The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-04-04

s0&U Tie m0DC V8tU0Ol0 8FtlcAo OF
clothing ia 4 fellow j wardrobe ia this
country. Shorter boots would do al
right up here on the hill, but when q
person goes down into the fiat part Of
the village he begins to think that
some day even the long boots will
prove too short. "A river runs through
the middle Of the .own and It over
flows its banks with every sprinkle.
Some day, likelysas not, We will need
q water proof suit clear up TO our
necks.
The mud up here on the hill is the
stickiest | ever saw. 1t hangs to the
soles Of boots, and to- the sides. and
packs SO hard il layers at every step
that we appear s to 8 inches taller
than our normal height. And we
weigh a good many pounds more after
We have taken half dozen steps.
The clay is mixed with chalk rock.
IN this vicinity the rock is every
where present from pieces as small
as your thumb nail to as large as your
head. It is difficult matter to do
any edigging and hardly see how the
natives cultivate the soil. But they
do cultivate, Last year a crop of
small grain was raised on this very
ground for in places the stubble is
still standing. This year, however,
no crop of wheat or oats will be har-
vested on this hill, for the Americans
are going to reap perpetual crop Of
soldiers on it instead, and no grass
will grow under their feet.
This region looks much like the
country you see on the Nebraska side
of the Missouri river at Yankton. It
is billy and rolling. OFF to the south
we can see lot Of timber There.
are very few fences. If one looks at
the hills to the east and north and
west. in fact in every direction, he
might easily imagine himself to be in
some new region Of the u. s. A But
when he looks at the village and sees
the old stone buildings built one close
up against the other. and the evil
adence that they have stood for centur-
les, he can have no delusion that this
lie new country. He then sees it as
At ls--in IT'D great. great, great grand
lfatber age. 555 ~ W. NJ NM 155TT5=
In an inspection Of the village yes,
terday came upon evidence that told
me that France cannot do without
America in other ways than this great
war task. While going about from
one old stone barn to another very
pleasantly came upon comparatively
new Deering binder 1t made the
blood Jingle in my arteries to have
the fact brought home to me again
that American genius has spread it's
products the world over. The binder
was evidently handy thing for the
French family to have around, for the
madame had a good sized washing
spread out on the reel to dry. An old
Milwaukee binder stands in our COM
pany street, right in front Of our
kitchen. guess its usefulness as
harvesting machine is over. but our
boys make good use of it. In sunny
weather they find seat on some part
of it to eat their meals.
The band concert is over. 1t was
good and brought memories and
thoughts of home. A group of Off
GERS have now taken charge of the
piano and are playing and singing one
song after another such as "Smile.
Smile, Smile" and "The Yanks are
Coming" and the soft southern melo-
dies. If one who is not tied to the
military service by tight and tough
cords were to step into the nut and
see and hear what is going on he
would think this is gay life. But
to us near the battle front it is real
ity of the sternest kind. and no
dream-life. Regards to all,
DR.. Leighton.