Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-03-27
THE MONITOR, MARCH ~. 1918

sounds, it's every man, get a horse
get horse, A big bunch of mules
came in today: There were enough
to reach for half a mile, four abreast
as thick as they could walk and they
were nice ones, too.
The Y. M. c.. A. has been closed for
some time, but it will open again
soon.
Jan. II. We have just been hav-
ing drill with our gas masks. We
have got to be able to put them on in
six seconds in order to have them do
any good, if not we are gone COS
lings. Even if not killed, we might
be crippled for the rest of our lives.
They will have to be worn around the
neck ready for instant use when with
in four miles of the front-line trench
es. Some of the gases are deadly
and some are not.
We haven't lost a man out of our
outfit since we left the u. S. A. That
| is pretty gooo for almost thousand
men.
We have no mules and not many
horses .,ow. Most all four-horse
teams and one six. Last Sunday five
of US went for a horseback ride away
over beyond the range and looked
over an old castle. 1t is very old and
all going to decay. Everything is in
ruins but in days gone by it was one
of the places you read about.
Jan. %. 1 expect to go up to-
Saturday on pass and stay over
Sunday, will tell you some of the
things l see there when l get back.
and the most wonderful weather.
Clear as California ever was. l got
your letters also the package with the
socks and candy, gum, sugar and best
of all, the cough drops. l got the Two
Christmas boxes from Westmore on
Monday.
Saturday l got pass and went to
-. 1t is a very fine city. Six OF
us started but one man got In hur-
nv and went on the first train so we
five went together We had fellow
with US who could talk French so we
had fine time. We went through
the Palace of Justice. 1t was the
most wonderful place | was ever IN:
1t is finished in carved oak, lnlald
with solid gold.
Another great place was the Mu-
scum of Arts. There were paintings
there done in 1860. We went through
the Bazaar de Amusement, too. We
took it all in, shooting gallery and all.
1t was funny to see the children grab
for pennies and candy. But of all the
things the funniest was the train we
went on. 1t is the P. P. & J. We
made pretty good time going up.
Olly had one car off, but when we
came back! She was loaded to the
limit to start with, six Of us standing
on the platform and two between the
cars and then to top off with, when
we got most back here another big
bunch of fellows got on. They rode
on top and anywhere they could hang
on. Then the fun began. Everybody
was crowded but we had down-hlll
pull for ways and made pretty good
time until we stopped at a brook to
take on water. We finally started
and made a run Oh the next hill but
we only made about half of it and
stopped dead. They got up steam
again and after lot of French talk
that / didn't understand they cut her
in two, and we pulled on to the next
station, leaving half Of the cars
standing in the middle of the hill.
They sidetracked us and went back
and got them while we just waited
there in the moonlight for them.
Some trip! My word for it. We got
home at last and found some letters, !
the first I've had since Christmas.
l am still taking care of horses,
feeding and helping at most anything |
that comes along. They have been
fixing up lots of wagons and I have
helped on them some. Today l help
ed hitch up some new four-horse
teams. We have quite few horses |
and 1 have one side of the stable to
look after.
/ am getting along fine and hope
you all are. With love to all from
your soldier boy in France,
Homer.
Wagner Homer Leonard,
7th Co. 1O1st Ammunition TT,
26th Division,
American Expeditionary Forces.