The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-12-19
AWED BY SILENCE
HAROLD ASHER TELLS HOW PAR
is CELEBRATED.

1 f1dIOlu ASuSI, SUI VI MIS-. J. ItlIl
Asher in private letter TO his mother
tells of the coming of Peace and how
the news of the armistice was re
fceived. II was too good TO be true and
the first news occasioned only Isl
lenee."
American Expeditionary Forces,
France, November 18th, 1918
Mrs. c. Z. Asher, Oskaloosa, Iowa
My dear Mother: Where were you the
night or rather morning that the glad
news came that the armistice was
tsigned? Well mother, was in France.
Think of it! And soon I'll be coming
back to you and the folks and Miss
Liberty will never see my back again
for | haven't seen the states yet, and
believe me, this little trip over here
has certainly made me an advocate of
See America First"
On the morning of November II We
awoke with the firm conviction that
the armistice would be signed. At
about o'clock we had the news that
we had travelled over the Atlantic to
hear but il was too hard TO believe
after after thinking of those poor deV.
lis up there in the line, some even at
that moment being killed and wound.
ed for the guns were not TO cease fir
ing until IL o'clock and our men hat
ed to stop. They had the Huns on the
run! At last IL o'clock rolled around
and the people of the village were not
in the least moved by the thought
that the war was FINS" They formed
little groups asking each other if it
were really true that at last the hour
that they had been hoping for against
hopes had come to hand. One must
think of all the suffering these kindly
people have gone through TO under
stand why they did not Immediately
put up their flags, and parade and sing
and shout for joy. Every family in
France has been affected by the mon
ster war lord. Fathers, brothers, sons
and sweethearts have left for the front
and left behind those who were I'M
able to bear arms 10 wait and wait
and sometimes wonder why they did
not come back. When one is in the
middle of trouble and is likely to be
killed, his excitement is at such a
pitch that he does not suffer at the
loss of his best friend by his side, but
he who waits at home suffers, suffers
that eternal anguish of waiting and
hoping. 1t is like being at the bedside
of the sick wishing that you might
bear some of the pain or do something
to lessen it, but you are powe"'ess.
For four years these mothers, wives,
dured privation and lonliness and SC
dured privatiOn and lOnliness and Sc
when the news came that il was over
il was too great a happiness 20 bear.
We. from the States, wanted to shout
and yell, but when we saw the sober
faces of the people about us it awed
us into silence and then we thought
of what they had passed through and
more clearly. This, until
about three o'clock, was the silence
and calm before the storm. Al last
the Blue, White and Red began ap-
pearing on the building and soon ev-
eryone was decorated and singing the
and the Star Spangled
Banner and Tipperary and wine and
began TO flow and soon
things were one wild chaos. Ii was
not a disorderly crowd even for all the
wine and champagne that was con
5umed 1t was too happy an occasion
for disorderliness. And so the revel
lasted until long after had gone to
bed. Every night since they have had
parades and merry making.
1t is getting rather late and as |
need sleep and the fact that | have
not written for several days, / think !
shall end this and get it ready for
mailing for tomorrow first thing. II
am going TO bed and dream Of home,
ror soon I'll be coming back 10 my old |
sweetheart. Lots of Lore and kisses !
mother,
Your son,
Harold ]. Asher, Office Judge
Advocate. First Army. A. p.
n TIA American e F.