The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-02-28
NEWS FROM OVERSEAS.
Betsaincourt, France.
December 26th, 1918.

Well here is Xmas gone again for
another year, but hardly seems ops
sible it is over in one way either,
although the day was spent very
good considering ALL Will start at
the beginning and tell you just what
we did for the day. At reveille in
the morning there were bunch of
packages given out which came in
/ the night before; among which was
mine from you all, and let me say
that was grand start for the day
as you may know. / was not very
long getting into 1t and knowing i'll
was something from home made one
all the more anxious, as it has been
quite while since have been able
to have that, and let me say to you
all was happily surprised when !
began to open the different en-
velopes; I cannot begin to express
my thanks and appreciation to each
one of you for the green backs,
sure do look good and certainly is
. neat little wallet. Several of the
follows said that sure does look
rood" l will be so glad to get
back to using that kind of money
again. The socks are grand ones,
nice and warm and long, also the
handkerchiefs, and the piece of fruit
cake sure was fine, just like being
home, which hope to be very soon.
The box carried fine, was not broken
or mashed one bit and | wish to-
send many, many thanks to you,
Leslie and Helen, as we'll as all the
rest for your presents, and will try
and get them off line of thanks in
day or so. To go on with the day,
CT course we had to make trip to
the stables to water the horses after
breakfast, after that we came back
and decorated around the mess
building bit with pine tree
branches, also few Xmas decor
atoms, which looked quite nice con-
sidering around the building were
tables just about what you would
have for festival, from which we
ate dinner at 1870. The menu was
as follows: turkey, with. dressing;
mashed potatoes, corn, turnips,
celery, gravy, bread, coffee, peach
pie, also Red Cross package for
each one. which contained pack
age of cakes, two half-pound boxes
of hard candy, tobacco and chewing
gum, this was tied together with a
large khaki handkerchief, so don't
you think we had pretty good din
ner? We all-meaning Huntingdon,
jerks and myself-brought our din
ner over to the old lady's house,
which / think | have spoken of be-
/ fore, she is quite an old lady that
/ lives by herself, Huntington and
another fellow are quartered in one
Of her rooms, SO we all spend a good
| bit of time there, sitting around the
/ table and fireplace, talking and
writing, so we said we would eat our
Xmas dinner this year in a French
home together We all made the
remark when eating that GU,
mothers and all the home folks are
wondering just where and how we
are spending this day and where
eating our dinner. / was thinking
about you all, hoping you all had a
pleasant day and trusting that next
Xmas will find us all together happy
and contented; bet dinner won't be
I eaten out of mess kit either.
Our chaplain has gotten an organ
from the Y. M. G. A. in Paris, so he
picked out some fellows from the
different batteries that were talent
ed and expects to give a minstrel
Xmas night.
| received your letter last week
written Dec. LIST, and sorry / haven't
been able to answer 1t before this
but seem to have gotten back with
my writing and can't get caught up.
! We are quite busy making trips by
truck taking saddles and brides,
and riding horseback; we seem to
be running a remount station; get
bunch OF horses and keep them a
bit, turn them In and get few
more. We have now about thirty
head and some fellows are away
now on a three-day trip after more.
AS you see we have not moved yet
but rather expect to around Jan. 5th
and hope it will be the move that
will mean so much to all of us. Am
come anxious, as know you all are.
too, and think the time is very near;
may 1t hasten and find us back home
again all o. K, which is our height
of ambition now.
! Yes, sent Lidie Jenkins card
Just after receiving her letter. II
think 1t is fine to have service flag
for the boys from the 9Th District
We are all perfectly well and line
are free from colds glad to saw
Have not had much cold weather