Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-09-06

letEniIS = W laih w tilcll' ID ittlle' SaIi
speak several expressions and when /
get a chance to buy self educator
copy OF translated French English it
will be comparatively easy to learn
enough to "get by.'
The French are very industrious
and economic. Most every foot of
their pretty little farms is carefully
cultivated. And the soil is very pro.
ductive. ! have seen a number OF
their wheat fields and must say their
wheat is fine. They raise lots of po.
tatoes, beans, onions, grapes, rye, and
other crops commonln America. They
have variety of nice fruits, too. l
have noticed lots of grapes, apples,
pears, cherries, figs, and peaches
growing.
But their customs seem very queer
to us. 1t appears they are behind
times in America. 1t is quite common
to meet n yoke Of oxen, or even milch
cows, or to see them working In the
! field. Much of their hay is cut with a
scythe. don't know how the wheat
is harvested as it's hardly ripe yet.
The wheat is sowed on listed ridges
| about a foot wide at intervals of 8 or
inches. Most all the fields are listed.
a great deal of the traffic is carried
on by the women. One sees them
driving delivery wagons, carrying
baske cts, pushing wheelbarrows, labor
ing in the field, driving oxen and III
short, doing most anything there is
to be done. A great deal OF this IL
caused, OF course, by the hardships OF
war.
have especially noticed their love
for flowers. Besides the many lovely
wild flowers, nearly all the yards are
filled with roses, lilies, and others thai
are strange to me. ] have seen bu
few fences. Current and raspberry
hedges used for fences and they art
nearly all made beautiful by white
pink and yellow honeysuckle. Some
times the girls hand us bouquets Al
we march past. Yesterday, when W.
stopped to rest near house, a younl
lady came 10 the gate and pinned {
flower on the coat Of one of the SOL
diers. He could speak French fairly
we'll and expressed his appreciation
to her delight. Nearly all the young
folks ride bicycles. And the young
ladies' can ride quite as we'll rs the
men. We were all tickled the othel
day to see couple out for ride
when the gentleman put his hand Of
Z the shoulder of his escortee to aid he
In pulling hill. But think sh
needed no help for she was still keep
: ing pace with him. Ha! ha!
1t is very interesting to visit mar
ket. did not stay long on the fis
' market for / didn't like the scent
There were all kinds OF fish, oysters
. crabs, Holsters, and though l didn'
see any snails, expect they wer
there for they are sold on Frenc
markets. They have fruit stand
uucll the same az we do. l hav
never visited a grocery or clothin
store yet, but l think they are lik
ours.
: Lady vegetable peddlers are numel
Gus. They sometime use o balances
two wheeled push cart and hitch dog
on to help draw them. In. this man
ner and tho wearing Of wooden shoe
the French resemble the Belgians an
z Hollanders. A great many woods
' shoes are worn. They make Q lot q
1 noise on the psvsd streets.
4 Well, Icould write = long story I
i tho interesting things have sesi
1 but for tho possibility o. this bsiD
Z takon BY the enemy ! will ~ nothin
( Of our whereabouts. y, X,
!, IN w uhoIees "a " unoSaY ibout !