The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-09-11

We certainly made a wonderful ad-'
vance after the battle at = The
country we went through was mostly
woods. The Boche would always take
up their positions in the edge of a woods
and our job would be to charge across
an open field in the face of a terrible
artillery fire and run them out, but we
sure made them rum 1t rains nearly all
the time, on account of the heavy
artillery fire, suppose. At night when
we slept, which was very seldom, it
would be in little holes that we dug in
the ground, just deep enough to lie
down in. These holes are our only pro-
lection from shell fire; that is the idea
in digging in. All we carry is pick or
shovel and ammunition Blankets, toilet
articles and everything but arms and
ammunition was thrown away. The
most terrible thing about it, though, was
the strain of being under shell fire con-
stantly It surely takes the nerve out of
man to see big shell explode right
close to you and maybe kill half a dozen
or more of your best friends. | saw one
shell kill sixteen men and wound twelve.
1t was the most terrible thing | ever saw
in my life Some of them we're torn all
to pieces The captain of that battalion,
rough old man, too, and had been in
many a battle, sat down and cried like
a baby. 1t is very seldom that so many
are hit from one shell, though, and there
are many more wounded than killed But
the fact that we were driving the Ger
mans hard and fast to where they started
from kept us going. One thing about
it, when we had a chance it was no
trouble to lay down in the mud and go
to sleep.
In one town we captured there was an
old French lady that the Germans left
behind, but she said they took her four
daughters with them. We even cap
tured German women machine gunners.
That shows that they are pretty short of
men when they put their women on the
firing line to handle their dirty machine
guns They will be lot shorter, though, |
when the dough boys get through with |
them The Boche admits they are scared |
to death of the Americans. When they /
see wave after wave of dough boys
coming toward them at a slow walk and
bayonetts flashing, it takes the heart out
of them. They know that we will not
nor even hesitate in advancing
as long as there is man left, conse-
quently their machine gun fire isn't as
effective as it might be. | don't think
any of my company is in this hospital.
wish I knew how they came out
know that most of them are dead or in
hospitals somewhere Guess | will see
some of them soon as | get around. In
about another week will be around on
,rutches There is seven or eight hospi-
tals in this city and I suppose some of
hem must be here. They are classify
ng lot of the patients today hope
hey decide to send me home, but | guess
here is no such luck Everyone that is
,ut in class D is pretty happy, believe
ne. That means discharge.
They have lake and big park in
his town, and am just crazy to get !
,ut and have boat ride. They say all
here is to this town is big hotels. 1t is
summer resort and all the big bugs
one here for their vacations. Guess.
hat is why | am here. | would never :
lave got a vacation if | hadn't been
wounded There is hotel just across
he street and we can see the ladies in
very window smoking cigarettes and \
rinking. I'll bet they never did any
hing useful in their lives. Seems to me I
hey ought to be knitting or doing some
hing for their soldiers, if they don't Z
ave to do anything for themselves. 1t
sure disgusting to see the lazy slobs 8
itting and smoking. I'm sure our wo
len in the states, even the richest, are
ding something worth while. One does .
OF realize just how good our country Z
until we see some of these European I
ountries and their ways
I had a belt and buckle, pistol and y
ome German money that / took off of 4
German officer, but the pistol was shot r
IF my side in the last battle | was in,
I'd gave the belt to Red Cross man, ;,
linking that / would get plenty chances r
get another, and / forgot about the
oney being in the belt So came s.
way from, the front without any 4
'uvenirs at ALL But will send you M
mething as soon as | get out of the
,spital. | did not have any chance to r
nd anything before as / was close to
e front for four months "
They are sending bunch of fellows =
lex to the states tomorrow but they 3
have a, leg or an arm off; SO don't T.
IVY them much.
Well, l didn't intend to make this
tier as blood-curdling as it is. / am RI
re it won't cheer you up much to know =
wv terrible the war really is.
My dinner is here, SO | will eat and
fish afterwards.
Well, I've got my stomach full now.
n fat and sassy Real white bread and
liter, too. This is the first time I've
d any real white bread in eight months
I've already written novel, SO will