Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1917-10-19
A LETTER FROM FRANCE

A LETTER FROM FRANCE
The following are extracts
from letters written by Donald
Stewart to the home folks.
On Active Service.
With the British Expedi-
tionary Force.
Dear Folks:
After some weeks of travelling
around We are at last safely
Some where in France" We
had a fine trip across, making
the trip in ten days. There were
13 ships in our fleet and as some
of them were freighters, we did
not make very good time. The
weather was great all the way
across, only being rough one
day. We were in England only
for a couple of days.
We made the trip across the
ocean on a big Atlantic liner and
We're very comfortable. enjoy
ed the trip just fine and was not
seasick at all, in fact have been
feeling fine ever since we left
Texas. There were three cases
of mumps discovered on the ship
before we left but they were left
behind. So we all arrived in
good shape. We are seeing an
eyeful and when we get settled
and | get the hang of what we
can write ! am going to write an
awfully big letter telling of the
trip. OF course this censorship
thing Is new and don't want tC
nave my letters all cut up. We
have had no instructions as tc
what we should not write.
intended to send you a cabl,
on our arrival here but we hav,
been travelling for so long tha
when We hit England | wa
broke. We will surely be paid il
a day or two more and | shal
cable then if ! can.
We are in a small town for
Few days. don't know how
long we will be here but | DON
think We will be here long. TIL
chances are that we will be sen
to the various schools for train
ing soon.
The scenery here is greaJ
There is an old castle near her
and my pal and myself visited
the other day. II is well owe
100 feet nigh yet, although tn
top is all broken down. Their
were four floors in il but the
are all gone and only the wall
remain. They are pretty badl
broken UP but you can see tina
the castle has been well bull
The walls are about - feet thic
and are made of small stone
well cemeutcd together. Their
are many secret passage way
and chambers iu tle walls.
would send you some picture
OF 1t but We are forbidden I
send any pictures OF places
France. From The top of the ca.
tie You can see for miles in a
directions. The country
beautiful, all rolling hills. A
the country We have bee
through over here is made up
small hills. The houses are a
of stone or brick and they see
strange to one who is used
frame houses.
The people here are the fine
kind and they do all they can
make us comfortable. The chi
dren spend hours teaching ,
French and ! am getting so tn;
| can make myself understood
little. ] cannot talk yet but
can say some things fairly we
The trains here are the fuI
niest things you ever saw. The
call them cares and when yC
say 1t right IL sounds like yc
are saying "horscradish" an
clearing your throat at the san
time. The engines are abo,
the size of the "Galloping Coos
and have whistles that sour
like you are stepping on a dog
tail. The cars arc only 80 fe
long and are divided into II,
compartments. In each OF the.
are two seats and ten people ca
ride in each compartment Thel
are three classes, the first clal