Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-01-29


ever saw of castle or any story that
| have ever read about one.
Six a. M, on Aug. %, found us
again travelling due east. We were
then about 80 kilometers north of
scissors. We crossed the Aisne riv-
er about noon and then passed
through the shell wrecked city of
Vic-Sur Aisne. This place had once
been a beautiful city on the banks
of the Aisne river, but there was
nothing but ruins left of it now We
passed on through the city of ST.
Christophe to the little town of Au-
treches. We established our main
echelOn here and pitched pup-tents;
it clouded up but it didn't rain
nothing less than bombs. Fritz's
aeroplanes were over us all night
Four a. m. found us lying in foot
of water, but we just turned over and
$50, watered our horses, ate our
our horses. The cannoneers had the
day would find them in the line
again.
1t was my birthday-the day that
| became old enough to vote. How
would | celebrate? 1t was a day of
rest I was thankful for that, but
still | wanted to go some place or do
something out of the ordinary routine.
The day was hardly begun when
heard that three old pals of mine from
Battery c had been killed that morn
ing about daybreak. 1t sure made me
feel bad, but it was all in the game.
Just after dinner pal of mine and
| walked down to Vic-SurAisne. We
looked the city over and started back
about four o'clock. We stopped at
the village of ST. Christophe for a
drink of water. but French soldier
told me that the water wasn't very
good So he invited us to have some
wine We had two bottles of Vim
Rouge and were about to leave when
a French Sergeant came up and in
vited us to stay for supper. We
didn't need a second invitation.
The party consisted of three French
soldiers, my pal and myself The
meal, which was served by an old
lady whose house we were then in,
was served to us in courses The
menu of this birthday supper was:
sausage and bread, roast veal cab
bage and brown potatoes, corn lean
ned9, cheese and bread, nuts, cigars,
cigarettes, wine.
We sat and struggled at a conyersa-
ton for a long time after the meal,
and then the little party broke up.
But before we left we wanted to thank
the old French lady who had cooked
this fine meal. We found her in the
yard, which before 1914 had been
beautiful place, but was now piled
full of ruins.
We talked to her for a long time.
She told us about the comfortable
home they had before the war, but
now her husband and son had been
killed and her daughter was working
in munition factory. She lived there
all alone and even then seemed con-
tented and willing to make an even
greater sacrifice. Before | left ! gave
her one dollar bill that mother had
sent me some time before. She knew
it was money, but | knew that she
would never spend it. 1t was just
souvenir!
The birthday party being over we
left for home, but Fritz followed us
all along the road with his bombing
planes. After we cut through the
field we were fairly safe. but still he
was above us.
We went to bed in the little pup
tent, but we were up at four a. m.
and started to a position which would
be much more lively than the Chateau
Thierry sector was.
It's time to close this book num-
Der and get to bed l will finish it
later Your son, Billy NJ Hayes.
TELLS OF LIFE IN