TRANSCRIBED FROM THE BRINKLEY ARGUS AUGUST 9, 1918 P. 1
39th Co. 10th Tr. B. Camp Pike, Arkansas
July 31, 1918.
Editor Brinkley Argus:
Brinkley, Ark.
Dear Editor: Having experiences knowledge of which I believe will help make the home fires burn brighter, I'm writing you this letter of Camp Experience for the Argus.
With the rest of the Monroe county boys we arrived on July 25th and were immediately given a taste of quarantine. We were vaccinated for small pox and inoculated for typhoid following Sunday were about as sick a bunch as you ever saw, and several of our boys had to be sent to the hospital, and one of them, W. F. Temple, died, but he had other diseases.
Got our 't' second shot" last Sunday and that night we parted company with our bad stomachs.
In the meantime, between heaves, we had been learning to pay "attention" and discipline, learning to do what we are told to do. Must confess my eyes have been opened to the need of just what we are now getting. I've seen that we are awakening to the fact that about the biggest tyrant for us to conquer is SELF, and ti is some fight to win too. When we win this lesson well we understand what obedience means, how we have to break away from having our own way, and loving pleasure altogether. When Uncle Sam gets thru training his millions of selfish, pleasure-loving, thoughtless boys he will already have prepared for enjoying the victory that must be won by the putting down of opposition abroad. There can be no peace until the human hearts are cleaned and are impelled by love and justice. We must all alike realize that we are dependent on others and that when one violates the right of others that we all are effected. Yes sir, Mr. Argus Man, this war is a blessing already for it is purifying the human family as fire does gold. Before we are thru we will understand this better.
But back to our daily routine. We are glad now we are through with our our "shots" and are getting settled. Nearly all are feeling the improvement caused by Uncle Sam's regularity and system of making and building up strong men. Our food is most excellent and when one receives a cake from home it makes him feel ashamed to think how mother had to cut the home rations of flour down in order to doit. If they must send something it would be better to send candy, nuts, etc., kind words letters and words of cheer, etc., for our one thought is of home folks and our girls.
One of our boys--a Brinkley boy--played us a dirty Irish trick a few days ago, picked up a pretty good case of measles and now we are under quarantine again. It was W. Homewood of Brinkley who pulled the measles.
Our tasks are not extra heavy, yet the constant steady grind and tension develops high nerves and it makes all of its restless and anxious to egt away, "over yonder," do the work and get back.
We are glad to be classified and get transferred and all have except one other and myself. The other is Nat Hill, who was quite active in the tick eradication work in Monroe county. We two will probably be held at Camp Pike for special service.
The boys that have been transferred and Mr. Shell join me in wishing you continued success, prosperity and good health. We haven't time for writing and our friends should take this into consideration and not wait for us to write, but should write us over and over again.
Yours sincerely,
THOS. L. VADEN.
NOTES: Thomas Luther Vaden was born in Paragould, Arkansas on March 2, 1895 and died in Paragould on January 13, 1984. Here is buried in the Mountain Home Cemetery in Paragould. He enlisted on June 15, 1918 and was discharged on December 10, 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
39th Co. 10th Tr. B. Camp Pike, Arkansas
July 31, 1918.
Editor Brinkley Argus:
Brinkley, Ark.
Dear Editor: Having experiences knowledge of which I believe will help make the home fires burn brighter, I'm writing you this letter of Camp Experience for the Argus.
With the rest of the Monroe county boys we arrived on July 25th and were immediately given a taste of quarantine. We were vaccinated for small pox and inoculated for typhoid following Sunday were about as sick a bunch as you ever saw, and several of our boys had to be sent to the hospital, and one of them, W. F. Temple, died, but he had other diseases.
Got our 't' second shot" last Sunday and that night we parted company with our bad stomachs.
In the meantime, between heaves, we had been learning to pay "attention" and discipline, learning to do what we are told to do. Must confess my eyes have been opened to the need of just what we are now getting. I've seen that we are awakening to the fact that about the biggest tyrant for us to conquer is SELF, and ti is some fight to win too. When we win this lesson well we understand what obedience means, how we have to break away from having our own way, and loving pleasure altogether. When Uncle Sam gets thru training his millions of selfish, pleasure-loving, thoughtless boys he will already have prepared for enjoying the victory that must be won by the putting down of opposition abroad. There can be no peace until the human hearts are cleaned and are impelled by love and justice. We must all alike realize that we are dependent on others and that when one violates the right of others that we all are effected. Yes sir, Mr. Argus Man, this war is a blessing already for it is purifying the human family as fire does gold. Before we are thru we will understand this better.
But back to our daily routine. We are glad now we are through with our our "shots" and are getting settled. Nearly all are feeling the improvement caused by Uncle Sam's regularity and system of making and building up strong men. Our food is most excellent and when one receives a cake from home it makes him feel ashamed to think how mother had to cut the home rations of flour down in order to doit. If they must send something it would be better to send candy, nuts, etc., kind words letters and words of cheer, etc., for our one thought is of home folks and our girls.
One of our boys--a Brinkley boy--played us a dirty Irish trick a few days ago, picked up a pretty good case of measles and now we are under quarantine again. It was W. Homewood of Brinkley who pulled the measles.
Our tasks are not extra heavy, yet the constant steady grind and tension develops high nerves and it makes all of its restless and anxious to egt away, "over yonder," do the work and get back.
We are glad to be classified and get transferred and all have except one other and myself. The other is Nat Hill, who was quite active in the tick eradication work in Monroe county. We two will probably be held at Camp Pike for special service.
The boys that have been transferred and Mr. Shell join me in wishing you continued success, prosperity and good health. We haven't time for writing and our friends should take this into consideration and not wait for us to write, but should write us over and over again.
Yours sincerely,
THOS. L. VADEN.
NOTES: Thomas Luther Vaden was born in Paragould, Arkansas on March 2, 1895 and died in Paragould on January 13, 1984. Here is buried in the Mountain Home Cemetery in Paragould. He enlisted on June 15, 1918 and was discharged on December 10, 1918.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD