Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-11-21
October 20, 1917.
Avord, France.

Avord, France.
Dear Mother:
Am back again at dear old Avord
with emphasis on the dear" for the
food is worse than ever. At least sc
they tell me and love my meals.
have not tried the "ordinaire" my
self. After seven days in Paris. COM
ing back to such a dump was quite
come down, for although 1 did not
endeavor to paint the town red, had
quite a nice time. had to be eco
nomical going into Paris to spend
seven days and have some fun mean
while. AS problem I don't think you
could get a harder one but L had
some fun, running into little luck.
one of the fellows tipping me off that
there was still some of the Lafayette
fund left. So little Walter beat 1t up
to DIR. Gros to inquire If there was
any of the fund left. There was, and
soon was the happy possessor OF
200 francs. Had an interesting time
riding in the Paris subways. MY map
reading coming in handy, FOR that is
the only way one can get around IN
this complicated system. A map
hangs on every door, so you can see
where YOU are bound for all the time
mot that 1 always got there, be-
cause there were times when L did
not even know where l was bound
for. l soon discovered how to ask
for q first class ticket. Who wants TO
ride in second class, when there are
prettier girls in first class-naturally.
The sad part of it was l could not
speak French, and being dressed ike
a French general, every one expect
ed me to. You are beginning TO un-
derstand the sad part OF 1t, en- On,
yes. 1 noticed an awful lot or pretty
girls this trip. Whether IT was on ac-
count of my long absence from the
proximity of the fair sex is a ques-
tion-it's been three months you
know-Anyway there they were and
I had no money to speak of ana
could not talk to them. What luck!
Just wait until the Americans take
me over and I'M drawing more
money. I'll bet l will see some of the
beauties of Paris. Sure l still like TO
play with fire. Why not? I'm playing
with death and fire is not any more
dangerous. To tell the truth, l see no
other way of learning French, Tor L
get no time in camp. l am too busy
learning to fly. When not actually in
the air, I am trying to reason out
how | got out of my last bad posi-
ton and how it happened l ever
landed without busting. | assure you,
these things give much food for
thought and now that / am back in
Avord the rushing process is greater
than ever, for l am pilot now, ana
expected to acquire Information
much quicker, 1 suppose. Incidental
ly, 1 skipped the penguin class ana
another class also on account of my
previous training in penguin, and
tom orrow morning, weather being
good and my luck running strong, l
will get my first ride in Nieuport'
| have to ride with an instructor for
some time, all depending on my abil-
ity.
There are three class of these
Nieuports, the % metre, the 2S and
Is. The first two types I fly with an
instructor, while the last-and the
smallest fly alone. That is, if l am
lucky enough to get that far, be-
cause the least mistake in double
command and the punishment is that
the pupil is transferred to bombing
planes, something which I do not
want, not that it is any more dan
gerous. Because it is considered
much safer. But 1 want to get to
Pan, where the acrobatic school is
situated. That is my mbition to
drive one of these tiny, fast little
birds like 1 can canoe through
white water, which you will admit.
Dad, is pretty fair. Here's hoping
anyway.
Attended one show while in Paris,
not a movie. You know. although they