Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--A LETTER FROM ERNEST SOLBERG--Mrs. Levi Simms this week received two letters, one under date of August 14 and the other August 26, from her brother, Ernest Solberg, who is with the 13th Field Artillery in France, and from which we are permitted to take the following: "Dear Sis: I am ashamed of myself for not writing sooner, but I have been some busy boy the month of July chasing Fritz back where he belongs. I was in the big drive, or rather half of it. We started from the Bellew Woods and have treed him in the rocks on the Ainse river. He is in some hard place to get out, but we will get him going again soon. I have seen some sights which I can't tell you until I get home. It sure take a man with lots of nerve to stand all this, but I am in the best of health and feel fine. Old Fritz sure shoots the gas at us now as much as 20 times one night, but he is out of luck, for these gas masks eat his old gas up. We see an air battle almost every day, so you see we have plenty of excitement. I would like to tell you of the whole battle but it is impossible. I wish you could see the ammunition Fritz left behind him in his retreat. In all the woods you go into it is just piled up like cord wood, about 20 feet apart. Sure makes a fellow feel good to see it. I will tell you a little bit about France, as I have traveled about 600 miles on a train through here and seen some of the country. The scenery is something wonderful. Some of the trees are starting to turn brown and it makes the prettiest sight I ever saw. The country is low, with low hills and broad valleys. There is a river of considerable size flowing through our town and the views along its banks are very nice. An old bridge of stone, dating from the 11th century crosses it. Everything here is built of stone--a light gray limestone. They build everything with it. High thick walls surround every field outside of the towns. I have not learned any French yet. All I say is "yes" and "no". Too hard a lingo for me. To see us down town buying something in a store would remind you of a deaf and dumb man ordering chop suey in a Greek restaurant. Had to stop writing a moment ago. Fritz started to send a few over, so had to help on the piece to fade him back, and go him a little better. Well, I don't know how long this war will last but I don't see how Fritz can hold out much longer. Am writing this on some powder boxes. Don't know whether you can make it out of not. I think we will be going to some quiet sector soon. Believe me, this one is sure lively. We lay some barrage here. I don't see how a snake could live through it. Aug 26. We are now billeted in a little town back from the front. Will probably be here a month then go up again. We go to a new front this time, up near Switzerland. I am now in the First Army Corps commanded by Gen. Pershing. We are sure going to make Fritz like it. We did some good fighting the last drive. Old Fritz did not know how to take the Americans. They would go through the woods after them with just their part on yelling like Indians. Fritz sure was scared. I have only got one paper since I have been in France. Don't know where they can all be. I have no news to write to you. The news I wish to tell you of the war won't go through the censor. So long as you hear from me once in a while don't worry about me. I have seen lots of France since I have been here. I have been eight nights and days on the train through here. The USA looks the best to me. Gee! I will sure be glad when this war is over and we have peace all over the world. We sure did some good fighting while we were at the front. I wish I could tell you of all I have seen. I don't see why Fritz doesn't quit while quitting is good, for he hasn't got a chance of winning this man's war. I have not seen any of the home boys yet. May be able to locate some of them soon. Glad you sent me their addresses." Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--A LETTER FROM DAVID SHARP--Somewhere in France, Aug. 21--Dear Scott: Behind the lines for a few days' rest and have nothing much to do I will try and write a few lines. I have traveled over quite a bit of territory of the warring nations, but not for my health, and see much distress caused by the Hun family. I have passed through some of the historical cities and there one will find the effects of war. Although there is not the ruins to be seen as there is along the front, yet you can tell at a glance the country is greatly affected. Through the rural war districts nothing can be seen in the fields but women, children and old men who are past the army age. These people are very conservative with land. Even among the hills truck patches are seen growing and you wonder how an oxen, for that is what is generally used, can pull a plow up such a steep grade. Then next to the garden is a large vineyard or pasture for goats or cattle. There are acres and acres of land along the front lines that cannot be used on account of the numberless barb wire entanglements and shell holes. There it would hardly be safe to try to cultivate that land, although in some of the towns not far from the front there are a few civilians living. I was on the front 18 days. Our first aid dressing station was located in a town that had been shelled until nothing remained but the walls, and only a part of them. The third trench ran through this place and of course had a number of shell proof dugouts. These dugouts were quite necessary, for every evening Fritz would throw over a few kisses. Then everyone would run for the dugout like rats for their holes. I spent every first night in the first trench in case someone should get hurt. I think I shall remember my first night there. I was sitting on the parapet when I heard a machine gun bark. Within a second or so I saw dirt fly only a few feet from me. I cannot say what kind of a feeling I had just then, but I will say I did not sit there again. The sector we hold is not an active one but (deleted). The only thing now is a little shelling and patrolling. Almost every day we witness an air battle. It is quite exciting to see those huge birds soaring amid the bursting of shrapnel to get a position to