The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-14
LETTERS FROM THE
BOYS IN The CAMP

Dear fdtnSF anu MOtHtI. All SOiIy i
didn't write sooner. but wasn't able 10
get any writing paper. ! will write
a few lines now to let you know am
feeling fine so do not worry about me
for | am alright Well | am in Ger
many now and they sure treat US
fine We are all sleeping in, rooms.
In my, room ! have little wood stove
and the room is always warm when ]
come home at night. Am sending
home some views of Ellenz the town
where we are stopping at present. 1t
is on the Mosel River. The colored
scene Iva is where / keep my horse.
It's a hotel and livery stable. Well, |
hope to be home the first of May and
that will be in time for spring work.
/ cannot think Of any more TO write.
Wishing you all Happy New Year,
With lots of love, Manley.
Mr.. and Mrs. o. L. Lane, S1f North
Broad street. received the following
letter from their son, Private Harold
o. Lane.
Waiferdingen.s Luxembourg. Janu-
airy Il, 1919. Dear Folks: Will drop
YOU a few lines to let you know we
are located in Luxembourg, Germany.
Have been here for a few days and
sorry to say have not written line
TO any. one. This is beautiful coun-
try. The city of Luxembourg is three
kilos south Of here and is as pretty a
city as / have seen in any of my traV-
els. Our evacuation hospital, No. u,
is located in the Grand Duchess pal
ace of Wolferingen. tt is only small
town. but the scenery is simply great.
In this building there is some OF the
SWEETEST furniture that was ever man :
ufactured, large mirrors in the walls.
fancy work in the stairways and
doors. The palace sure makes love-
ly hospital for in every room there is
marble fire place and a large mir
ror with bronze trimmings. There is
large green house and garden in
connection.
Grace | am enclosing you a piece
of birch bark | peeled from tree in
the palace garden of the Grand Duchess
of Luxembourg, German post card
which was found in German con-
crete dugout and also one German
and one French franc.
My buddy and ] were just talking
over the different kinds. of money we
have had to use and here they are
lAmerican. French, English, Canadian
italian, Belgium, Luxembourg. Argen-
tina and German. Believe me it keeps
a person guessing just how much
money / have in nv pocket. Most OF
| the people have fairly nice homes
i and they are real smart and clean
| 'Tney are Kind to an american sol
der The other day a woman asked
me into dinner with them. Sweets
1are awful high here. paid two marks
! for six little carmels, total weight ol
two ounces. When we left Commercy
France, we came through the former
battle lines and we saw some of those
concrete dugouts of the Germans and
dead mans hill at Verdun where 700,-
| coo men fell in such short time
| There is not a living thing there. not
even spear of grass. 60.OOSG0l
shells were sent over by the French
on that hill at the battles of Verdun
| We also, saw the forts and ruins al
Verdun. The city. or rather which
was. is ground to 'pulp. In few daY:
this country will declare itself a re.
public and that will overthrow the
grand duchess. On the post cards
enclosed YOU will see the mountains
Don't look very high. but nearly every
morning when we get up the clouds
are sailing through them and as the,
mass the pixies are covered with snow
Tell Won the trutl ! would not like tt
live here OF my own money for as
| have said everything is so high. and
YOU know soldiers purse is limited
A slice of bread costs no less thar
one mark 7 have been doing orderly
hut now have been placed back in the
bnspitaI on ninht dufT. Don't YOU
folks think | an having some time
while SERVING 20" NV c"-rt""?>T have
seen more OF the world than | eve,
expected to and rov experience
wouldn't take good deal for. The
American bows in this country had
| considerable Ivory soap and they sold
| ii for five marks bar and everything
else is accordinolv. The grass is
Green here and while I was watkins
I'D the side cf the mountain / picked
q flower. I don't know what it was
but il Lacked like bloodroots. The day
| left Commercy received letter
from Charles and found he was sta
toned only fifteen miles from me
Sorry I couldn't see him. but on ac-
count Of moving it was impossible tC
get to him. II is now six p. m. and
go to work at seven D. N. so | must
come to a close. | think we Will &c
home after we serve small period
of time here. With love to all, Har-
old.
The following is a letter from
John Noethe, nephew of Mrs. i. Jones
nurse at Emmanuel hospital. II
was written to his parents in. South
Dakota:
In Germany, December IL, 1913
NV Dear Folks No doubt You will
wonder why l have not written foi
some time, but this is the first real
opportunity l have had. OF course
it is true that the war has been over
for some time, but we have. been
just as busy since the armistice was
declared as we were while in the
front Ines. No doubt you have read
in the papers of some of the Amer
lean divisions following the Germans
into their country, to see that every
thing was kept in order as set forth
in the armistice regulations. Well
we have now about reached our end
of the invasion ands our army is
known as the army of occupation
We have S1lrolv had a fine trim