The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-12-19
Describes Both
War and Peace
In France


Mrs. Emma A. Smith of 21o North
Sixth street is in receipt of letter
from her son, Private Marvin Clark
Smith of Evacuation Hospital No. 9.
with the American military forces in
France. in which he tells of the fighting
there during the early days of Novem-
ber and of the celebrations that fol-
lowed the signing of the armistice on
November IL of that month. In the
first part of his letter. which bears
date of November 9. he says:
Yesterday ! received four letters
from you and they contain the greatest
amount of interest to me.
81 am mighty glad to hear about
Clyde. At this time he Is not far from
me and tonight know exactly where
he is. While I am writing this the
roar Of the artillery is fright Some
nights there is a great deal of shell
fire and the flashes of the explosions
make constant light in the sky. The
aeroplanes are sight that one enjoys
look ing at have seen them flying at
all heights and in every direction. We
can tell the enemy planes from our
own by the difference in the hum and
in the explosions of the engines that
propel them. One stops to watch
them the same as a railway train.
The rays of the mighty search
lights will start from the horizon and
are so powerful that they extend half
way across the arc in the sky over
head. The light they make is as
white as the paper on which this is
written. and on dark night il is fss-
cinating to watch them as they sweep
back and forth.
when the boys Ia training at home
get over here they will fnd they are
only half through with their exper-
fences. The dugouts. the barbed wire
and the eternal scratching are matters
that belong to this side Of the water.
There are times when we are so tired
that nothing counts and guess that
is the best way to be. have q wooden
bench for my bed, but am no worse on
than the rest Of the men. am getting
along fine and everything Is all right
am glad to have been in the A. E. F..
and shall never forget the lessons
have learned here.
I'VE have had a great many German
prisoners in our hospital. They
would rather be in our prison camps
than in their own country. Here they
get better food and better treatment
we have had a great deal Of rain
in this part OF France lately, which
puts dreariness into everything. The
last two weeks, however. the weather
has been beautiful. think heaven
must have sent 1t to hasten the end Of
the war. Today the air was full of
peace rumors. but reports coming from
Germany are not given much credence.
II hope you have pleasant Thanks
giving day in Canon City. We are in
section OF the world where there are
no holidays and no Sundays.
November 11-Today has been the
biggest day in the history Of the world
and everybody has been celebrating it..
l guess. At IL o'clock this morning
our guns ceased firing and tonight
the only flare in the sky is that Of huge
bonhres. The German empire has
cracked wide open. and its ruler. the
Kaiser. has fled in haste to Holland for
refuge, 6featiy 10 tne scorn OF MS own
people.
II suppose tonight you are celebrat-
ing at home the ending of the war?
The cities and villages here are wild
with delight over the good news. Our
camp is in darkness and quite as usual
in all respects. We are SO very busy.
and probably will be up TO the last
minute Of our stay here. We will be
taken home as rapidly as possible. and
sometime after Christmas ] expect to
be with you again"