Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-07-26

nished affair, and had a very pleas
ant ride. We met some fine French
officers, and as one of them could
speak English we had quite a conver-
sation and got lots of Information.
Uusually we had to ride third class
and sometimes with Poilus, which
was also very interesting.
The closer we got to the front the
more signs of war we saw. You can
only realize what war is and what 1t
means, and the huge expenses, losses
in men and material, and the terrific
strain, when you see it for yourself.
l wish l could tell you more about 1T
but 1 can't now.
The French are all very pleasant
people and we have great times try
| ing to talk to them. 1 am beginning
to understand it q little, but make
mighty poor attempts at speaking it.
But by the time 1 get home 1 hope
to be able to do something with it.
We arrived early in the evening at
our destination and were very soon
introduced to the rest of the section.
All of them are mighty fine fellows
and the officers are wonders. One of
them is the son of one of the richest
men in France.
The food is wonderful. Our chef
used to be the chef at the Grand
Hotel in Paris, so you can imagine
that what we get is good. In fact, we
live better here than at Princeton.
To-day we were ordered to move
from the post we were stationed at
to a post nearer the front. So we
each packed our stuff into our cars
and got ready to leave. We started
out in three sections of seven cars
each, led by the staff car and follow
ed by the trucks and kitchen. So
drove q I
the country to our new post without
an accident. .....
Here we are now situated in a little
| hamlet about five miles from the
front. We are living in couple OF
stone houses filled full of shell holes
| and only parts of roofs.
| Before we started we were given
steel helmets and gas masks, which
! they say we will need often. On the
drive we passed through three oil
| four towns all knocked to pieces by
shells. Nothing left but few walls
Every three or four minutes we
see an aeroplane buzzing above us
! and sometimes six at a time. The
antiaircraft guns are always plug
| ging away at them, but seldom gel
any. | haven't seen an air battle as
yet, but hope to before I leave. The
guns are always booming and the
| pldIe we are StOpplilS dI Is Sl6lleC
| occasionally. At night they send uT
star shells to light up the ground
| to prevent surprise attacks
| Tonight we are going to sleep ir
our cars. We put two boxes about five
] feet apart, then put stretcher or
| them and pile blankets on the
! stretchers. 1t makes a fairly comfor.
| table bed. but when you think how
many poor wounded and dead Poilu:
have lain on it, it gives you the
| shivers.
Just now it is rather quiet, so we
haven't much to do, but when there
is battle we have to work twenty
four hours at stretch.
| This morning 1 fixed up my quar-.
| ters. I got hold of an old door, pu
| four props under it, put sides on it
folded my blankets on it and so
got a bed. 1 made a shelf out of &
board and two leather straps, tackled
my mirror UP, stuck IN a few nails
and I had a completely furnished
apartment. All the other fellows die
the same.
/ When shells come we have ar
"abri" or dugout, which we dive int
1 and wait until the bombardment i
over. You are almost absolutely saf,
there.
Don't forget to write soon and Civ
me all the news.
i Lots of love to all,
FRANKLIN.