The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1919-05-01
LOVE LETTERS
FROM FRANCE

/ have seen boys who cam
back from Chateau-Thierry an
Belleau Wood. Boys with nerve
shattered by the incessant burst
ing ofwhells and the intermin
able Booming of the big gum
Boys who left an arm or lie.
III France. They laughed at thei
wounds and jckod at thei
awkwardness with the nev
crutches. They lad been a-seek
ing the great adventure.
But there's another angle thai
we sometimes don't get.
It has been my privilege tt
read the letters written by ar
American soldier in France tt
his wife. Underneath the KHAKI
of the soldier there breathes the
protective tenderness of the man
for his mate; his anxiety for her
happiness and comfort.
II wonder if you have enough
to eat, or if you are cold," writes
the soldier husband, crouched in
the mud and damp of the tren-
ches. HAS our little daughter
clothes enough to keep her warm
while she is going hack and
forth from school? All of these
things I think of so much"
And again: ''Tell our little one
cut q picture out Of a book; it
was a little girl praying for her
papa to come back safe from the
war"
An interval. Then came a let
ter from a hospital in Switzer-
land, after his release from q
German prison camp. Lying
there with a leg shattered by a
German machine gun bullet, IAN
explosive bullet that tore my
right leg to pieces" he writes:
Sunday night was such a beau |
tiful moonlight night. When l |
looked out my window how my
thoughts did go back to you, be-
cause we used to say those were
our nights. Well, never mind,
our nights will come again."
His nights and hers. Nights
flooded with moonlight and To- 70
and happiness and peace. N, .ver
mind. they will come again .fter
all those dreary days o. hattie
and prison. But it cay y he he
fore midsummer, b, .ca > - the
injured leg is slow , : hsaI;ng
War isn't all y nance and ad-
ven l, It isr t all glamour
a s'n s To-: ano dash. It's horri-
ols. ~ 5 ~ ten. It is hell. It
may. n, 3 9 !" nance for the young
sa.. aus' ,ture for the soldier IF
,,,,. ..t" but it is Just plain, stern
10 or the me-. who tears him
ny ~ from the cis~, Of wife and
= Id and offers r;usele to his
country. because. God help him,
hc cannot do otherwise and ke
: man.
They did = for YOU. They Of
fered their lives to make peace
possible and they helped you f.
nance the big dcnl. And without
a doubt they will help finance
the victory.
You subscribed to four Liber-
tv Loans through patriotism.
Yon thought of the Lusitania,
and your country had gone to
war. You helped prepare, equip
End maintain the army sent ov-
erseas. And when you read
rhout Chateau-Thierry, Belleau
Wood. st. Mihiel, the Argonne
Forest, Sedan. You went out and
bought more bonds.
And now, the Victory Loan
and peace. But your patriotism
Is vet to Be put to the real test.
Over 10000 American boys gave
up their lives for your safety.
More than 200,0 soldiers gave
= leg or IN arm or their eyesight
for your protection. The crippled i
must be cared for and taught
new trades, and other expenses |
Of the war must be met.
Choke down that lump in your |
throat and 80 out and buy some |
more bonds to get right with |
your own conscience to bring
home the soldier-husband and. TO |
answer his little girls prayer.
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