Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Extracts from Letters of J. W. Reel to His Parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. T. Reel. U. S. S. Napoleon, December 22, 1918. My dearest Homefolks: I am very sorry that you do not get my mail. I have written so much till I hardly know what to write, as I do not know which letters you get. I am thankful that you receive enough to know that I am all right. I have received a good deal of my mail, but not half you have written. I received a few days ago my affi davit, also Mother's letter and one from Janie, one from Uncle Prince and Aunt Mattie several days ago. I try to answer all I get and write home twice a week. Well, I put in my affidavit this morning. They said they would let me know in a few days whether I could come home. Don't think they can hardly turn me down under the circumstances, but we nev er know. I hope I can soon come home. We have been rushed day and night for the . last week carrying troops from France to England. They were British soldiers going home. We do not like to haul them like our own boys, because they are hard to get along with. ' I was on police duty last night from six until twelve. It rains over here all of the time, and I will be glad when I can come back home where the sun shines. What I have seen of France, I like it much better than I do England, but our own land has them all beat. A number of our boys are off on leave to Paris and London. We all have a seven day leave. I think I will go to London on the 28th of Decem ber. I would like to go to Paris too, but can't take in both places. No doubt I will see great things in Lon don and I think I had better take this I chance, as I may not have it again. I only wish I had a little more money ! for I could see a good deal more and j bring more things home with me. ? I received Herbert's letter all j right. Hope he is at home by now. I. j also had a letter from Harry Medlock to-day. ? He said they didn't know j when they were going home. Paul I said he was going to write to me just | - as soon as he got stationed, but 11 haven't had a line from him. I also -wrote to Jake, but do not think he re ceived it, as I haven't heard from him. Well, I hope you all have gathered the crop by now, and am hoping I .can be there to help run the business jpretty soon. I am writing this on .ny .suit case and it is lying on the ber.ch .and moves about, so it is hard to write. Decmeber 24, 1918. Dear Homefolks: As we are anchored in La Havre, France, and I have nothing to do this afternoon, I will drop you a few lines. We have been working pret.y .steep as half of our crew is on leave, some in Paris and some in London. We have been running night and day with a half crew carrying troops back and forth from La Havre, France to South Hampton, England. We will have to work Christmas day until dinner to get the ship cleaned up. We will have a pretty nice din ner, but nothing like you can cook. I will enjoy it though. We started across the channel night before last but had to turn back on account of a storm. We were an chored out all night about three mile:; from South Hampcon, so the .ext morning the Captain, the Post Mas ter and I went to town in a motor launch and stayed all day. We brought four bags of second class mail on board, and I thought sure my package would be in it, but it was not. I suppose I will get it in a few days. Wish I could be with you all to spend Christmas. I hope I can be at home soon to help you ail, for I know my help is needed. It is beginning to get cold here now and rains every day. I am glad you all have gotten over the "flu." I was sorry to hear about Preston Strom, Edgar Morgan and Hezzie Griffis. My heart felt sympathy goes out to the bereaved ones at home for those whom they will never see a gain, but they died for their country, brave and true, and I trust they are at rest now in the world beyond. Most of the boys have gone to town this afternoon, but as I had gone ashore the last trip, I preferred to stay on board and write, rest and wash some clothes. I received a short note from Hampton Medlock a few days ago, and he said he didn't know when he start for home. I was glad you told me the name of Johnnie Hill's ship. If he ever comes into this port, will try to see him. December 25. Well, we arrived here in South Hampton at 6 o'clock, had the ship cleaned up at 10 o'clock, then put on our "glad rags" to celebrate the holi day. We had a very nice dinner which we all enjoyed very much. We boys i are all sitting around talking and I 'frolicing, and some are trying to sleep, but the rest are keeping up so much fuss that there isn't much sleep. We are invited out to a vaude ville show to-night in town, and we are going to sail to-morrow morning at 6 A. M. I received Ihe box you sent me, and am saving it till I get I hungry, for we have had all we want .for to-day. Am enjoying the g*m, as we do not have any in the canteen. I have seen many German subma rines, but