The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-02-03
ETHAN 7. GARFIELD
WRITES LOCAL MAN
FROM RIVER RHINE
Frank E. Harris Gets Inter-
esting Letter from
Friend Abroad
is NOPLACE LIKE HOME
Describes Coffee-less Christmas in
Letter Mailed from Cargen,
Germany

Frank E. Harris of Railroad street
has received the following interest
ing letter from Ethan M. Garfield,
mailed the day before Christmas
from Garden, Germany:
Garden, Germany,
Dec. "a, 1918
Dear friend Frank:
Just few lines this morning to let
you know that I am still alive.
received your most welcome letter
about two weeks ago. Have been
very busy most of the time since. AL
SO received the bundle of magazines
that your sister sent me yesterday.
"Thanks" very much for them. AS
they come in mighty nice to read at
night time. All the boys are having
a great time reading them.
Tomorrow is Christmas, but it does
not mean much to US boys over here.
We had very quiet Thanksgiving.
Nothing more than usual to eat In
fact not SO much because we did not
have any coffee for dinner that day.
regiment hiked from the St. Mihiel
Front in France clear through to the
Rhine. Some hike About ITS miles
in all and we carried our packs all
the way. This was everything but a
picnic, believe me. We slept in most
any place that we could find. Some
nights in houses and other nights in
barns on the hay. It is no fun to
come in from an all day march and
all sweat, and then make up your bed
in a cold barn; get up The next
morning and start out again. : would
have told anyone who said a year ago
that I could stand a march like
that they were crazy. But | have
stood up and am alive to tell the
story. Thanks for my good health,
only hope that will keep it until this
is all over. We hear a lot about
going home but do not know any
thing about when we will start. Hope
it wont be long now. Germany is a
beautiful place. The river Rhine is of
course the most beautiful river in the
world. We have seen some wonder
full cities while we have been over
here. But Boston or New York are
good enough for me. Say Frank it
would be wonderful vacation for
one to take; to come over here and
visit the battlefields and then visit the
cities on the Rhine. We left New
York July 14th, arrived in Liverpool,
England, July 26th; stayed in Eng
land one night and then came to
LIE Harve, France. We spent about
six weeks in Southern France drilling
and then on Sept. 18th, we were rush
ed to the front by the way of Toul.
Took part in the great drive on the
st. Mihiel front. How well remem-
Der the first day of war that | ever
saw You can never realize how
horrible wal really is. The excite
ment was something terrible. But
it is the one thing that keeps an army
going. You never think of anything
but to advance as long as there is
noise and excitement. The travel
over the one road which we were on
had broadway" stopped for six
days, both day and night. This was
while the boys in khaki were making
their big advance. The towns were
nothing but ruins and No Mans
Land was full of shell holes. But the
army advanced just the same. only
hope that there will never be another
war; Barroom fights are much bet
ter because they don't last so long,
Well it is all over now and we are
just waiting to see the States again.
Since we have reached Germany we
have been used fine by the German
people.
There is no place like home after
all Frank.
It is almost dinner time so will
close. Wishing you very happy New
Year and prosperous business.
/ am,