The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-08
LETTER FROM FRANCE |
BY PAUL H. CIRCUIT
West Townshend Young Man, Former
ly with Company I, Writes En-
tertainingly to His Father.

Charles H. Grout, well-known West
Townshend merchant has just re-
ceived an entertaining letter from his
son, Paul H. Grout, who is with the
American expeditionary force in France
dated Nov. Il. The young man former
ly was with Company /, lst Vermont
regiment, of Brattleboro. He writes:
Dear Father: l am with my regi
ment Somewhere in France now. /
have received five letters from home
The last one was dated Oct. 10. It
certainly seemed good to hear from
home for it had been long time since.
| suppose YOU have received some of
my letters by this time. | received
| letter from Mr.. DeMerritt. 1t was
good one, telling me of his life in the
Civil war and giving some good advice
on the care of equipment and health.
| He said the main thing i'll battle is to
| keep cool and clear head. | think
| that is the most essential for if one gets
| excited he does not have SO good a
chance. Quick thinking is a very inn
pOrtant factor in modern warfare. For
instance, there are times when it is
best to drop fiat to the ground and 9TH
ers when it is best to run. One has
precious little time TO decide i'll case of
shells
In reference to the statement of the
officer at Aver Camp twherein he said
the soldier must be taught to think un-
clean thoughts and live unelean lives.
etc., in the six months | have been in
the army ! have never seen that at
titude held by any commanding officer.
in fact they seemed to believe directly
opposite. | have in mind the major
doctor at Fort Ethan Allen, who has
been in the army for 40 years, and his
advice in his talk to the men in the
ranks did not uphold that theory at
all.
The mud here is something different
from New England slippery yellow
clay which hangs to Your shoes and
more and more keeps collecting. and if
you don t serape it off YOU have more
than YOU can carry around. 1t is rather
cold here now. but hasn't been as cool
as il was when left the states The
houses here are shingled with fiat
stones or rocks. It looks queer to US
| heard an awful drumming one day
and went to the corner to see what was
the matter. There stood little old
man with drum. All the people came
out and he read them proclamation.
1t made me think Of what ! used to
read i'll history of the old days in New
England towns when the town crier
went through the town with bell.
We are getting the same kind Of
food We got i'll the states. Pearl Pot
ter and Lauren Pike are sleeping in
the same quarters that am. ! hope
to get another letter soon. Send over
a Reformcr once in a while if YOU
can, and write me all the news III de-
tail, as ] want to keep in close touch
with YOU all.
am feeling well and haven I even
been -seasiek. When | got here l had
to let my cartridge belt out as |
couldn I get il on the way / wore it
in Wcstheld. The first double time run
ming we had was SO cluInsy / feIl
down and the company got back to
camp long before | did
hope TO hear that Won are all we'll
for that is my chief anxiety God will
ing | am coming back, and hope above
all things TO find the family circle IN
broken
will close for the present, hoping
TO hear from you soon. Love TO YOU
all
PAUL H. CIRCUIT
Company /, l03d L. s. Infantry. go
Brigade, 26th Division. t. s Expedi
, tionary Forces