Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-02

cred that there were more cactus
plants than flowers among the clover.
didn't stop to investigate any more
or the vegetable kingdom as I sud
denly remembered that I had not
written home for three days. am
sure You will excuse me because
buster boy you never saw or heard
of than for the last three days. The
rainy and windy weather finally de-
cided to break on Sunday and we got
right down to business.
Lands With Motor Dead
Last Saturday morning we looked
for clear weather, but despite the
fact that the sun went down red in
the west. the dawn broke foggy, so
foggy. indeed. that an expert pilot
who goes aloft every day to test
weather conditions, and incidentally
shows us that an airplane can be
landed with a dead motor, nearly
ran into hangar. because he had
to fly at q low altitude. Fog soon
cleared off though, but authorities
decided it was not safe for pupils.
and laid off the rest of the day to
pay us off.
I ordered a uniform in Tours the
other day. That trip was indeed very
amusing since had nothing to wear
but my Poilu uniform which makes
me look more like a clown than a
soldier. For company and to serve as
interpreter, one of the kindhearted
Legion" boys offered to go alonE
with me. AS luck would have it he
dressed in an American uniform
which he had brought from the
States So there you were, the lowest
and the highest rank of soldier
known, because a Poilu is the low
est in rank in the military world,
while an American, no matter how
low his rank, is God in the French
peoples eyes. What the Frenchmen
we passed could not understand was
the white collar and passionate tie
l was wearing and why my shoes,
which were pinching my feet at every
toe, fit so snugly. This did not seem
to fit in with their idea of Poilu.
which did not worry me a whole lot.
I'll admit, that l saw several pretty
girls in Tours, and many were the
glances turned our way, some bold
and others inviting. 1 amused my
comrade by saying that l drew the
interest with my "getup" and he held
ii with his uniform because l am far
from an Apollo, and he looks worse,
even dressed up. Being dressed in a
Poilu uniform l knew that certain
things were expected of me, especial
ly in the way of saluting, so l asked
OF military etiquette, to put me wise
as to who to salute and who not to,
because If not / would be quite liable
to salute every soldier that came
along to make sure ] made no mis-
take. He sure did his duty we'll, I'll
say that much, not only did he tell
me whom to salute, but he would
insist on walkin~ across the street
so we could pass another officer he
had spied and give me some more
practice coming to attention. l as
sure you, he had my arm working
like a wooden soldier on a string.
Surely the information received was
as beneficial as the exercise. It's a
good thing l had an interpreter
along. because the way that tailor
spouted French was a sin. Had a gos-
sipy woman beat all hollow! Just
the same, it cost me about twenty
extra francs for being an American.
Even my Poilu suit could not hide
that. 1t is remarkable though, how
the children run up to an American
soldier, want to shake his hand, eX-
claiming meanwhile, "Oh! America!
Bon jour! So it happened with my
companion the whole way home
Kids fiocked from all directions and
insisted on shaking hands with him,
while as for me, that same puzzled,
questioning look shone in their eyes
which amused more than embar-
rassed me because 1 have no doubt
they were wondering where l got
that tie, why 1 was walking with a
seemingly American soldier and
probably wishing to yell, Where did
you get that hat" Got to camp foot
sore and weary, also some hungry.
Several Flights
You remember that big fellow you
saw in the steamship office that
told you did not pass? Well, he
finally got in the American Aviation
Corps and arrived here yesterday.
Have been up in the air several tim es
in the last few days and the moni-
teur says l am improving. / did not
believe him until last night when we
were riding along with wheatfields,
chateaus and cattle flying past be-
meath us. and 1 looked around from
my position in the front seat to see
him lounging in the back seat with
his head leaning on his hand, and
then when l smiled at his nonchalant
pose, and still held the machine to
her course, he clapped his hands in
admiration of my skill, which was
not much, as this type of machine
(Candron) will fly itself.
So long,
WALTER.