Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-12
THROUGH AMERICAN EYES.
Ene,.nd and France as Seen by 4
Miehigander with the Canaoians
Eew York Sum

Dear Dad: Ink is scarce and use IL
for addresses only. Thanks very mucn
for the check for So which arrived
o X. and quite in time. In case am
wounded / can now enjoy he
We are now but a few miles behind
the lines and no doubt will be going
forward before too long. The sound or
the guns is constantly audible, and at
,iobt flashes can be discerned at times.
The most easily enjoyed sights are the
evolutions OF the war planes ana 'ho
shra putfs which occur around them
at times.
still in spite of the above and the SCI
diers and the constantly less comfortapie
quarters, we seem far from war. Cen
orally speaking the countryside seems
peaceful and little disturbed Chlldreh
are as fresh and dirty here as elsewhere
No, long before we left England my
self and three other criminals sintully
heat the parade" one day and rambled
along the roadsides. The day was as
delicately balanced as any of those June
affairs mentioned by Lowell and the
carefully carved countryside formed a
setting for the day that could nowhere
be surpassed. There is so much to be
seen in England that ii is Of an i'm
moderate intensity after the spring
showers and sunny weather,
If we have any American scenery that
Is so fnely pretty or lovely have not
seen IT, The old trees. the omnipresent
hedges. the clean cut smooth hills. roads
and paths are only possible to an OLD
civilization The people, so to speak
potter about and watch strangers. NO
body Is busy and the old men are GER
.sinI.- njcturesaue They wear peculiar
and dismal growths OF wiskerage Their
clothing is evidently pre-Giadstonian and
has been constantly worn ever since that
period.
We finally arrived at an inn that look-
I'd r7edideNal inside and out, ana there
ate tea" and drank some rather inferior
ale which was made tastemul by the
raftered and befireplaced taproom. Our
iniouities remained undetected. lit was
most primrose and vioet-there were
lots OF these-tinted day.
We had chance TO observe a con-
siderable stretch of French farming coun-
try. This is also extremely beautiful and
carefully tended. In way it is rs
pleasing in the open country as Eng
land, bu. the towns and villages are less
neat The French country is pretty, bur
I. looks like business. ] can believe that
Il produces grain and other necessaries
Now England gives one no such i'm
preston. II looks like A dolls house
affair. arranged to attract the wealthy
who are looking for residence sites.
A H.. l.
a joke. OF course l have not seen all
parts Of Albion The French make every
inch pretty but productive,
We have been told that no Canadian
has been shot for cowardice. Whether
true or not, 1t is certain that the mass,
almost without exception. is sufficiently
brave to take any necessary risks.
shall know more about thepsychology
Of courage after having had more ex-
perience. 1t Is sure that in civil life
there are many afraid to risk their
skins. Why not In war? have
theory or two and shall mention the
subject again.
I shall never be happy until own an
aeroplane. My! the way they go is the
most enticing thing in the world. Part
Of our journey was made by taking
short steps on sore feet under leventy-
leven pounds Of freight. There was heat,
sweat and dust, and our progress was
about 1-loo0th as fast as the enclrculating
planes. Then. too. those blasphemers
had but to move a pedal or crank or
something as easy. while We knew for GER
tain that war Is mistake.
French peasants work too ding -donxed
hard. I'm darned II l ever become
French peasant They don't even have
riding ploughs and machines, but tramp
up and down when not walking humps