Cottonwood Chronicle Newspaper, February 15, 1918, Page 3

Letters from Cottonwood Boys in France. .Geo. M. Robertson received the following letters this week from his son Ira, “somewhere iin France.” Jan. 2, We are expecting to be moved to permanent quarters nearer our work most any time; I hope soon. As it is now we have to get up at 5 o’clock in order to get our break- fast and get to work by 6:30. One good thing about it, we don’t have to walk to work. They haul us back and forth, morning and evgning, in a motor truck, but it isso far we don’t get back for dinner and it is brought to us. So yousee we are away from camp from 6 a. m. to about 6 p. m. and don’t get any time to look after our clothes and quarters except after supper, which is also the only time we get to wash our face and hands, and sometimes not then as the water isn’t always on. It freezes up once in awhile, so you see it gets cold in “Sunny (?) France” the same as any place else. We had New Years afternoon off the same as Xmas, but did not get any New Years dinner. I put in Xmas and New Years after- noons washing clothes, and am getting to be quite a housekeeper I think, but as near as I can figure ita soldier has to be most any- thing. T have never recelved any mail yet but hope to soon. ' About all the news we have heard from the states is that the government has taken over the railroads. We don’t get much news of‘any kind. You people in the states know more about the progress of the war than we do. The only thing we understand more than you is of the actual doings of the U. S. in this country. I think the cen- sor will permit me to say that the people in the states don’t know what war isand don’t have the slightest conception of the enor- mous problem the: U. S. gov’t is solving and the enormous basis on which it.is being done—and successfully, too. We signed the payroll the other day and expect. pay in abouta week or ten days. When we do get itl am going to town fora big feed. Our “chuck” is well cooked, good stuff and enough of it, but it gets awful tiresome eat- ing nearly the same thing 3 times a day and we have very little fruit. I am going to load up ona variety that the army don’t pro- duce. Am also going to feed up on some candy too, as I haven’t had any since leaving the states. We have quitea time getting our mail through sometimes. The dope the censor requires both in- side and out is so complicated we forget some of it once in awhile. The last time I wrote I forgot to put fny address at the end and it was returned to me, but the letter was delayed only one day, as our Company Commander does the censoring and one day doesn’t make much difference with a let- ter going as far as these do. Gus Maugg is in the hospital with mumps, soI am the only Cottonwood guy left, but expect Gus back in a week or ten days. We had a little snow last night, just enough to say it was snow. It is still cold and probably will be for the next month or six weeks, but Iam getting used to the damp wind and don’t notice the coldas much asI did. One reason I notice it as much as I do is because we are out in it contin- ually from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m.—not even inside for dinner—and not much moving around or manual labor, so that a person gets chilled through, in spite of all the stomp- ing around he does. Iam at the Y. M. C. A. by the fire now doing my writing, which ¥makes it pretty comfortable, but Iam unusually lucky tonight—as arule the Y is so crowded you can’t get near the stove. 4. If they locate us in permanent arrange things better than we have them now. Jan. 12. I wrote you a big long letter last night, and it came back to me today with instructions that we are to write one letter a day of 2 pages to a letter, and that mine was a newspaper instead of a let- ter, so it will take several days for me to get the whole letter on the road, but it will all reach you aft- er while, little by little. . We haven’t received any pay yet, but expect it any day—but we did get mail and that is better than pay. Of course all our mail was written before we left the states, but was more welcome than any mail I ever received before. You know, we hadn’t had any since about Nov. 24-25. Ihave never been to town ex- cept going and coming from work and I have spent only four-bits since I came to Frante, which was for candy from French kids who came out to our boat before we disembarked, paying 25c each for chocolate candy we could get in the states for 10 or 15c, but I was so hungry for candy that the price didn’t bother any. Prob- ably the reason I never spent more was because I didn’t have it. That was my last. We don’t do much here but eat, sleep ‘and work, but I would rather be at work than lay around. The time passes faster. Evidently Uncle Samuel didn’t bring