Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-08-27
OUR VS.
OUR CQUNTRY'S SERVICE

L
recently received by Mr.. and Mrs. f.
Harrington, S45 Columbia foau'
Dorchester, Mass, from ELLSWORTH 2.
rogers, member of Company NJ, 1850
Infantry, and we'll known in Augusta
nd vicinity
Somewhere in France.
May II, 1918.
Mr.. and Mrs F. Harrington,
NV dear Friends:
Inst a few lines to let you know
that l am well and hope you are the
same. Sorry to hear that Frank has
keen feeling so mean, hope this letter
will find him up and around. You
asked me in your letter to tell you
something about France, especially
the country we are in. Well, OF
course, you understand. that we can
rot say anything about the trenches.
But | will say that . the part OF
France that we have been in 1t might
have been pretty at one time. Bul
TIC scenery now is anything but
beautiful except at night, when you
can see the flash of the big guns
against the sky, followed by deaf
ening roar such as only those that
have been over here can realize. on
will see a big fash and in about 10
seconds you will hear the big shells
creeping over the hills headed toward
Germany 1t seems that You can al
most see them in their flight. And
YOU have often heard the papers
speak about a barrage, but believe
ne, they can't find words to describe
them. 1t is simply a rain Of shells
that destroys everything in its path.
Why, our medium size shell will
make a hole large enough to put
Ford in and the next one will cover
il up. When we first came over here
he Germans and the French seemed
81 be playing game of ''if you don't
hit me ! won't hit you" Why, on
enc front where we were there was
q stream between US and the enemy
end the boch would be on on side
washing clothes and the French on
The other, only a few yards apart.
but neither of them would think of
carrying a gun. But when Uncle
Sans boys got there and saw them
washing clothes they thought they
would make good targets and COM
.nenced to pick them off, and after
tMat they refused to honor rs by
washing their clothes in mo mans
stream" And another trick they
had was of sitting on top of their
trenches and swapping coo-coos with
the French but the Yankee Coesn't
like a mixed breed and it didn't take
the boche long to find it out, and
now, he thinks himself lucky if we
let him sit in the bottom Of the
trench.
But we boys owe a lot to the
French as they have used US fine,
10th at the front and in back Of the
lines. And they were very patient
with us all through our intensive
training, as we had them for in
structors. The people here are aw-
fully poor in this part of the country.
And it makes a funny feeling go
creeping up your back when you see
an old gray haired woman out in the
fields with a pillow. And it makes us
grit our teeth and fight all the hard
er And many prayer of thanks has
gOne up that these same conditions
did not happen in the States. You
see, that although the boys have been
working awfully hard our thoughts
are always with the loved ones over
at home. And well they might for
the cheering letters and boxes that
we are constantly getting keep us in
mind of the dear friends and rela-
tives that we are fighting for. And
believe me, there will be a rousing
cheer from all the boys when that
old regiment band plays Home,
Sweet Home" on old Camp Keyes.
Well friends, 1 could rave on like
this all night. but it is IL o'clock now
and l am on duty SO will have to
lose with love to all. Tell Mrs H.
Harrington that l was asking about
Ter.
ELLSWORTH.
Miss Anna NJ. Parent of II Ben
nett street, Augusta, has recently re-
ceived the following letter from her
cousin, Private Dolore F. Theriault.
Candidate Detachment. Division K2,
Section 81, a. P. Q. 713. He went
across in April after being stationed
at Fort Mckinley, Portland. He was
a resident of Millnocket and has a
brother at a naval training camp in
Massachusetts.
Saumur, France, July %, 1918.
Dear Anna:
! was very pleased to receive such
dandy long letter from you Let
tiers are by far the one thing which
4 fellow over here looks forward to
getting. They seem to possess that
good quality of curing one of the
blues when he has them and he sure
~ has them especially when the let
tiers do not come. Mail" is an ex-
preston which when called out by
some comrade. attracts the attention
ri all those near So do drop me a
l.tter occasionally and | will do nv
hest to answer promptly.
This old world is surely thing
WhIch interests all the boys over
tere very much. II surely seems odd
20 see all the houses with their front
doors opening on the sidewalk or to
sec otner houses completely sur
rounded by a very high stone wall.
ne SIDEWALKS over here vary all the
way from about a foot wide up to
Fefai feet wide. The houses them
.elFes are all made of calcium car
coNdte. q sort OF soft rock which can
reaoily be sawed into blocks: Of