" Camp Morrison, Va.    

"Dear Editor, Friend Miss Heightshoe and Pals and the P. H. S.:

     "I am taking the liberty of writing you a few of my experiences since I left my dear home, more so now than ever since I have joined the service of our flag and country.

     "I enlisted at Fort Omaha in the Balloon School Squadron, or it is now correctly called the A. S. S. C. or Aviation Section of the Signal Corps.  I was in Omaha a trifle over a month when the 'top kicker,' an army phrase for top sergeant, called Private F. K. Hagar to the orderly room.  I was a little surprised and as usual tried to think out what I had done or what I had been into that I was called to the orderly room, which place ordinarily is a good setting for a raking for some minor offense.  I got myself together in as good a shape as possible and feeling rather unnecessary walked into said place and to the desk of said 'kicker.'  He informed me in a grave tone that I had been chosen as one of the company to go to Fortress Monroe, Va., and the date of departure would be announced later.

     "Says I, 'But I am going into the reserve in January.'

     "Top kicker said, 'In the army orders are orders.'  I about faced and walked out, went up to my bunk and held a good talk with myself.  You see at that time discipline was nearly new to me.  So I vainly tried to get out of it, but had no luck.  So on the evening of January 5, 1918 at 6:15 p.m. we left over the Northwestern for Fortress Monroe, Va.  After we got started I didn't mind it so much (we had plenty of music, guitars, banjos and ukeleles) till we got near Jefferson and Grand Junction and Ogden, and let me tell you I never had a feeling quite like I experienced that night, when I went through and thought maybe and maybe not.  But there are millions taking the same chance, so why should I fear?  I never realized what a mother and father's care amounted to so much in my life as now.  For instance, a button off your shirt.  Used to have mother; now take your own little needle and thread and button, curl up on your bunk and sew it on.  It is that way with everything.

     "Well, after sitting up till about 12:00, we turned in and slept.  Arrived in Chicago at 7:40 a.m. and stayed there till noon, leaving there over the Big Four for Indianapolis.  Had an uneventful ride, as the scenery was practically the same as Iowa, so read or slept nearly all day.  We arrived in Indianapolis about 6:00 o'clock and were taken off the train for a little exercise.  After leaving there roll was called and one man was found missing, so after that a guard was posted at each end of the coach and no one allowed out or in.  He has not been brought back yet.

     "We were then switched onto the B. & O. and thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, arriving there at about 9:00 p.m., and here it started raining.  We then turned in for the night and slept across Kentucky and awoke next morning with the sun shining brightly and in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia (West).  Here the scenery started to change from up-to-date farms and towns to ones of the old times.  Log houses of large and small sizes and the old-style rail fences.

     "It was while going through the mountains that I was called for guard on the rear end.  I thought here is where I get a good view, so went out and took my post.  After being out a few minutes several boys came out and as we stood there talking we went into a tunnel, but just a short one.  A little later the Pullman porter came out and said a little farther on we would be through the longest tunnel in the Blue Ridges.  So I decided to stand on the platform and see what a long tunnel was like.  Well, I soon found out.  Black was no name for it, but when the smoke and steam began to get to me I decided to go in, but had not thought why the gang went in.  The porter had wised them on tunnels

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