El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-14
GOING ACROSS To
ELPTHEFRENCH
College Boy Who Goes To
Join Ambulance Corps,
Writes Of the Trip.

!. II Sheers, Of FL PaEo, is i'm receipt
OF two most Interesting letters from
his nephew, James Campbell Sheers.
who went from Pittsburs, Pa, 10
France to Join the American volun-
teer ambulance corps The letters tel.
Of the trip across the ocean, the dread
OF the submarines, the scares in the
sub" zone, the arrival IN Paris and
QUILTING for the front Young Sheers
left with the bunch Of Yale. Princeton.
Norton and Lehigh college men, all
young like himself. He is ouly Is. The
letters follow
On board the steamship Eocham-
beau, Bay Of Biscay, June SIN the
midst Of the greatest excitement
and danger OF my whole life j
am going to tell you Of the
weeks Journey. Last night we en-
tered the submarine zone" and words
cannot describe the sight that sur
rounds me now We were ordered last
night not to remove our clothing and
I am wearing my lie belt as I am
writing this letter, just as are the 500
other people on board The lfebOats
are in readiness at the side Of the yes
sci Ten men are in constant watch Of
one hour relays, on the bridge and in
the crow S nest rs e nave not laQ a
wink Of sleep since Friday night and
do not expect TO sleep until we land
at Bordeaux It is impossible, I say
10 describe this scene and the COull-
tons to you. The nervous strain is
killing the women and the men are
trying not to show it, Every minute
we are expecting our convoy. tor
pedO boat destroyer our cargo con-
tains, besides food and other supplies
for the French government 1000 tons
Of shells a half a dozen ambulances
and several noted people, among them
Anne Morgan, Elsie De WO-t, EOSsl,
the great metropolitan baritone and
several secret agents OF the French
government
Beautiful Voyage.
It has been wonderful SO beautiful
that were il not for the submarines,
and the miserable sleeping quarters
which we have, I should love TO stay
longer on the water This boat rocks
terribly and a great many OF the boys
have been sick They seem very mis-
cradle. I have stood by the ran and
have been utterly SpelbOunu by me
beauty and glory OF the light upon
the water Sometimes IL is black,
sometimes blue. at other times ugnt
blue like the sky today, of the coast
OF Spains il is p wonderful emerald
green
For the last two days I have been
ready to die any minute, as are all the
others on the ship, though they 90 not
say so. At night no lights aye lit and
the decks last night were crowded
with passengers trying TO sleep on the
floor and in the chairs with the moon
shining most glOrlOuSlE over us Last
night the sky was without cloud ana
the moon was almost full 1 can
spoil IL by trying TO describe It,
They raised $40 francs at the en-
tertaiumenr on board and by selling
tickets for some rattle or other, they
raised 1000 more, all TO a good cause
/ have very much TO relate to you
about that evening OF the concert,
when 7 return but do not think they
would want me 10 write you ABOUT IL
now. have slept like a top every
night excgpt last night and had
breakfast for the first time today.
They have chocolate, coffee, tea. toast,
eggs, omelet and butter for breakfast
at q M then at 1880 they nave
lunch, which is a full course meal /
always sleep until lunch Then. al
$50 We eat dinner. You see. when
they serve caulflOWer as a single
course, II takes about an hour and
half TO get the meal over with
About the Passengers.
have read a great deal, no doubt.
but my chief occupation has been
sleeping and breathing plen-l1ully OF
this wonderfully pure air as enjoy
the greatest sights nature has Yet re-
vsaled TO me Some OF the boys say
they are getting fat but as one OF
them said with a fearful look upon
his face. at 3 this morning, wen De I
wrecks BY the time we live through
this strain and get TO Bordeaux" 50 I I
am glad am prepared for a little
OVERRIDING physically and nervOusly- I
The boys range in style from molly /
cOddles who are going IN pairs pc
cause they won't back out indivldu- I
ally. to wealthy buns, who lonE for
the evils in the bright lights Of Paris. F.
There are IS i'm the Princeton and Sc .
in the Yale units aboard These boys /
are taking it Just as II they were al /