
and said something about it and
pretty soon the battle begun. Shoes
were flying in all directions, we then
got out our hatchets and charged the
walls which were alive with them, af-
ter about half an hour of hard fight
ing we killed q number and drove
the rest to cover. But still there was
not much sleep to be gained.
| Two Days Later
eve were let out yesterday and
went up town and looked around
There is an American Y. NJ. C. A
where we got some papers and candy
1t is run by ladies who are very nice.
Things are very cheap at present
and I hope they won't run prices up
got one big meal, all that I could