Show letten FRANCE th following was written to mrs IV A warthen by her son bert adisa nd Js a very descriptive letter august 3 1918 dear mother I 1 I 1 know it is quite awhile since you have heard front from me but just the same mother dear I 1 have been thinking of 0 you we are billeted in a little village in iii france its a very pretty little place and so different from our little towns back home bome it seems like every where you look there is some little close by instead of building their homes on oil each farm they simply build all together probably a dozen families in ili each pl parce ce I 1 imagine things could be so far I 1 the tunes times seems like it Is all the same like the pictures in anci anc history books women I 1 here w work ark the same as the men going fiton in the morning and staying until night nearly all the grain all ripe now is cut by hand using a scythe women using them as easily as men they all wear the large wooden slices shoes I 1 dont know but I 1 imagine they get mighty heavy long toward night here the barni barn chicken coop and house are all one buil dirE dlug they live in one end and the anibals and poultry in the other some class ell eh I 1 think you would enjoy ihal ull nit I 1 then they have a regular public vash nash house I 1 ause we all wash and do our washing there The women have no lun lu viries iries such as a washboard dashboard or tubs wash vash their clothes out on the rocks in cold water and they get them clean too J in abe the homo home it is just a dirt or rock floor and very little furniture I 1 dorit dont think they know the art 01 0 dusting one of our american accomplishments nearly every foot of ground Is taken up here even the hillsides hill sides and nothing uncommon to see the people plowing or going along the road oxen I 1 th france is much prettier than england here where the large estates are they are always sur rounda by a high stone wall the buildings are simply beautiful all of old architecture and nearly always hidden by trees and gardens of 0 course the peasants just have their stone and red tiled root houses I 1 hadi a wonderful trip crossing the pond was not sick but just a few days I 1 felt rather queer at times limes but some of the fellows lost nearly everything they oN orned we landed or stopped at camp in england things are so pretty there seems like their long shady drives are beautiful sort of a lovers lane nearly every one rides a icycle better sell the car and get you one we ave received our first mail from dear old U S A yesterday mother you should have seen the fellows all flocked around the mail mail orderly 0 one ne would have thought of bees I 1 rece received 1 v a letter front from dad one front from elma and mother you must write to her ter more often dont forget also one I 1 from my girl fine ell eh tomorrow is sunday all the boys are going to church it Is the ath anniversary of frances entry into the war and a tribute to their fallen ones 1 I am on guard so will not go gee but I 1 would love to see you all one once P more but I 1 can walt wait dont think I 1 am down hearted for 1 am tar far front from it we are all anxious to get into it and I 1 think it will be soon the sooner the better mother I 1 do not worry worrying does one no good but lots of harm but I 1 think I 1 can take care of myself just what does little bill haves have to say expect lie has a great lingo will write as often as I 1 can but do not worry it if it is a lat bit long between times remember a letter is the best thing on earth here from your son BERT |