"We are now in a rest camp for a few days. Just got
a bath and clean clothes on so am feeling fine.
"Our barracks here are of wood and we sleep one above
the other like in a sleeping car, only we have it three deep
instead of two. Harry sleeps just above me so you se we are
still together. We have some mighty fine chums, so guess we have
been pretty lucky so far.
"The weather here is real cool, just like September
up in Wisconsin. We wear our coats all the time and so we are
real
comfortable. The nights are quite cold, but then we wrap
up in our overcoats and sleep like a bug in a rug.
"The cooking here is done out of doors and sure smells
great and makes a fellow think he is camping once more.
"I was very much surprised upon our arrival to see the
way the French people acted. Many of the old ladies wiped tears
from their eyes as we marched by. No young men are seen on
the streets at all, all have gone to war. The girls and women
all dress in black, in mourning for those that they have lost.
I was surprised at the English the French could speak. We could
talk to them in our language, and they could understand us. They
would come and sell us walnuts, candy, etc., and always would
talk English to us. They are very poorly dressed and many wear
the wooden shoes like the Hollanders wear. As we came along past
one home a group of little girls stood outside singing: 'Hail,
Hail, the Gang's All Here.' Most of the French people smoke a
great deal. Little boys six and seven years old would ask the
boys for cigarettes. They would inhale as well as anybody too.
Even saw one old lady pass us smoking a cigarette.
"The country here is very beautiful, makes me think
some of Wisconsin. The hillsides are covered with gardens or
trees.
The trees are the same as they are in Wisconsin: elm, oak,
pine. The roads on both sides are lined with raspberry bushes.
Never saw so many in my life.
"When we want to take a bath we all have to go together.
The sergeant gets a certain time reserved for us. It is better
than no bath at all.
"The autos here sure do look queer to us. Some real
old timers. Nothing like we have at home. Of course the army
uses