us over here for a pleasure trip. In fact I have never met a soldier here who hasn’t something to keep him busy. Sammy has a job for us all just as fast as we land and holidays here don’t count for much. Sunday is the same as any other day. v I received the sweater, wristlets and cigarettes from Mother night before last and I put the sweater on the first thing, and gave one of my Red Cross sweaters to another fellow. The sweater is so far ahead of the Red Cross product that there is no comparison. I still have 3 sweaters, wearing 2 under my shirt and one outside, instead of a blouse. My 2 pages are gone, so must quit. My ad- dress now is 116th Engineer De- tachment, U.S. P.O. 701, A. E. F., France. Mrs. August Schroeder received a couple of letters a few days ago from her son Bert, one of the Cot- tonwood boys in France. Follow- ing are parts of the letters: Dec. 16. We had a great trip coming over. After we were out two days a storm came upon us, the sea be- coming very rough and nearly ev- eryone became seasick. I got sick almost as soon as the boat started and when it got rough I got ter- ribly sick and thought I was go- ing to die, and was afraid I would not. I remained sick for eight days and alll ate in that time was an orange and two apples, and got as thin as I ever was, but am picking up now. We had no mishaps of any kind. We are nicely located now, sleeping in wooden barracks and things are fairly comfortable. We haven’t received any mail yet and have no idea when we will get any. I think we will get along pretty well with the French people, as we are learning some of their language. I don’t think there is such a great difference in the prices of things here and in the U. S., excepting some articles. Tobacco is almost impossible to get except at the Army Y. M. C. A. If the people at home would save as the French do a food shortage would be impossible. I don’t know of anything else to write, so will close wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Xmas Day. The company has moved and we are nicely quartered, the best since I have been in the service. I got to see some of the country— the buildings are all stone and the farms contain about 2 to5| “quarters as they are talking of, we had ought to be pretty com- fortable. It will give us room to acres, with fields about the size of | our barn yards. It is a most women are seen doing men’s work. We haven’t had any mail or a pay day yet. Jan. 4. Tomorrow we will make anoth- er move. Forty men out of the 116th Engineers have been sent to an army school and four of these are from Company E, and I am one of them. So this writing finds us with the intelligence sec- tion of the 29th Engineers.. We belong to what is known as the sound and flash service. It has been very cold here for two weeks, with little snow. Co, E isso badly broken up that there are only a few together ata place. Tam alone here and all the fel- lows are practically strangers and perhaps I will never get to see any of the other Cottonwood boys, ex- cept by chance. Still no mail or} pay, but I heard that a lot of mail came in today. My address now is Co. A, 29th Engineers, A. E. F., France. Red Cross News. (Contributed) There is a call for the Branches to assit in collecting old kid gloves, no matter how soiled or in what condition. They are to be used in lining aviator’s vests, Also. bring in soft kid shoe tops. The Lewiston secretary writes that Xmas drive members should get their copies of magazines dur- ing February. If you do not, let us know and Lewiston will take up the matter with the magazine company. di Anyone who has knitting nee# dles belonging to the Red Cross and are not using them, please re- turn them to the rooms for some one else to use. There is plenty of yarn. Anyone in the country who comes to town when rooms are not open and wants yarn should see Mrs. Lora Hale, who will come to the rooms and supply their wants—or drop usa card and we will mail the yarn to you. The following sent flour sacks: Mesdames Fortin, Anna Bacon, J. A. Wright, C.L. Downer, R. M. Tombleson. Pillows: Mes- dames Heritage, Boyce, Frank Hanley. Quilt tops: Mesdames Hale, Will Buettner, Skinner. Mrs. Morgan donated $1. “Neptune’s Daughter” Feb. 27. Last Wednesday was the be- ginning of Lent and the usual services were held in the Catholic church in the forenoon and even- ing, and will continue during Len- ten season lasting about 6 weeks. Ben Luchtefeld this week sold his 160-acre farm west of town to Eusebius Frei for $7000, and bought the 80-acre farm of Frank Romain in the same vicinity for $6000. Frank Romain sold anoth- er 40.acres of land to his son Dominic. Mrs, Elvin Parker requests the Chronicle to say that all girls, re- gardless of age, who are interested in learning how to make surgical dressings will please meet at the Red Cross room on Saturday at 1:30 o’clock. The Hoene Hardware, agents for the Delco light system, have just installed these splendid plants. for the following persons: St. Gertrude’s Convent, J. W: Good- all of Ferdinand, and E. A. Eck- erman. A number of the farmers have ordered these systems in- stalled this Spring. At the Firemen’s meeting Fri- day evening Hayward Shields was elected fire chief, O. D. Hamlin assistant chief, W. W. Flint secre- tary and John Funke treasurer. The hall is now equipped with all kinds of gymnastic contrivances, and would be difficult to beat as an athletic arena. