Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-01-01

ana MIS-. II. II. eastman, every gun
ner wanted to. fire the last, shot in the
great world war when news of the
signing of the armistice was received.
The letter follows:
Somewhere in France
Nov. IL, 1918
Dear Parents:
/ know you are eagerly and anx-
iously awaiting some news as to my
welfare and whereabouts at the
finish of this great war.
AS usual, / am feeling fine and have
been ever since / landed abroad the
latter part of August, but telling you
this l put strong emphasis on that
word "since."
AS to our present whereabouts, l
will tell you about yesterday,-On
the morning of November 18th, per-
haps the greatest day in all the his
tory of the world, / was up earlier
than usual on account Of the dis
turbing and continuous booming of
the big guns, and also in apprehen-
sion of that decisive hour, 1890 a.
m.
Everything about the headquar-
tiers seemed to be laboring under I'M
usual tense nervous strain. And here
and there up and down the French
village street could be seen sons
worried face in the doorway or Win
dow, waiting in breathless anxiety for
any news that might relieve the wan
ton brutality that had kept them a
prisoner of fear and lonliness in an
empty home for four years. While
others gathered about our doorway,
as eager and restless as Scotch
terrier at rathole, or even peeked
through the door in the unbridled
curiosity of wild excitement.
Earlier than usual the major gem
eral arrived at the Office, both aide
de camp were with him (and by the
way there are three of the finest men
/ have ever met in the army They
shuffled in, gathered up their gas
masks, tin helmets, field glasses and
etc.. and then turning asked if |
wanted to go along. Well, did /? My
hopes doomed up like a four caret
diamond and my curiosity was i'm
mediately on tip-toe, as l knew from
the distant noise that the fighting
was terrific. / did not ask where they
were going or any other foolish
Questions, because when | used to see
young Reber come out of Ernests
barbershop with his bathing suit un-
der his arm those hot afternoons las
June, 1 knew he was not on his way
home to NOW the lawn. Well, in five
more minutes we were tearing up the
road at fifty miles an hour in their
Cadillac limousine. When we reached
the point where we could smell the
and the road seemed to be
vibrating before us from the explo-
sions, we stopped, and will you be-
Iieve your own son, that car was
rocking like an American engine on
a French railway, just from the con-
,ussion due to the artillery.
France is geographically natural
fortress, and we started for the top
Of a steep high hill from which we
could see across the lines for miles
and miles. But by that time the smell
If powder had inoculated my system
20 thoroughly that my legs which
we're weak before we started the as
cent barely held out, while my heart
which was beating tattoo when we
stepped out of the car, was knocking
ike the old E. M. F. when ! got 10 |
mr. hiding place near the top OF that
lill. 1 was beginning to reyile myseil
"a a gutter, but after / was camou-
,aged in a trench and normal resplr-
.tion again seemed feasible my fear
,uccumed and / knew ! had plenty
n nerve for at least the one con-
,ecutiye hour" remaining. ] cannot
,egin to describe the great panorama
IS il lay before us but 1t is one shaii
remember the rest of my life.
At ten o'clock, one hour peioie
,ostilities should cease in accordance
With the terms of the armistice, the
lighting was so hot and heavy that
he war could have lasted two hours
more. armistice or no armistice.
every gun and every man was III
action: the smoke made it look IKE
, great fire, and the explosion OF the
leayy shells was incessant ana deai-
ming, to say nothing OF the CHATTER
md roar of the airplanes, heayy
motor trucks, machine guns ana etc'
One officer said he guessed they were
A.. - rid of all their am UNI |