fire at the enemy with their machine gun. All of this is indeed a great life if you don't weaken. The French people certainly do appreciate the help of the Americans. They are willing to share anything with us and are very glad to teach us their language, and, by the way, anyone with a pretty maiden for an instructor can "compare" quite rapidly. While we are in the towns among the civilians we have no washing to do for the women are glad to get the laundry. The first stop we made after landing was in a town of about 1,500 people. This was a very old place. The church was built in 1452, so the priest told one of our sergeants. Not very far from that town was an old road built by the Romans. This road was covered in three feet of dirt and was unearthed by US soldiers. All towns look alike. They are built of stone and stucco and are very dirty. The first thing we have to do when we go into a town is to clean it up. You may not think that is much of a job, but it is quite an undertaking. We are following in the same path that Carl Duncan went over. Every place we go we hear what that famous Division did. I believe the States will hear from this Division before many moons. They may not know that it is the Missouri and Kansas men unless they learn it by the casualty list. Well, Scott, it is my belief that I will be back in old Higbee this time next year unless I am one of the unlucky ones who Fritz happens to get. But I am not counting on that. I believe the Germans are ready to give up. They realize they are whipped as well as we do, but they are fighting now for what they can gain through peace terms. The greater part of the Germans are crying for peace now. I am like some of the Infantry boys, "don't five them anything but lots of shot and shell." It is surprising the spirit the boys have. They are all proud to defend that which stands for liberty, the Stars and Stripes. In one of the battles that has recently taken place the boys were heard to hollow as they went over the top, "Hell, Heaven or Hoboken before Xmas." That is pretty quick time, but I look for it not much latter. Well, as it is near dinner time I will close. Yours with the colors, David E. Sharp, San Det. 356 Inf. Amer. Exped. Forces France. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--MISS ASHCOM LOSES HOUSE BY FIRE--Miss Sue Ashcom who lives at Renick, had the misfortune yesterday afternoon to lose her home by fire. Miss Ashcom had started a fire in the kitchen and went up stairs on an errand. When she came down stairs she found the house in flames, which had gotten such a headway the side of the room was falling in. In her eagerness to save at least part of the contents of the house Miss Ashcom was severely burned and a doctor was summoned to care for her. The house was a total loss. Miss Ashcom is an old resident of Renick and is well known throughout the county. In her younger days she was a school teacher and has started many a Randolphian on the path to knowledge.--Moberly Democrat. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--FRANK MARECHECK KILLED IN FRANCE--We learn that Frank, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Marecheck of Mystic, Iowa, but for many years citizens of this place, was killed in action in France on August 4th. He was about 32 years of age and moved with the family to Iowa some ten or fifteen years ago, and had many warm friends and acquaintances here who will be pained to hear of his death, and who extend their deepest sympathy to his parents, brothers and sisters. Friday, 27 September, 1918, Vol 32, No 24--JAMES L. JONES SHOT --Seriously Injured in Shooting Affray With Will Chism--Shotgun Used ---Randolph Woods informed us Wednesday of a serious shooting affray near Fairview church the night before between Wm. Chism and Jas. L. Jones, brothers-in-law, in which the latter received serious injuries, being struck in the face, neck and chest and losing his right eye. Mr. Woods, who had gone to Fairview church with others to attend some kind of a meeting, and which the excitement following the shooting caused to be postponed, could not give us any definite particulars. From what he could learn, however, the trouble came up over Mr. Chism's mother, Mrs. Nancy Chism. It seems that following the death of her husband and the division of the estate it was arranged that she should make her home with her son, Will. Tuesday afternoon, it is said, she was taken by her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Chism, to the home of Mr. Jones, her son-in-law and that Mrs. Jones refused her admittance. About dark, or after supper, Chism, armed with a shotgun, loaded his mother in a wagon with her grips and clothing, and accompanied by his wife drove to the Jones home. Mr. Woods and the others of the church heard him swearing volubly and in a very high key and not recognizing him presumed it to be a drunken man and thought no more about it until they heard three shots fired and the screaming of women. Rushing to the Jones home, where the shooting occurred, they found Jones with his right eye shot out and several shot wounds in the face, neck and shoulder. The main part of the charge had struck a cedar tree and a few shot were found in the weatherboarding of the house, indicating that Jones was only a short distance from the porch when shot. Jones claims, so Mr. Woods stated, that Chism threatened to shoot him as soon as he arrived in front of his house, and that while he thought he was only bluffing he took his shotgun when he stepped from the house in case Chism should try to carry out his threat. According to Jones, Chism fired first, when he replied with two shots, both of which went wild, owing to the injury to his eye. Chism, who ran in one direction and his wife in another, it is said, after the shooting, claims that Jones fired first and that his own gun was accidentally discharged as he fell or jumped from the wagon. Just how serious Jones' injuries are has not been determined as yet, but it is not thought he is fatally hurt. The injured eye was removed yesterday, we learn by Clark physicians. Chism was arrested and taken to Clark and we presume placed under bond. Kathy Bowlin, Additions, corrections, comments welcome.