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Show LETTER FROM GEaATKIN France, Oct. 1. 1918 Dear ones at home: After having read your dear letters, let-ters, can say that I feel much better. bet-ter. I never knew before just what vour letters meant to me, but now that I am so far away from home, they sure help a great deal. At present the band is located at a large American hospital, where we are to stay for ten days. We play two concerts daily, one in the afternoon after-noon and one in the evening, for the benefit of the sick and wounded. Although we are not doing active rlntv on the front, we are glad to be able to do something for those who have had a good taste of it. Last night I listened to a lecture given by a Major, from the front, and from his talk, things are looking mighty favorable for us, and I dont see how it can last very much longer. long-er. The stories we hear around the hospital from the patients give us a good idea of just what is going on at the front. I don't think it wise to put it in a letter, si I will save it until I get back, and we have a fine chance, as General Pershing , s,q an nrrlnr that no hand- UclS laaugu u." men will go to the front as he wants to keep the bands intact. In previous pre-vious cases bandsmen who have acted act-ed as stretcher bearers have been put out of business, as their duty was very dangerous, but it is different dif-ferent now, and the patients say wc are lucky. I can say that we are very lucky in getting to play at this hosrital for a. few days, as we have fine quarters. We are in frame barracks, have a nice excelsior mattress mat-tress with three blankets. The food is very good, much better than we get in our own regiment. There Is a commissory here where we are able to buy candy, chocolates, tobacco to-bacco (American) cigarettes, and everything that one needs, and at a price much cheaper than we coula buy in the United States especial ly tobacco as there is no revenue tax. Cigarettes that cost us 15c per package in the U. S. we get for 11c; others that cost 25c we get for 17c. Fine sweet chocolate in large cakes, that would cost at least 25c, we get for 15c; safety razor blades that cost $1.00 per dozen we get for 56c. You can see we are well taken care of so dont worry about our wants. We sure realize what the people back there are doing for us. and vou cannot imagine what comfort "it gives us. mostly the boys at the front. Until I came here I did not thtnk much about the infantry, commonly com-monly known as doughboys, but ar-ter ar-ter hearing of their great bravery and courage, one cannot praise them too highly. Last Sunday. Sept. 28th, we played play-ed a concert in one of the large French cities, and by their applause, ap-plause, I took it for granted that our program was enjoyed by them. At the Y. M. C. A. located in this city we had the pleasure of being served by the daughters of the late Tor-nh Astor. After our stay at the hospital.we will be moved to a large Artillery camp. T don't know for just how long. My belief is that the band will not get a chance to get up to the front, but will be used around the different hospitals to entertain the patients. While here we have helped to move patients from Upfront Up-front into the hospital, so can say that we have been able to give some aid. No doubt by the time this letter reaches you. you will have read in the papers about the sue-J cess the Americans have made over here, and you will get a better idea than I could give you at the present time. As for any souvenirs. T can't say whether or not t can get any. but 1 ara going to make a great effort as 1 realize just what a relic of .this j great war will be. j I am enjoying the best of health. j Your loving son. , George j W.S.S. ! |