The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1918-02-14
Soldiers Letters,
Somewhere in France,
January IL, 1913.

b Somewhere in France,
January IL, 1918.
James L. Meighen,
Scotland, S. D.
Friend James T.. -
am in France, the land we
have read about so much the past
three years. I think am about the
first Scotland soldier to cross the
ocean. have seen Eothing Of the
other boys from home since about tbs
first Of December.
have been here for some little
time. / cannot tell you what port I
left the United States from, nor on
what ship l came, nor how long it
took to cross, nor what adventures
we had if any. nor wien and where
we landed. / cannot tell you where I
am canped. But got across safe
and sound ard am in the best Of health
and spirits. If did not have. the
spirits in me ALREADY l could supply
them very quickly, for wine and
champagne flow more freely than wa
ter in France.
The Atlantic ocean is a wide and
wild ocean. do not know how deep
ditch it is for / had no opportunity
to find out. Providence was good
enough to deny me the privilege of
getting off the, boat to find out. III
was sometimes afraid might be Civ
en- the chance to get off and wade it.
which die not care to do.
France is Z. long distance from
America. One cannot have any idea
of how far away it is until he has
made the trip. Looking at a map
will convey no idea of the distance
One must ride 2 dipping and rolling
liner for many days and nights; he
ssl1nsts bear tina aighing and whistling
and singing Of the wind thru the rig /
ging until he can hear it when asleep;a
he must have hunted for the north
star ana the dipper for several nights
before he goes to bed; and he must
have had the repeated experience Of
going out on deck the first thing be-,
fore breakfast and seeing nothing but
a restless sea of water, before he can
have good idea of how far three
thousand miles will take him. After
a person has been at sea few days
he gets land hungry. He would give
most anything for the sight Of
chunk of land the size of mans
hand.
| enjoyed the trip. I had com.
Portable state room and the living on
the boat was first class. In peace
times would ask for no better vaca-
ton.
France is made up of hills and val
leys and plains just like America, A
person has an inclination to get the
idea into his head that some land far
away, as France. is better land than
his own native one. l have travelled
several hundred miles over France
and have failed to see anything that
is more interesting or that looks any
better than our own dear country. A
lot of things over here do not look as
good. One can see more things that
are really worth looking at in days
ride across Iowa. than. he will see over
here. The small farming patches are
well kept here in France. not a foot
Of land being allowed to go to waste.
But all that orderliness and lack Of
waste places give one the impression
that France has called on her last re.
serve acres of land for living. AS
to how the farming districts. of
France struck me will make the fol-
lowing comparison: When riding over
the. countless acres of Americas cul-
tivated and uncultivated land one is
reminded Of rich old uncle with both
his belly'a and his pockets full and
with funds to spare; while to take a
ride over France one has a mind Wis
ion Of we'll corseted and tidy little
seamstress who has a hard time to
make both ends meet. M
My address is appended below. 4
wish you would write me occasionally.
Twill write you again and tell you
more interesting things when they
happen. Yours sincerely, =
1t. ]. w. Leighton, =
Amb. Co. 1852, 116 San. TT.
A. E. F., France via New York
P. s.: am now in command Of
Emy company.
Camp Hill, Va, Feb. 3, 1918.