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur P. Mundt of Winona were among the out- side people who enjoyed the Rob Roy entertainment here last night. Mr. Mundt, who is one of the leading fancy stockraisers of the county, reports his fine herds of Hereford cattle and Po- land China hogs as being in firsi- beautiful country and everywhere ee 1 The materiais are se- lected wisely. Malle- able iron cannot break, in making, in shipping or in use. Polished steel resists rust with- out the help of stove blacking. Asbestos lin- ing prevents corrosion from the inside. The whole range is finished Red Cross Benefit Recital. Program which will be given by members of Miss Evelyn Port- er’s Allegro Music Club, in the I. 0. O. F. Hall this Friday even- ing, beginning promptly at eight o'clock: IDUBG Crccnristaesure es America Raymond Nims Burdette Belknap Primrose Waltz........... Streabbog Helen Schiller Tin Pan Guards Parade— Spaulding Irene Simon “Grandma” Rosemary Shinnick In the Woods.....Reginald Barrett Hildagarde Oldham : Duet—Boys at Play— Arnolda Sartorio Elza Matthiesen Lenora Nims Pianologue............. “Composing” Joan Shinnick Flower Song.......... Gustav Lange Evelyn Parker THREE PLAIN Process Polished Top retains a beautiful blue-black finish without stove polish. The polished steel body needs no blacking. Plain nickel The Monarch Range Actually Pays for Itself! Cottonwood Hdw. & Imp. Co. “We Weld Any Metal Chat Melts” Spinning Song Birds in the Woods............ Si Margaret Simon Song— : “Keep the Home Fires Burning” Burdette Randall Will Randall Ala Valeeiniss boc. cic: Carl Bohm The Fountain............Carl Bohm Bernice Simon INTERMISSION Operetta........... “Japanese Dolls” Nola Withrow Elza Matthiesen Hildagarde Oldham Lenora Nims Helen Schiller Irene Simon cbuadia ceca Big Demand For Barley Flour Manager Meyer of the Cotton- wood M. & E. Co. informs us that there is a tremendous de- mand for their batley flour—in fact it is impossible to supply the demand from outside points, ow- ing to the strong local demand for it. The mill is running day and night and will continue to do so during the season. Another heavy order for their wheat flour has just been received for their south- ern trade. They have just sold three cars of flour for shipment to tults Lewiston, the first car of which will go out tomorrow. pe Sates Haas A full house enjoyed the Rob Rob Lyceum entertainment last night. All those present agree that the Scotch laddies “delivered class condition. the goods” in good shape. REASONS --why a-- 2 It is built°carefully after a logical plan. The riveted seams backed up by Malleable Iron frames need no stove putty to make them tight. The triple walls at every point in the range exposed to heat or smoke are an insur- ance against damage from rust or corrosion. HakeYourCookinga Daily Pleasure up with one end in view, to save women’s work. Mirco- trimmings gather no dust or grease PUBLIC DALE at my place 3 miles northwest of Keuterville and one- half mile east of Hussman mill, 10 a. m., Wednesday, FEB. 20 Livestock One registered Holstein bull, three years old, papers furnished 8 head Holstein cows and heifers; 2 jersey cows; 5 fall calves 1 gray horse, 9 years old. Implements, Machinery, Etc. 1 33 in. half-truck Schuttler wagon; 1 top buggy, 1 ae heavy sleds, 5-foot cross chains; 1 sleigh; 1 6-ft.. McCormic binder; 1 5-ft. McCormick mower; 1 10-ft. McCormick hayrake; 1 side-hill disc plow, John Deere; 1 14-in. walking plow, John Deere; 2-section harrow; 1 cultivator; 1 garden cultivator; 1 Hollow-wire gas ne system; 1 No. 15 DeLavel cream separator; harness and saddle; some timothy hay; a large as- sortment of logging equipment, carpenter and op, tools and household goods, ete. Free Lunch All title to above property to be retained until satisfactory settlement has been made with clerk. No property to be re- moved until said settlement is made. Terms: All sums of $20 and under, cash. Over that * 7 months’ time with bankable note at 10 p. c. Edward Blake, Owner Harry C. Cranke, Auc. First Nat’l. Bank, Clerk TOM’S PLACE Try our line of hot drinks Get your Spokesman-Review here The place that cures you of “That Tired Feeling’