do not think we will be I bothered with them anymore. Was 'glad none of them got a shot at us. December 31. My dearest Mother: I am in France this afternoon, and will return to England to-night. We have been on double duty, but we ! wouldn't mind that if we were carry ?ing our own troops home, but we've been hauling British soldiers alto gether since the Armistice was sign ed. When we unload our ship, it looks like a storm has been through it. Just as soon as we can get it cleaned up, we load up again and start on our journey. Some of the boys who went on leave have been out three days over time, and haven't returned yet. I sup pose they will get sf summary and deck court martial. I haven't been j late a minute on report for anything, and have been recommended for sea man, first class. We are looking for a good dinner j to-morrow. We have 36 pounds of extra money in the treasury. About the only way we can tell it is Christ mas is by che good dinner. I wert to an entertainment Christmas'' night I given by tho Y. M. C. A. They had a good band and some pretty good act ing, also saw a good comedy show by American men and women. That made me feel more like I was back in the States than anything else I have seen. Iwas disappointed the other day when the mail came from the States And I didn'i; g?t any. That is the first time I havo missed since we began to receive .mail. I hope you all had a good Christmas! Hope to be ho.ne by spring if not before. I am well and doing fine. Yv ir.h lots ol' love, Your loving son, Warren Reel. In Verdun. And there fell Bomb ' after bomb, shot by the murderous, sacreligious Hun Upon the high cathedral walls Of th?>t once marvelous edifice . In shelled Verdun. Within the high arched doorway Stood an Edgefield soldier-son With head low, bared and bent In reverential mien Two fragments of stained glass He rev'rent took, as souvenirs Of shelled Verdun. Still, with bared head, and bent, In reverential mien, This man within the vaulted walls Of this doomed, sacred place, Bent knee in prayer to God of wars, To Christ, the savior of this war struck world, . To save the place of prayer, The doomed cathedral high But God, the Father of this war cursed world, Knew best the needs of nations And of men. So hardly was there left that day, One stone -upon another stone, Of all the grandeur that before was known As proud Verdun. The nations war no more, Verdun's Cathedral tottering stands, And Verdun calls to us across the sea To help rebuild the homes with work of hands, (Even should we only help with one), In shelled Verdun. And have we heard the call And do we answer it? Ye friends pf France, awake, arise, The future needs you as the pa3t, Give of your store to rehabilitate Her fallen cities and cathedrals high And this fair city that is calling you And as this souvenir of glass has done, Be you reminded of the need of this. Old world cathedral and, once fair, Now shelled Verdun. Agatha A. Woodson. Your bicycle can be driven by a light two-cylinder motor that will do away with your pedaling. Something entirely new but altogether satisfac tory. Come in to see it. Stewart & Kernaghan. FOR SALE: One young mule and one young horse, both home raised, also four Essex pigs. Lee Gibson, I Edgefield, S. C., R. F. D. 3. THE PELICAN'S VISITORS. "I am to have visitors," said the Pelican. "Oh, very well/' said Mrs. Pelican "Well, you are to have them too," added Mr. Pelican. "It's too bad you can't have them all to yourself," said Mrs. Pelican, turning up her long beak and looking at Mr. Pelican with a very amused ex pression. "Now what makes you say that?" asked Mr. Pelican. "You started in by saying that you were going to have visitors," said Mrs. Pelican, "and then you had to add that they were coming to see me too. You wanted very much to be the all-im portant pelican bird, didn't you?" "I'd hardly say that,*' said Mr. Peli can. "You'd almost admit it, wouldn't you?" asked Mrs. Pelican. "Well, maybe for the moment, or for a few moments, I was feeling a little silly, a little bit conceited, be cause the visitors coining to call are human visitors and important ones at that." 'Dear me," said Mrs. Pelican, "no wonder you wnnted all the glory." "Ah, now, Mrs. Pelican, that is hard ly fair," said .Mr. Pelican. "If for the moment I forgot myself and was con ceited, you must forgive me, and un derstand that I didn't mean it." "I would say that you forgot me and not yourself," said Mrs. Pelican. "Now, now, you are trying to pun ish me," said Mr. Pelican. "I added, very soon after I had said that I was to have visitors, that you were to have them too." "Tell me about your human vis itors," said Mrs. Pelican. "Our human visitors, you mean, my love," smiled Mr. Pelican in a very foolish fashion. Mrs. Pelican gave Mr. Pelican an affectionate little tweak with her beak, and said. "There, there, you're a nice Mr. Pelican. Mrs. Pelican was only teasing you. She won't any more." "Good!" said Mr. Pelican. "Well, our visitors was the subject we were discussing." "What do you mean by saying we were discussing a subject?" asked Mrs. Pelican. "I meant that we were talking about a certain thing-or certain things, the certain things in this case are the humans." "Would they like to be called things?"'asked Mrs. Pelican. 