The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-01-03

hands on, but the people are making
fast progress towards repairing thei,
homes and etc., but will take som
little time before it is like it origin
ally was, especially the large towns
Can explain better after | get bacl
home" than | can now, about sucl
matters, and hope it won't be SO very
long, but don't know a thing so far
but lots of JUNIORS out that it won
be so very long.
Ever since the armistice was signed
Nov. 18th, we have been marching
back and forth through Belgium ano
have taken in most all of it. Was
headed toward Brussels not many
days ago and was not far from there
when orders came in, calling us back,
so hardly think we will make tina,
town, but have been through several
other good-sized "burgs" and all look
the same.
Certainly some fine looking build
ings and well furnished at one time,
but now one heap of ruins. Our bill
let's now generally are in a building
that has been shot to pieces and
plaster and brick all over the floors,
a barn, and some are lucky enough
to get in a house once in a while, but
all the same we are satisfied and say
nothing, for it is somewhat better
than what we went through with for
two months or better.
/ might have told you before that
l was on the firing line and over the
top,as they say, three times and of
all the close calls / had, wouldn't be
worth mentioning, but never had a
scratch except a piece of shrapnel hit
my watch and broke the crystal (not
my wrist watch, however) and a
few other close calls | will tell you
about when / get back, but it never
worried me at all nor the rest of the
boys either.
Our first three times up was in
France and the hardest battle of all
was in the Argonne Forest and /
might mention that was where the
91st division made it's "Rep" for we
were sure praised for our work, both
by General Pershing and the French.
From there we took a train ride for a
couple of days in "box cars and found
ourselves in Belgium.
The fourth time on the firing line
only lasted a couple or three days
when the armistice came so we are
still here.
1t certainly was some sight to see
the Americans coming down through
the turnip patches eating turnips I'M
der heavy machine gun fire and high
explosives, not worrying them in the
least and just for that reason is what
got the Germans "goat" for we sure
had them on the go. That is one
thing they wouldn't do, was to back
up against any of US except a few
snipers they leave behind to sacrifice
their lives.
We were the first Americans to hit
Belgium and was welcomed highly by
all who we came in contact with. They
would come running out with what
little bread they had and offer US
and any other thing they had. This
country to my notion is much better
and more beautiful than France and
they surely raise some fine crops here.
Rather chilly I might say, but fine
clear weather at that. Not very much
rain so far, but of course yesterday
being Thanksgiving and a holiday it
had to rain, but | stayed in all day
anyway so it didn't worry me. Elk
cept to make up next Thanksgiving
what l missed this year and several
other occasions.
The mail has been coming in by
spurts with several weeks at a time,
but generally get some four or five
at a time. Yesterday | received four
five and the first bunch of Star
Mirrors since we left for the front,
I spent most of the morning read
ing them.
(Nlod 70 hno1e fhof QNnrunnn Jc ~ "
at home and only hope the Spanish
influenza is soon overcome.
I expect that Moscow will soon be
relieved of the soldier boys now since
t is all over. | am afraid I won't
NOW the little town when I get back
f things keep on changing much
more.
Glad to know that the crops are in
his fall and that the stock are do
ng SO nicely for | sure want to take
chance at a cow once more and oh,
hat milk and cream won't hurt at all.
That is all | am going to do for a
weeks, is lay around, "eat" and
ne. REST.
Received Ken's letters 0. K. and
viii write 'maybe' the next chance /
,et, otherwise he will have to write
o me. Also read "Midget's" letter
enjoyed more than any and
he sure is a dandy little writer
A letter from Cora and Irve but
ont have time to write to every n
0 just pass this around; also to
rank Jones and tell him I received
is letter O. K. :
Well I must close as paper is "finis" :
} give regards to all and the best of !
God luck to every one. Hope to be
ONE soon and then
Your loving son,
d. TIA d u GnT INC