Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 165, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1919 — DEMOTTE BOY WITH THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION. [ARTICLE]

DEMOTTE BOY WITH THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION.

The following letter has been received by Dr. P. T. Leighly, DeMotte physician, from his son, Corporal Hollis Leighly; Rumelangeburg, Germany, June 19, 1919. Just now the weather makes me think it July or August. Dry also, at least so far as rain /is concerned •for the fields are showing a bit yellow under the drought. On the 17th of June we registered just a half year of our occupation in our present location. On the whole it has been the most pleasant part of our army life,' for after putting up the division on a basis for a prolonged stay, most of which work was done by the engineer regiment. At the present time we are the only division occupying the Grand Duchy and have been very well treated by the inhabitants, tin our town we have welcome in practically every home and there are some very fine people here, and as to hospitality, nothing could beat it. There are two or three families with which I am very well acquainted and they have made every effort to make a few of my particular crowd welcome. There are six of us who always did sort of hang together ever since the first days and we have managed to have some mighty fine times. We always split our joys and sorrows as best we may and wish we had Birgen and Smith along, but we rest them back in the’ Argonne and can only think of them as two who were in spirit with us and let the solution of the riddle of life give them back to us. We are watching the peace conference rather closely because we are betting on ’em. Not francs, but our time and prospects for the future, and, believe me, if there is an “encore” there will ’be no more of the long lines of prisoners who used to filter back from the front looking very happy that it was over for them. \ , Today the battalion marched over into Lorraine, about five kilometres, and stacked arms in a Httle valley. We fell out with the instructions to be there for dinner. The crowd took to the hills, woods and the surrounding villages. I have forgotten so much French since coming here that that very useful lingo’s most dofficult for me now on account of speaking German every day. The Luxemburg dialect is a mixture of the two, many vowels as in English, and I am also able to understand it. Upon the Rhine there are some very fine gardens and a garden is really a part of the house, for it is there where the family spends the long summer evenings, which compare in length with those at Winnipeg. It is now almost 9 o clock and I am writing inside my tent without a light. We can easily play a seven-inning ball game after supper or wailk to Esch to a boxing match. , Some time ago, perhaps six weeks, I was notified in a letter from G. H., signed by Gen. P., that I had been appointed to a commission in reserve. That is, I may be called to active duty as an officer, brnt for the present I retain my present status or am discharged. I have ordered the commission sent home if granted, but, as there have been some thousands put out, there is where the whole matter will P£Od-

ably end.

HOLLIS.