My Adored Bessie;
Editor of The Caduceus
Dear Sir: As a soldier I feel as
though I have the right ta say some
thing on the subject of soldiers’
sweethearts, which is becoming very
interesting indeed, and bound to as
sume big dimensions among the read
ers of The Caduceus.
In the' last two issues of the Cadu
ceus have appeared three letters, one
from a mother on Eliiabeth avenue,
and the other two from a Charlotte
girl, and a girl in Dilworth. Mother,
'in her letter, has attacked the sol
diers with the violence of a battery
of 75’s, for making a sweetheart in
every camp or port they stop, advis
ing the girls at the same time to keep
away from the soldiers. But, what has
made “Mother” assume such an atti
tude? I don’t know; she knows.
I made the acquaintance of several
girls during rny eight months in this
camp. I went to their homes, dined
■with them, went to shows, dances and
■church, but none of them has consider
ed me as a sweetheart. Nearly every
soldier has left a girl behind that longs
to see him back, prays for his health
and safety, wears the u^rvice flag and
Writes to him sweet and encouraging
letters. That’s his sweetheart, the
girl every soldier loves and whose pic
ture he carries near his heart.
In the last two letters you are com
plaining for not hearing from me, fear
ing also that I forgot all about you;
but, my dear, you must remember that
besides you there is another sweet
heart who always comes first and that
is America. Now let me tell you why
you have not heard from me all this
time.
Two months ago, while in the battle,
an enemy, bullet hit me on the left
side, broke one of my ribs and
made its way toward my heart, but
-when it reached the heart, it remem
bered you, it pitied you, and there it
stopped, listening to all its beatings
and all/its worryings for you alone.
Now, I am sending this bullet which
will tell you word by word all the
secrets of my heart, as it stood there'
listening for many, many hours. And
any time you. doubt my love towards
you, ask the bullet and it will tell you
the message my heart sends to you,
also how much I do love you and think
of you.
With love and good-bye until we
meet again.
YOUR ,1ACK.
A strong banking institu
tion in one of America’s
greatest textile manufac
turing centers.
The Big Gaston County
FAIR
October 8,9,10,11,12
will be worth your coming
to Gastonia to see
The above letter was addressed to
his sweetheart and not to his girl
friend.
SOME ARE JEALOUS.
Editor of The Caduceus;
Of course there are some soldiers
'Who for one reason or another have
hot a sweetheart. But shall they be
condemned if they do make one in
the camp , where they stop? Only in
Turkey the girls are covered up and
locked into the house so that none o.’
the male sex can see them.
“Mother’s” remarks remind me r'
Some people in the southern part of
Europe who will not allow their girl
to go to school, fearing that she may
exchange letters with some young
hian. So, does “Mother,” with he~
sttacks and advices towards the sol-
diers and the girls, want to form a
barrier between them, or is she in fa-
''’or of the Turkish and Calabrian cus
toms. If we get acquainted with the
sisters^and sweethearts of our com
rades and are entertained by them,
our sweethearts and sisters are enter
taining other boys, remaining faithful
to us and not making them sweet
hearts. I believe that “Mother” shall
hot consider this as a counter-attack,
but merely a defense of the soldier’s
dignity and pride. I wish to assure
“Mother” not to fear and suspect the
soldiers a bit. They are not Sultans
and are not forming harems, but be
ing away from their dear ones, they
Dear Sir: I have just finished read
ing the letter from the Greensboro
girl who asks for enlightenment on
why civilians do not like soldiers.
I don’t say this in regard to all
civilians hut there are a good many
who have sweethearts and have
known them for some time. They feel
jealous of every movement of this
sweetheart and therefore when a
khaki clad youth comes into her life
and gets acquainted with her the
civilian feels that his girl will fall in
love with this sol&ler and leave him
flat.
I will say that any man who loves a
girl and will not trust her does not de
serve her love.
I have a nice girl friend in my home
town and I feel that if she wants to
“cheer up” the other soldier brothe’-^
of mine it is up to her to do so. More
than that it is her duty.
—A Soldier,
Pocket Billiards and
Refreshments
DID YOU SEE IT?
Did you notice that a part of the
restaurants are raising the price since
the camp is Ailing up? These appear
to be lunches, however, which have
not been fully Americanized.
—Orderly.
We
Cater
to
The
Soldiers
m