The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-02-06
TERRY
WRITES FATHER
ABOUT GERMANY


her people comply with the terms
OF the armistice. His letter fol-
lows:
Mansfield, Germany, Jan. T..
Dear Father-Your letter OF Nov.
80, to hand yesterday and was glad
to hear from you and to know that
all was well. I am very proud to
say that | am we'll and in good
health. | consider | have been
very fortunate to keep all together
and in good health considering
what l have been through over
here.
I'VE are in very good quarters
at present. ] am sleeping in a big
goose-hair bed Don't know how
long it will last. but ! am making
good use OF it while it does last and
il feels mighty fine 10 crawl in the
feathers after 'roughing' il as long
as we have, sleeping on the hard
floor or anywhere we could find
4 place to spread our limbs.
Yes know about Earl Speaks
getting killed over here | never
have seen or heard anything OF Al
va Davis since the fighting ceased.
| would like to know how he came
out, but guess he made it through
alright, hope so anyway.
Dad guess You people think
we are having a good time over
here since the armistice was sign
ed at least | get some letters that
express it that way, but we are not.
We are having mighty big job
and are very busy all the time. You
understand we are a way out in
the enemy's territory as a conquer
ing army, an army of occupation,
and you can imagine how YOU peo-
pie would feel If Germany had whip
ped us and then sent their armies
to occupy our country and make us
toe the mark. We are compelled
to keep our eyes open all the time
and make them abide by the laws.
! would like to, come home as well
as anyone, but still | am willing to
stay as long as | am needed over
here.
Il think everything will rock on
smoothly and | will get home some
day can't say how long, but inside
of three or four months anyway. /
don't think it will take so long to
cross the pond going back as it
did coming over here. We we're on
the water Is days coming over. II
seemed like Is weeks to me. We
had some submarine excitement. /
was looking Tor land about that
time and t wasn't 4 home seeker
eitherN Our sub-chascr put down
fourteen depth bombs. ! thought
we were hit every time, of course
thought the sub was doing all the
shooting, but it wasn't. ! under
stood they got the sub. didn't
stay to see, had business on ahead.
II was Just about dark when it hap
pened and pretty cold to think
about jumping out in the deep blue
and roosting on a raft until you
were picked up. I would like TO
see you and tell you all about my
trip and experiences. ! think !
could interest YOU for a while any
way.
well, I guess the weather is
pretty cold there by this time. 1t
isn't so terribly cold here, not as
cold as you would think it is, but
it rains nearly every day. To-day
has been a beautiful day, but it is
the first one in quite awhile. This
is quite a mountainous country. 1t
reminds me of Arizona, about all
the difference they cultivate these
mountains. You would be surprised
to see some of them. They are
cultiyating 80 degree slopes where
they have to drive stobS in the
ground for foot braces to climb
them. That sounds unreasonable,
but never the less it is true. |
don't know what they did with the
rocks off of them, ! never saw
mountains that wasn't too rocky to
cultivate. | guess they have used
them up in making roads. They
certainly have fine roads in this
country as well as in France. All
the roads ! have ever been over
have been good. We are quarter
ing in Mansfield, a little village two
and one-half miles from Berncastlc,
on the Moselle river. We spent
Christmas day at Ruwer, a small
village also on the Moselle.
Il never told you about crossing
the English channel. That is one
trip ! will never forget. We cross
ed on a stock ship, loaded with
horses. That was the most miser-
able night | have spent in the army.
1t was too crowded to stay inside
and raining so you couldn't stay
on the decks, We unloaded at La
baruc, the next morning that was
the morning of the 18th OF July
the day the big drive started on the
western front. There was 4 con
tinual roar OF big guns all night
although they were a long ways
from us.
We'll will close for this time
hoping this will find you and al
well, your son, Stephen"
GERMAN MILITARY MAN