'Tm sure I don't know," replied Mr. Pelican. "I never asked them what they liked to be called. And of c.mrse I never had the chance to ask them because these visitors have never vis ited me before." " "New visitors," said Mrs. Pelican. "Are they dear little babies perhaps brand new-like small birds and small animals 'and small children?" "Oh no." said Mr. Pelican. "They To See If We Eat Fish. aren't to be new as babies are new but they are new to us-we've never seen them before." "They're old, not new," sighed Mrs. Pelican. "They wouldn't like it If they heard you say that," said Mr. Pelican. "Well, no matter, they won't hear me say it, but tell me why they are coming to visit us?" "They are coming to find out, as others of their kind have come before, to see If we e?it fish which they want for people-like themselves-grown ups, children and regular human be ings, forsooth." "What do you mean by 'forsooth?"' asked Mr's. Pelican. "Nothing, except that lt adds a flourish to my sentence. It's like dress ing lt up, you see." "I never heard of dressing up a sen tence before," said Mr3. Pelican. "Neither did I," said Mr. Pelican. "But I try to think up these little things now und again. To continue with the story of the visitors who are coming. Some say we eat fish which should be saved for people, and others say we only eat the bony fish which feed near the top of the water and which are unfit for human beings. And the ones who say this last thing are the ones who are right, heigh-ho !" Bobby Had His Price. Bobble has never cared to play with girls and when a wee neighbor miss would call to him he would usually have some excuse for not playing with her. One day Mary was lonely and wanted Bobble to come over, but he would not go. "I've got a whole sack of cundy and I'll give It to you If you'll come," per sisted Fri ry. Bobble called back, "I'll be wif yon right awiiy, Mary." Those who that someth the remark fertilizers. Those who chance nor sense appre Those who orders now with . RO FE ORDER EARI F.S.R Norfolk, Va., Ba Charlotte, N Atlant Abbeville-GreenwooJ Mu tual Insurance Asso ciation. ' ORGANIZED 1892. Property Insured $4,268,300. WRITE OR CALL on the under signed for any information you maj desire about our plan of insurance We insure your property againsl destruction by. FIRE, WINDSTORM or LIGHT NING and do so cheaper than any Com pany in existence. Remember, we are prepared to prove to you that ours is the safeal and cheapest plan of insurance known. Our Association is now licensao to write Insurance in the countiei of Abbeville, Greenwood, McCor mick, Edgefield, Laurens, Saluda, Richland, Lexington, Ca. oun and Spartanburg. The officers are: Gen. J. Fraaei Lyon, President, Columbia S. C:, J. R. Blake, Gen. Agent, Secty. and Treas., Greenwood, S. C. i DIRECTORS. A. 0. Grant, Mt. Carmel, S. C. J. M. Gambrell, Abbeville. S. C. J. R. Blake, Greenwood, S. C. A W. Youngblood, Hodges, S. C. R. H. Nicholson, Edgefield, S. C. J. Fraser Lyon, Columbia, S. C. W. C. Bates, Batesburg, S .C. W. H. Wharton, Waterloo, S. C. J. R. BLAKE, GEN. AGT. Greenwood, S. C. February 1st, 1919. NOTICE! State of South Carolina, County of Edgefield. All persons indebted to the Es tate of . Mrs. Eleanor S. Ivey-late of said county and state-are hereby requested to make payment of the same to Messrs. Sheppard Bros., at Edgefield, C. H., S. C.; and all per sons who hold claims against the said sstate are requested to present the same duly attested to my said at torneys. Mrs. Eleanor I. Schnell, Executrix. are thoughtful have concluded ing more than chance is behind ;ably popularity of Royster's have investigated, find neither . magic, but simply common ciation of values. are prudent are placing their and insisting on being supplied .YSTER'S KllLlZJiilv TRADE MARK REGISTERED? ,Y AND AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT OYSTER GUANO CO. Itimore, Md., Toledo, 0., Tarboro, N. C. . C., Columbia, S. C., Spartanburg, S. C. a, Ga., Macon, Ga., Columbus, Ga. Montgomery, Ala. A CAR LOAD OF EXTRA GOOD Tennessee Mules All broke and ages right Will make prices right Guaranteed to be as Represented BETTIS CANTELOU Large Stock of Jewelry to Select From . We invite our Edgefield friends to visit our store when in Augusta. We have the largest stock of DIAMONDS WATCHES ? CLOCKS JEWELRY V CUT CLASS AND SILVERWARE of all kind9 that we have ever shown. It will be a pleasure to show you through our stock. Every department is constantly replenished with the newest designs. We call especial attention to our repairing department, which has every improvement. Your watch or clock made as good as new. Work ready for delivery in a short time. A. J. Renkl 980 Broad St. Augusta, Ga.