The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1919-05-10
LOVE LETTERS
FROM FRANCE

|
Belleau Wood. Boys with nerves
shattered by the incessant burst
ing of shells and the intermin-
able booming of the big guns.
Boys who left an arm or a leg
in France. They laughed at their
wounds and joked at their
awkwardness with the new
crutches. They had been a-seek-
ing the great adventure.
But there's another angle that
we sometimes don't get.
It has been my privilege to
read the letters written by an
American soldier in France to
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.
81 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. elias our little daughter
clothes enough to keep her warm
while she is going back and
forth from school? All of these
things / think of so much"
And again: "Tell our little one
/ cut a 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 9
| German prison camp. Lying
there with a leg shattered by 9
| German machine gun bullet, ar
explosive bullet that tore my
right leg to pieces" he writes
SUNDAY night was such a beau
tiful moonlight night. When
looked out my window how my
thoughts did go back to you, be
cause we used to say those wer.
our nights. Well, never mind
our nights will come again"
{ His nights and hers. Night
flooded with moonlight and low
!, and happiness and peace. Neve
mind, they will come again afte
: all those dreary days of battl
; and prison. But it can't be be
e fore midsummer, because tn
: injured leg is slow in healing.
4 War isn't all romance and ad
e venture. It isn't all glamou
. and glory and dash. It's horr
BILE. It's rotten. It is hell. j
! may be romance for the youn
e and adventure for the soldier :
y fortune, but it is just plain, ster
e duty for the man who tears hin
o. self from the clasp of wife an
!, child and offers himself to HI
country, because, God help hin
Ie he cannot do otherwise and /
Is a man.
n They did it for you. They o
II fered their lives to make pea'
" possible and they helped you
N nance the big deal. And witho'
:. a doubt they will help finan'
!. the victory.
{. You subscribed to four Libe
81 ty Loans through patriotisl
rs You thought of the Lusitani
lg and your country had gone
all war. You helped prepare, ecu
al and maintain the army sent o
:. erseas. And when you re-
u. about Chateau-Thierry, Belle
I'll Wood, st. Mihiel, the Argon
It. Forest, Sedan, you went out a
be bought more bonds.
ne And now, the Victory Loan
To and peace. But your patriots
~ is yet to be put to the real tie
i ,s Over 10000 American boys ga
slu up their lives for your safe
'ck More than 100000 soldiers ga
a leg or an arm or their eyesia
to for your protection. The crippl
to must be cared for and taul
IN new trades, and other expen'
!. of the war must be met.
Choke down that lump in "
'n' throat and go out and buy so
en- more bonds to get right W
ing vour own conscience to br.