American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-08-13
r FROM POWER
COUNTY SOLDIERS.


- ENN
Major T. c. Sparks was received by
his mother. Mrs. Alice Sparks, last
week.
On Active Service With the Ameri-
can Expeditionary Forces. July IL,
ll9iS. Dear MOther-Suppose you have
given up hope OF hearing from me in
any other manner than by cards or
through someone else. but 20 be truth
ful with you. / have written but n
letter since / left the U. s.. and while
my Intentions have been the best In
the world | seem 10 be forever on a
job that does not permit OF a great
deal OF writing. for when / get a little
spare time / seem to have a lot OF
things I should do and not much time
for those | would like 10 do.
n you got the card | sent when we
landed In France you doubtless know
how long I've been here. We are very
comfortably situated al present, and
things could not be better, but OF
course We don't know how long this
Will last, as this Is merely a training
station for our branch OF the service,
which branch, by the way. ] like bet
ter every day. the more / see Of II.
! have been through a part OF Paris
on the railroad but did not get to see
any Of the city. however. I am going
on pass tomorrow and expect TO see
some Of the more historic and inter-
esting things there. Our station Is
rot far from Paris and | hope TO see
considerable OF points In and around
tho city OF which ! have read, before
q leave this vicinity.
II takes me about four times as long
90 write "a letter which Is 10 be cen
sored than would otherwise be the
case and I know IL must make funny
reading. because u must censor
what he thinks before writing Il down
and In my case the result Is not the
most satisfactory letter In the world.
/ have no idea how much Of what /
write will get through, but ! am sure
my letters viii make as interesting
reading 10 me when | get back as they
viii 10 you upon their receipt, so hope
YOU viii save them for me to look
back upon when | get home.
We had a fine trip over as our boat
was an honest to goodness liner and
the sea smooth most all the way. I'm
der such circumstances as these /
didn't expect 10 be sea sick and wasn't;
in fact l think | would make a good
fair weather sailor II my first trip
was any criterion OF what | might ex-
pect In the future.
There is no waste land In this mans
country az every available acre Is un-
der cultivation. Just at this time
everything Ia green although the wheat
fields around the post are beginning to
turn and II looks a little like dab
at this time of the year. They raise
a good deal OF wheat here but 1t Is all
soft wheat. no Turkey Red. The
stocks and heads are as a rule some
hat longer and heavier than at home,
but / don't know how the yields com
pare Every farmer has only a gar
den patch compared with our fields,
and "A great many OF them harvest with
scythes. In fact there would not De
room i'm some of their fields for one OF
our combine harvesters. The trees
here are numerous and beautiful, and
YOU for one would be thoroughly In
accord with the French ideas regard
ing them. for IL Is a very serious OF
Tense here 20 cut down or destroy even
the smallest shrub. unless by or win
proper authority. Some such law
would have been a fine thing at home
when - fenced their places
from the sunbeam trees. They would
probably be taught differently we're
they TO homestead" in France.
outside OF one letter from Edith
rs hich | received the other day have
not heard a word from anyone since
leaving. but | am living In hopes OF
getting a raft" OF letters when !
least expect them. and of course that
viii be "A real day OF celebration for
me Haven't got the Press yet, but
suppose IL will be coming along In due
time.
The French celebrated the fourth IN
Paris in great style and while die
not see It I expect TO see a celebration
on the same order tomorrow. as th'
fourteenth Is Frances national holl'
Jas a. the fourth Is ours.
one Of the first men l met attel
reaching our post was a sergeant ma
Tor with whom / went to school a
/, Fort winfield Scott. and 50 far as
have been able to determine. we tw'