Carthage Courier

Mrs. Anna Piper of Nashville received the following letter from her son, H. H. Piper, who is now somewhere in France:

Oct. 9, 1918.

Dear mother:

Somewhere in an old German dugout for a couple of days out of the rain, Chateau de Bon is the name that now appears over the entrance what was formerly Z It. It is located in a woods on a hill side with two large trees in front for cannon flags. It is dug directly back into the hill about 50 feet and is made of heavy oak timber split in halves for a roof and heavy logs as main props. It has one air shaft leading into the bed room, four bunks built off from the main room, two windows in the front and a sash in the door "some light now". It has a place for three stoves but only one in operation now, but another is set up ready in case the old joint gets too damp. It is roofed with tar paper and sheet iron, but leaks in one place. The leak seems to be a spring, for we have tried several times and found no place or hole anyway, it seeps through the earth. Fritz was very kind also to leave such nice furniture chairs, tables, stoves, etc. The chairs are made of branches nailed or wired together "some class and comfortable, too." Five occupants at present. One of the fellows stuck his head in the door today and said, "all the comforts of home, eh!".

Well, it can't last long as the "dead" work has to go on and, of course, Fritzie will have to go, too at least, can't see how he can stay when things are so hot. Today, we heard of another Austrian peace note. Well, we have peace talk all right, but it is the kind that makes your ears roar and gives you the headache if you stayed close enough. Some times it looks as if the earth was on fire and the air whizzing, roaring machine guns and cannons going all the time. Fritzie returns fire occasionally but with not much spirit. All the boys seem very happy over the apparent results of the last few weeks' fighting. It has certainly been bearing very heavy on us, as we have to stay amongst it all the time. While the infantry falls back, you rest every few days. Any way. I have made it fine, having not yet had a cold out of being wet so much. We have men in the hospitals mostly with grip and colds. One of my best pals at C. G. was seriously wounded last week. Guess he still thinks he is lucky to get out alive, as that was his saying at C. G. He had measles, then pneumonia and last, but not least, the mumps, being in the hospital four of the six months in camp. So now he will be sent home as his left lower limb will have to come off.

Today I was in a former village that was captured only a few days ago, and it is lain flat, only a few walls and one bridge left. There isn't enough left to make a target for Fritzie. I have explored some of the old trenches and dugouts. They were well fortified. They didn't leave an inch tank-only tools, a few gas articles and oodles of grenades and high explosives.

I received five letters and a bundle of papers. Two of the letters were wet and moulded so I couldn't read them. The pictures were all o. k and I was glad to get them. Will read the magazines tomorrow. Will write again soon.

Your devoted son,
H. H. PIPER.