The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-11-26
[. (. Smith Is Now In the Camp
At Bramshott
from Fridays Daily.

l.. f. Smith, formerly, of Garden
City, writes to his sister. Miss Mabel
Smith, the following letter, from
England. Mr.. Smith is serving in the
English army. He has been a resi-
dent of Canada for several wears.
"Bramshott Camp, England. No
vember 1, 1915.-Dear Sister: VIII
write you from the old country for
the first time. We had a dandy voy-
age. The sea was calm the first
four days, but the last three, It got
pretty rough. The sixth day we
passed through what is known as the
Bivel's Hole where we had some bad
weather. The ship would lay over
until the rail was touching the water.
The Lapland is O large ship. We sailed
from Halifax on Saturday morning
and arrived here on Saturday morn
ing the, following week, taking just
seven days. We picked up an escort
of two torpedo destroyers Friday
night I was on guard that night. Not
that there was any danger from the
Huns. but II broke the monotony OF
the trip. We locked at Plymouth
Harbor in southern part OF England
and took the train from there; and
talk about the trains. They sure are
the queerest looking things. The
doors open along the side instead of
the end as they do down there. but
they can travel some. When In Ply
mouth, saw them switching some
cars. They would join a cable from
the engine to the last car and pull
them all together, couple them up ai:d
away they would go. We are at
Bramshott camp, about fourteen miles
from Aldenshob and forty miles from
London. There are lot of small
towns close TO camp.
There are about Ave Of them no
more than three miles from camp.
We can walk to one in any direction
in three quarters of a hour. They
are good sized villages of about four
thousand people. | was over to one
last night. called Hazelmere. We went
to dandy show, then had supper,
and In all II only cost me one shilling.
six pence. that is equivalent to thirty
cents in the United States. The value
of money Is a little hard to get into
at first, still II don't bother me much
as the people are very nice TO the
Canadian boys here. ] am going to
London as soon as | can get apass,
and get my teeth fixed. One of them
is getting so that 1t aches and I also
want to see some friends, that I met
since came. They are cousins OF
Mrs. Morris. who used to be cook at
the mine. | suppose Bill Is back at
the mine this winter. Il will seem
strange not TO be there this winter.
You would laugh IL you could see the
bar rooms. They are all tended by
bar maids. Beer is two pence per
pint. and II sure Is good beer We
can catch q bus any place on the
road for London or any other town in
England. I got a letter from Bill just
before left Canada. We saw some
fine scenes i'm Eastern Canada through
Quebec and Nova Scotia The fields
are fenced in one and two acre lots.
with rail fencing. and the houses are
built on the English style. The fields
here are the same only instead of
rail fences. they have hedges. II Is
the most beautiful country I ever saw
There are lots of private estates.
Yesterday we saw a lot OF one horse
carriages. i'm which the people face
each other with their backs toward
the outside. Some OF them had their
private coachman, wearing tall plug
hats.
Il have kept telling you so much
about this country. you will be get
ting tired of It. SO win close. with
lots of love to all. L. r. Smith"