Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-01-16

can we. The old countess invited us
all to tea the other afternoon, and Of
we had to dress up and go down
in the interest Of international diplo-
macy. A good time vas had by all
considering the fact that none of the
Counts family spoke any English to
brag about and only two Of the Of
ticers spoke French. However, 1 sat
to the madammoiselle and man.
aged to carry on a fair conversation
by using a mixture of English, French
and German, she having studied Ger
man. Their Oldest son was killed last
May. don't think there is a family
in this little village from the chateau
to the humblest cottage that has not
lost from one to three in this war. l
certainly like the people around here
for the way they treat both as and the
men. They haven't much to do with,
but they will do anything they can
for us with what they have. I dropped
in at a cottage up the road the other
day and got to talking with the old
woman and a young girl. They want
ed to know how long / had been here,
If 1 had been to the front, if I vas
married or engaged, how many broth
ers l had, if any of them were at the
front, if Monsieur was a sous-lieute-
nant or a lieutenant premier. l find
it surprising how much conversation
I a carry on with them, with com
bination of some French, some Eng
fish and more gestures. l held quite
a lengthy conversation with the old
Count the other day and we managed
to discuss a variety of subjects and
make each other understand. I tried
to explain to him the significance of
Thanksgiving Day. At the Thanks
giving services some of the men who
could sing sang Nearer My God to
Thee, and the Star Spangled Banner
in English. There is no sign Of a Y.
M. G. A. or Red Cross in this little
village. Since we arrived various
officers have been sent out and at
,tached to us; we have a Marine Major,
captains, first lieutenants and seconds,
besides a Regimental Sergeant Major,
and some good sergeants to help us.
Last Monday Lieut.. Fisher went to St.
Aignans and whom do you think he
ran into? None other than Captain
Cubbison, my old company command
er at Funston, the n man in the
whole A. E. F. whom / would rather
see than any one. Well the next day
you may be sure I had important
military business to take me to st.
Aignans. 1 found the captain with
out any trouble. We HE'D ourselves
to the nearest cafe and he told me in
detail the story of G Company that I
had been crazy to hear ever since
/ left them last spring, and he told it
as only the captain a tell a story. I
sat open mouthed for at least two
hours while he carried me through
England, France and the front line
trenches. According to him the old
company went through He'll all right
and made a wonderful showing for
itself. On December I'd our first mail
came. Ireeeived seven letters, but
the joy of receiving them was all dis
PEELED by the news in the first n I
opened, Papa's letter of November
Sd, telling of Russell's death. I was
and am still more broken by that news
than l ever expected to be by any
thing. / know he died in a noble
cause, but tonight I can only remem-
Der that my little brother is gone.
And he vas only a kid. If he had
been my age I don't think it would
seem so bad, but to think of him, just
a boy. Ihave been working all after
noon, just as if nothing had happened.
The inclination was of course to give
up everything, but you and Papa and
I are not built that way and we will
go right on fighting" In a later let
ter he says, "Our Marine Major has
been telling me some things about The
Marine Fifth Regiment, and even In
my grief l can feel a pride in the fac
that Russell was a member of such ar
organization. They yer refilled
completely seven times. He was
telling me about what a wonderful.
course in sniping they got at QUAINT
CO. There is no doubt about it those
Marines are real soldiers and the
Fifth had as glorious a career as any
American Regiment in this war. They
contributed largely to our successes
both in the Chateau Thierry region
and in the Argonne Woods"
Elmer Hart, with the 138th Infantry
in France, writes: 81 received you
letter yesterday, telling me of Roy't
death. 1t certainly was hard for hin
to die at sea, but it is better that way
If his body could be brought back thar
If he had gotten over and been killed
as I have seen them here, then some
times just thrown in a shell hole anC