The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-03-10
WASHINGTON
Neal McAilister, Runner in France, Help
ing Write History of 1o4th Regt.

ing WINE history OF lV4Ln hegt.
A letter received from Private Neal
McAllister last week reads thus:
"St. Inars D'Outille, Sarthe France,
FEB. 49, 1919.
Dear Folks: Have not received let
ter from you for quite a while. The
mail has not been coming very good late
| ly. Probably the people at home think
we are on our way home. The latest
dope is that we will not leave here for a
month yet, and | think it is the right
dope, too. The fellows all say that the
longer we stay over here, the less likely
the need OF buying a new oyercoat when
we do get back.
Il am still runner, So do not have to
drill, for which | am very thankful. as
they are drilling hard every day. with an
inspection about every other day. There
is TO be a divisional inspection to-mor-
row, and / understand that Gen Pershing
is to be there. | stay in the company
office all the time, and my duties are to
deliver messages, carry orders and things
like that Some days / am on the run
most Of the time, and other days | do
not have much to do. 1t is good job
| here, but in the front line ii was hell
most of the time. When we were at
| the front, we used to have eight runners
| in our company, but now | am the only
one. Tel father he does not want to
look for me before the fishing season
| opens up, about the 18th of April. !
have been wondering lately If the fishing
| is still good on the Wason and Roberts
brooks. Just wait until get home, the
| trout will have to watch out, for ] am
going to camp on their trail.
To-day has been warm. clear day,
but not warm enough to start melting
much. We have not had SNOW enough
here this winter to amount TO anything.
| noticed to-day the buds are starting to
swell, so guess spring is most here.
II get the Barre Times all right, every
little while, and am very glad to get
them, although have not got my Christ
mas box vet, and never expect to. The
| fellows kid me q lot about task me
what time it ia, and If my watch is stjll
running, etc, etc. You know | was in
the hospital, and my Christmas box came
to the company while | was away, so it
was sent to me there, but had left the
| hospital before it arrived, and 1t has not
| come back yet. / was on the train
Christmas day, going back to my com
pany, and had corned beef and bareback
for dinner. 1t was Christmas dinner |
shall always remember. | want to get
back home again and have good long
rest, and then settle down to work. !
have seen enough of army life for a
while, and am getting sick of travelling
around. Speaking Of coolies, you men
toned you did not want me to bring any
home to you. promise you now I viii
not come home until | am rid Of them,
| have so many at present / cannot sit
still a minute without scratching | do
not dare take my clothes off at night,
for fear they win walk off, and I will
not be able to find them in the morning
lmy clothes, ! mean; no danger of losing
the livestock. Although I do not like
them, | must admit they are the best
friends fellow has over here, for they
will stay with you even when you are
broke.
"Am glad the people at home are he
ginning to find out some things about tie
26th division that we could not write
about. Hope it is not as cold this winter
as it was last, and that all are well Am
feeling fine and gaining in weight little.
Neal
up. S. Have got new job now. Capt,
Brown is writing the history of the l04th
regiment and | am helping him, in a
way. | am trying to remember, and
write up, all that happened in this com.
pany since we landed in France--but /
am afraid am not much Of an historian,
Owing to ineement weather, morning