The Holly chieftain., 1919-02-06
A BREEZY LETTER
BY WOODHOUSE
CONTINUED from Page One.

rooms, as well as our canteen are
crowded daily. If we had twice the
room we could use it to the best ad-
vantage and crowd it every afternoon
and night.
The first Protestant religious serv-
ice available for the boys since the
regimental Chaplain addressed them in
German dupout during the fighting
| in the Argonne Forest was held in
our hut and the spirit in which the
boys entered into the service would
have made glad those parents who
await their return to the states. When
asked to suggest hymns to sing "Rock
of Ages" and what Friend We
Have in Jesus" were the first called
for. A young Italian of the Brigade
staff who has marked musical ability
and who has had considerable musical
training has promised me to lead the
song services beginning with next Sun
day at Chalancey, and l am anticipat-
ing series of interesting and profit
able services.
Remarkably interesting stories of
the fighting in the Verdun and Toul
sectors and the Argonne are related
every day and German helmets, "Gott
Nit Uns" buckles and other souvenirs
are numerous and just now l am on
track Of German rifle captured in
the trenches which l hope to keep as
souvenir.
Last week boy of the 3rd battalion
returned from the German prison
camp at Rastatt. He has had wond-
erful experience and his fate from the
! day of his disappearance was unknown
until he walked into town and present.
ed himself to the major for whom he
had been carrying message on the
fateful day. The major was overjoy-
ed and his old comrades, who thought
him dead, were likewise overjoyed, He
and l have become intimate pals and
yesterday he gave me as a souvenir
a piece of the black German prison
bread which he had himself brought
back as a souvenir.
Last night "Y" man of consider
able prominence in Kansas, came in
driving our ton Ford truck (his first
Iassignment). 1t was menial work for
a big business man but, like all of us,
he was glad to do whatever he could
and when we learned later in the even.
ing that we had lived in the same Sec
tion of Kansas for twenty years both
of us were glad that his first assign
ment was to drive an Sind division
truck. He is just over from the states
and informed us that among the later
arrivals is Lieut.. Governor Morgan of
Kansas, with whom the writer is in
timately acquainted.
Last night Rev. Hicks of Indiana,
came out to help us and with him came
| a good supply for our canteen. Until
| late in the night solid line of bows
were waiting to be served and seven
of US were kept jumping doing the
| job. This morning sections of our
shelves look like they had gone on a
vacation but additional stock will be
in in the morning and we expect to
secure other stock from the govern
ment stores at Vaux today if possible.
might digress here sufficiently to
say that the ancient history of France,
as evidenced in the disintegrating and
time-scarred walls, have interested me
almost as much as the traces of the
present war and have stood at at
tention, as it were, between the wond-
erfully interesting and romantic his
tory of ancient Gaul and the equally
interesting war in which we have been
engaged. Every where there are
traces of early-century civilization and
the towns of Pranthoy Langre and
Chalancey date back to Roman days.
The old walls, the barred windows and
the remains of other military defense
carry an interesting history.
am keeping diary of hilltop ex-
periences and book of Thought Sug-
gestions" which ! will no doubt use
to considerable advantage in my fu-
ture work at home.
In the meanwhile / am doing what
l can to serve the boys in every pos
sible way and to lend whatever influ-
ence my presence and my personality
may afford to keep them in the path
in which their parents at home would
like them to walk.
Jan. 10th.-This morning I will try
to close the epistle which was started
three days ago and to which l have
added from time to time as opportun-
ity afforded. Last night several photo
graphs arrived from Denver, sent me
by the state editor of the Rocky Noun
tain News Of which editorial staff |
was member before coming overseas.
These photographs depicted Denver's
celebration of the signing of the arm
istice and the splendid city streets and
the array of automobiles looked good
to all of us, set down amid the disin-
tegrating walls and the primitive sur
roundings of Chalancey, as we are.
/ will close this epistle with kindest
regards to yourself and wife, your as
sociate in the business and to the many