Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-08-30

Rep. Reg, who left Cresco on July
26th for Camp Gordon, writes as fol-
lows to Sister who was his former
teacher in the Protivin psrochial school :
Received your most welcome letter
with surprise, and was still more sur
prised at your return to the good old
town of Protivin.
"Army life is surely so different than
that of q civilian. The time of q
soldier is measured out up to q minute;
he must perform his duties quickly and
accurately. The. Captain expressed
himself this way, that there are two
fddferent -kinds of soldiers, live ones
and dead ones. A live soldier 10 the
one who drills and works 5ali there is in
him and . dead soldier IL the one who
drills just because he has too. and
further, that we must put our whole
heart into this war game, or elsa some
day a Hun will get US and we will push
the daisies somewhere on the battle.
fields in France. [some military
expression-Ha! Hall There will be
no dead soldiers participating in the big
parade which will take place after the
war is over. Well, l am trying my
best to be live one; am working real
hard and never would think that could
stand and do so much as I have.
''In regard to our choir, must say
that we have been getting along fine,
for all the years you, Sister, was work.
| ing with US. and only wish that the
singers that. are left back home could
get together and have their friends join
them and make up a better choir than
we ever had before. Sister, you ought
to hear US sing down here when the
whole Regiment gets together. We
have especially trained song leaders
and they surely make Us boys sing.
The u S. Army is called the singing
Army, and that is why we have regu.
lar rehearsals just like we do drill.
Il have been on guard for "a hours,
the 18th, 2 hours on and hours off.
1t is very tiresome work to walk the
post all alone at night. It seems to me
every soldier agrees with me that while
walking the post st night, the mind
and thoughts travel far away to the
dear old home and friends. l have
thought of you; Sister, as being my
first school teacher. teaching mo the
A, B, C's. good many years ago. and
also of my choir friends, and the many
pleasant days l have spent among
them. Those days are gone but not
forgotten. They were the happiest
days of my life. am far away from,
my good old home in good spirits and
happy, learning the war game, and
God only knows whether or not shall
return safe and sound to my dear home
again. If Il do. I shall come home with
the honor of fighting for . good cause
and for my dear country, U. S. A.,
which love 90 much.
II have just heard now that We
might be transferred. nobody knows
where. any time. Well. l hope it's
France is the feeling of every
soldier when in the Army for some
time"
Last week, we published letter
written by Ernest Roth ct the battle
front in France. Since then, he haa
been gassed and under date Of August
lst he wrote his father % follows:
"At last l am in . position to write q
few words. You see, ws have been 80
busy lately thst we haven't had time
to eat or sleep. Perhaps you can guess
what we were doing; if not. III tell
you. We were knocking the Kaieer's
army in the head. and We gave it quite
. hard bump and We are going to keep
right on knocking. We found them
scattered throughout woods, fields,
towns. and in every other place that
was big enough to hold . Boche, bu,
We went after them in good old Amer.
ican style and soon had them on tn
run. A great many OF the American
lads in my vicinity fell, but the line
kept steadily on. Such 10 true Amer:
ican warfare.
A few words about myself. While
WAS in the midst of the skirmish
several gas shells came 20 close to me
| that al at once keeled oyer end . few
hours later landed in . field hospital.
From there was transported on . U.
s. hospital train to Base Hospital and
here I am lying on . snow.White bed
with lots of Red Cross nurses and
orderlies to wait on me, lots Of time "a
sleep, lots of things to eat. I don't
think ever felt % comfortable in my
life, except for . burning sensation IN
my eyes and throat which think will
leave in . few days.
The French people are just cutting
|