The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-01-03

! The following letter was received
by Mrs. John Il. zahn, East Main
street from her son, Corporal Grove
z. Zahn, A. e. F.:
"Chaumont de Drs., France,
December Ill, 1918.
Dearest Mother, Dad, and All !:
II will write you short letter again
today. ! would like to write you oft
ener, but L have been right busy for
the past few weeks, and find it hard to
get the chance to write many letters.
Il would like to write to all the rest
of the family, but find it impossible,
SO have to make this letter to you
all. My work is not SO much OF a
stenoTaphical job, but gives me
plenty of clerical work, anyway like
it fairly well, as it gives me Quite
lot of practice on the typewriter, and
as long as the work don't crowd on
me any more than it has been, I will
not mind it. There will be quite a
lot of paper work to be done before
we start on our homeward journey on
the boat, and also there is much work
to be done in mastering company out
of the service, but that may be quite
a while yet, as we have no idea now
of being sent home soon. Today's
paper said, we were in the army of
occupation, SO probably we will move
towards the border very soon. We
are now very close to Luxembourg,
about fifteen miles. OF course, we
will be very glad to move. We have
not seen anything of civilization now
for about three months, and naturally
we. are getting anxious to move one
way or the other out of this No Mans
Land, where the war has wrought
such havoc and destruction. The
scene around us is naturally depresS-
ing, and feel sure when we get away
again where civilization reigns, life
will seem brighter to us than it ever
was before, and everything will seem
wonderful The chances are it will
be quite while before we will get
back to the States, As it will, Of
course, take some time to get all our
forces across, so don't expNct to see
me so soon. In the meantime, I will
write you as often as I can, and per-
haps the time won't seem so long un-
LII we OCO C0SA OIAOA cL6d4A.
'tSinse I wrote you last I received
Mabel's letter, in which she said she
was down to see you that day, and
you were going to send my box that
evening. I have not received the box
yet, but am looking for it very soon
now, as some of the boys have receiv-
ed theirs that were mailed only a few
days before OF course I can't help
but think of that fruit cake and cara
mel now, and 1t makes my mouth
water. I don't suppose you wrote on
the box Don't open until Xmas, for
I am sure 1t could not be COMPLIED
with.
Il hope Emma, Clarence and Charles
are getting along we'll, and all are in
good health, and have not had the
Flu; also that you, father, Mabel, FL
mer and family are all we'll and gett-
ing along fine. My experiences have
been tough at times, but wonderful
and interesting too, and with it all
am feeling fine, and T might say gain
ing weight, SO / have nothing to COM
plain about. But I have sincere de-
sire to know that you are all well and
happy at all times.
1T is hardly probable that you will
receive this letter before Christmas
but you may get it during the holt
days anyway send you again my best
wishes for happy and joyous holi-
day season, and L hope my absence
will not detract from your pleasure
this year, as this should be the most
joyous Xmas for many years for ev-
eryone, and as such am going to try
to appreciate it by trying to forget
that I am SO many miles away from
you all, and endeavoring to imagine
am with you on Xmas day. Notwith-
standing the fact that we are living
under unpleasant conditions, 1t is go
ne to be happy Xmas for. me, an
ticipating seeing you soon again,
which seems more certain now, owing
to the fact that things are more peace
able, and it is quite different world
here now.
1.-THE scenes here are very touching,
as said before, and also some OF the
incidents occurring since the armiSte
ice. One especially might recall oc-
CURED while we were living in the
church at ChaumQptAE There was a
French soldier, on leave, came back
to the town where his home had been
before the war, to look for some valu-
ables whcih he had buried before the
huns came. He found some of hIs
deposits intact. The sad Eart is that
he does not know the whereabouts OF
his wife and family, not knowing If
they are dead or prisoners in Ger
many. When the Huns came he was
obliged to leave them there, and take
up arms with the French forces. Now
the town is in ruins, and his home Ts
demolished. To picture our homes and
cities thus demolished, naturally makes
ones blood boil, and to keep such de-
struction from our beautiful country,
would surely make every home-loving
man fight to his last Now that it is
over, and the Hun will get his just
desert, there is more or less joy in
every heart over this fact, but there
Is bound to be little sadness in tine
hearts of those whose loved ones are
beneath the soil of France, notwith-
standing the fact that they should
feel exalted that their dear ones eX-
pired in bringing about such a VIC
torious end to SO great a conflict, and
in such a just cause. But how much
more have we to be thankful for, hay-
ing passed through 1t, and being per-
mitted to live on i'm this new world of
peace 4 believe + fail to appreciate
and realize it Id its full extent as vet,