The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1917-11-16
LETTERS FROM SOLDIER BOYS.
Somewhere in France
Sept. 80, 1917.

Sept. 80, 1917.
Dear Grandma: Sunday afternoon,
and if things go we'll | have time to
write some letters.
Was quite surprised you had received
none of my letters except the one
written in England Apparently the
service is much better for mail coming
this way. 1t doesn't have to go through
the hands of censors, which fact prob
ably accounts for the much quicker de-
livery. We have been receiving some
mail about every ten days and you may
be sure each occasion is red letter
day for US. Yesterday, the day after
mail day, some American tobacco ar
rived. Each one was allowed to buy
one can of Velvet, three sacks of Bull
Durham, three sacks of Dukes Mixture
and plug of Star chewing tobacco.
Of course, you will not be familiar with
the different brands, but the smokers
in the family will. This is the first
American tobacco we've had in many a
day and it sure caused joy in camp.
The Y. M. G. A., our good friend in
France, was responsible for the tobac-
co. There will probably be more forth
coming so it will not be necessary for
anyone to try to send it over. Any way
it never arrives so it's nearly useless
to try.
At present | am with detachment
of few men at small place S. |. F.
We have by quite a considerable labor
fixed our barracks, kitchen and bomb
proof in first class shape and are ready
for long stay. However, we all hope
it won't be necessary to stay very long.
We'd all like to be home next summer.
We have the honor, so the papers here
say, to be the first American troops in
active service in France. Although we
are quite near the front, the danger is
not great on account of the unimpor-
lance of the place, i. e., the town
where the barracks are located.
The French soldiers whom we are re-
lieving have treated us royalty. They
have done everything they could to
make us comfortable and to help us
become familiar with their ways of do
ing the work. There are several here
in the barracks now talking and jolly
ing with the boys. It's surprising how
readily some of them learn English.
We are doing fairly we'll with the
French language and can, even though
we've been in France only six weeks
Git seems much longer), get along very
we'll.
We have discovered the location of
some of the other U. S. troops over
here and find they are quite near US.
For long time we didn't know where
any of them were. There are rumors
as to when they will go to the front,
but, of course, anything we hear as to
that could only be rumor.
Would like very much to receive the
Edgerton paper. We are getting lots
of magazines and papers from U. S.
with one cent stamp on them which
carries them to an American soldier in
France. This is very good plan and
they are certainly welcome over here.
Would suggest you send yours in this
manner. You undoubtedly have heard
or read of this method of getting them
over by now. We have Century Mag
aziDes dated 1901. The advertisements
of automobile concerns are quite anus
ing.
Sorry to hear of Ollie's accident.
Hope none of them were injured seri-
ously. Tell Ollie one is in danger at
home as we'll as at war.
Wish | could have been at home to
enjoy some of your good garden this
summer. Will be there next summer.
We're sure we're going to get the
Kaiser by that time. I notice you have
a reward on his head over there.
You may send the Testament over.
l have one given by the Y M. c. A.
The trip will make it more valuable to
me in after years.
Love to all. Hope you receive this
before it becomes yellow with age.
ROBERT BENTLEY.