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Show i HIS NEEDS ARE FEW BUT THE i SOLDIER BOY WANTS A BATH NOW AND FRUIT CAKE ON CHRISTMAS Following is a portion of his son's letter forwarded to Ogden to F. M. Kellogg, Kel-logg, from his home In Michigan. "In France. October 12, 191S. "Section 602 drew a prize package yesterday. Two largo bags of mail from home and may bo there wasn't some scrabbling for each man to 'get his.' Well, I didn't get the least or most, but sixteen pieces kept me amused for nearly three hours. We also got paid for the second time in France. Money, "however, seems to bo the least of our needs. Why, during tho past three weeks I have been able to spend only 75 cents. Not having been near enough to civilization. "In regard to what you may send me for Christmas: There was an explanation ex-planation in a recent issue of Stars and Stripes to the effect that every man overseas will get a requisition coupon which he must send homo to be presented pre-sented to local Red Cross people to obtain ob-tain an official wrapper for that present. pres-ent. Now the size of it can be only 9x3x4 Inches and the weight three pounds, so after much deliberation I have concluded that as I am amply supplied with clothes and plain food that the article that will cater most completely to requirements will be a good, old fashioned Yankee fruit cake 'like mother used to make You see, I am in for filling all the corners of Lhat little 9x3x4, meaning the box. "Some more mall arrived today and nine reached me as I was driving away from the field hospital. Conveniently, en route I h?l a break down and while Tvaiting for another machine to come along to help me I had a chanco to read the most important. That being from home. Talk about literature, no four pages if the 'world's most famous' can compare with it in interest "Talk about 'all the comforts of a home it would be impossible for you to imagine how much us boys need and would enjoy a good bath and cleanup. clean-up. I pass by bathhouses on route to the hospital but when my relief is on the car, sleep is the first need I think of and often I am at the 'advance end' at that. "Our 'homes' often arc the real thing however. Built by Fritz for his supposed sup-posed permanent use until he is Yanked out unceremoniously by torrents tor-rents of missiles thrown into his lines. "Some of the dugouts are fifty feet below surface but the majority are shallow pits in a hillside, covered -with rails, logs, rocks and topped off with grass for camouflage. Fritz also utilized uti-lized the power from a stream nearby and long lines of these dugouts are electric lighted. Many are concrete and furnished with modern 'inconveniences.' 'inconven-iences.' "I believe from the successes and racket up at tho front that liberty may soon reach down and 'shake' with some of the boys as they pass back Into New York harbor and I don't care how soon that takes place." |