Statements he has given out are indeed interesting and furnishes a clearer view of many of the needs of American Assistance.
"The German Prisoners cannot be made to believe that any Americans have yet reached France. Most of them are glad enough to be taken prisoners because the Allies treat them so well."
"Fighting on the west front seems a hopeless deadlock. All France is praying that the Sammies will turn the fighting conclusively in favor to the Allies. They were indeed jubilant when the U. S. entered the War.
"The spirit exhibited by the French is certainly wonderful. When one sees men from 50 to 55 years of age, willingly risk their lives as stretcher bearers and enduring all sorts of privations with a smile it makes him want to pitch right in and help.
"Ambulance work is not the mere work of driving a car to transport the wounded soldiers from one hospital to the other. A driver who is detailed to work near the front lines gets all the excitement he cares for.
He has brought home a number of relics, among which is a watch-shaped cigarette lighter made for him by a French soldier out of pieces of bullets, shell and German belt buckles. The two sides are formed by the buckles. He says that each German soldier wears such a buckle on his belt with the words "Gott mit uns" inscribed over the Prussian eagle. A circular portion of a 48-centimeter French shell casing serves to join the sides. The receptacle is filed with oil and is a feeder for a wick, which is protected when not in use by a hollowed steel nose bullet. The flint lighter is the only part of the relic not picked up on the battle field. He has a number of other relics quite as interesting.
On his return to Minneapolis it became his duty to return to the mother of his companion, Mrs. Hall, a collection of which the young man had started to save while in Europe, and a package containing a "Croix de Guerre," which had been valiantly earned by the young man. The performance of his duty and the telling the mother of the incident that caused the death of her son was one of the hardest duties he has yet performed.
Program at Congregational Church November 11 – 7:30-
Altos – Marion Sylvester.
Following the concert the choir will be entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Sylvester. This is the second of a number of delightful affairs to be given the choir this season and are much anticipated after weeks of rehearsals.
Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Sylvester left Saturday afternoon for Owatonna to meet their son Byrl, who has just returned from France. He arrived St. Paul Saturday morning and immediately started for home.
E. L. Sylvester, E. G. Krause, W. C. Allen and Louis Risley left Tuesday afternoon for the northern part of the state to spend several days enjoying the big game season. They expect to visit various points and then prepare their camp for the season.
November 16, 1917- The Civic League will hold a meeting in the opera house on Wednesday evening, November 21, at which time a musical program will be given and Byrl Sylvester will relate his experiences while in France. A small admission fee will be charged to assist in paying for the yarn the ladies are using to make sets for our boys in the Navy.
Gathering at Wabasha last Saturday 400-500 present.
"He was followed by Byrl Sylvester, of this city, who recently returned from France, where he has been in the ambulance service for the past five months. In a pleasing manner Byrl gave a graphic description of his experiences beginning with his trip over the very seat of action. How it feels to be under heavy shell fire was pictured most vividly. He spoke of the differences between the treatment of the prisoners taken by the French and those taken by the Germans. The bombing of the French hospitals

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