The star-progress., 1920-12-29
HARRY GARLAND HOME ON
NINETY4DAY FURLOUGH


Opelousas' real soldier OF fortune"
Harry Garland, came home from Camp
Dix, New Jersey, to spend a ninety
day furlough with. relatives and
friends. He is looking as fit as
soldier can and his general appear
ance indicates that a soldiers life
especially one of Uncle Sans boys
is not so bad after all.
Harry's experience during the war,
on the battlefields of France as well
as in army camps, reads like a ro-
nance. Many months before America
accepted the gage of battle thrown at
her feet by the Imperial William,
Emperor and King" Harry Garland
scented the battle from afar and de-
cided like thousands of young Amer
leans, to enlist with the French army,
He was down in Texas and with his
usual ingenuity he managed, through
financial difficulties, to reach a sea
port on the Atlantic and embarked on
vessel bound for Europe. In the
course of time he reached La Belle
France" and enlisted in the ambul-
ance corps. In this perilous position
he gained much knowledge of modern
warfare; saw sights that would have
turned an ordinary mans head white;
went through perilous moments, but
never lost his head or received a
scratch.
When the American armies began to
pour, like flood-tide, on the shores
Of France Harry secured a release
from his French companions in arms
and joined his khaki-clad brothers
from home 1t was action he was af-
ter ,and action he received. AS a
doughboy-a private in the front
ranks-he smelled the smoke of bat
tie mad participated in the mighty con-
flict. His stories of the battles fought
in which he participated sound like
romance, but each vivid story bears
the earmarks of truth, and sometimes
the moral tells us, truth is stranger
than fiction. Gassed and wounded he
was reported missing in action" and
for many weary days loved ones here
at home awaited word of his where
abouts But Harry, had not given up
the ghost-joined the silent throng of
immortal spirits that departed from
the fighting ranks to mingle with the
angelic hosts of heaven-but remain
ed a fighting unit Of Americas fight
ing boys that dealt the finishing
touches to William Hohenzollern, EN-
peror and King"
Harry was lying, gassed and wound
ed slightly, in an isolated hospital and
when discharged as well resumed his
place in the ranks-having fought
good fight he remained to fight anoth-
er day.
In due course he returned to his
native shores and received his hon
orable discharge and came home to
recuperate after his strenuous exis-
tence in army life It was not long
after his homecoming before the
spirit of unrest seized him and a we'll
defined desire to return again to sol
dier life overcame all intentions to
pursue the peaceful calling of civil
life. The longer he remained at home
the stronger the desire to re-enlist,
and when the feeling became para
mount he bundled up his soldier uni
form, signed up again and joined the
colors-an infantryman of the United
States.
The Yuletide season of 1920 stirred
in his heart desire to see home and
loved ones, and the securing of a
ninety-day furlough was easy. Harry
is home for this short stay, and as
he steps down the street with his uni
form and French decoration he looks
every inch a mantle true type of
stalwart young American that he
really is-clear of eye, clean of limb
and a perfect specimen of what the
Great Creator intended all his sons
to be. Opelousas welcomes you, Har-
ry Garland, and only wishes it had
dozens of such stalwart young sons.
Well have you performed you duty
and may it's reward be a conscientious
feeling that you have done your in
dividual best.
A FRIEND.