Weekly journal-miner., 1918-08-28
HAROLD PRESLEY LIKES MILITARY
 LIFE IN FRANCE
SON OF PRESCOTT DRUG CYST IS STATIONED NEAR THE HISTORIC CITY OF BORDEAUX, WHERE WINE IS 27c A QUART.
(From Sundays OaIIy)


 Harry Brisley has just received an interesting letter from his son Harold who is now in France with his com pany, and the Journal-Miner is privi- legged to copy the following para graphs:
 "We stayed such a short time in England that I had not the slightest chance to visit with any of my rela- tives, but I have already received sev- eral letters from them asking wheth- CT there is anything they can do for me. We are all broke now, as we haven't been paid off since we left Camp Funston, and no payday in sight yet.
 Last Sunday I went to the town of Bordeaux, which is a short distance from here, to see just what a real French city looked like It is one of the largest cities in France and there are some wonderful old buildings here. They are all very Frenchy as to style In fact all of France seems of an old style to we people from the United States. We never imagined how up-to-date the U. $. was until we got to England and France. Nevertheless, we are all rather crazy about France. for the people certain ly know how to treat the Americans. They are the most polite and most hospitable people under the sun, and all very democratic as far as the for eign soldiers are concerned. The young children and the girls especial lv. are regular little dolls and we have lots of un learning French from them. It seems like just one big fam- ily here, as every man, woman and child is always ready to start a con- versation with the soldiers if possi- blc. and 1t is very seldom that we find anyone bashful, although none of them are overly intimate or for ward. It is rather funny to see the American boys carrying on conver- sation with the French people, as we hold our French dictionary in one hand and use the other one to carry on violent gestures with.
 q only had four hours in Bor- dcaux. The principal amusement there seems to be to sit at tables lined up on the sidewalks and drink wine while watching people walk down the middle of the street be- cause you and all the rest of the drinkers are taking up all of the room on the sidewalks. I have never yet seen a Frcnchman intoxicated. Even the kids are given a little of the diluted wines to take to school along with their lunch. The French may drink water sometimes. but 1 have never caught any of them at it yet.
 Sunday July 14) was French in dependenco day. and the streets were crowded with people Aside from the number of women who wore mourn ing. it seemed like a very jolly and iight-heartcd city. Crowds ot sol dicrs of nearly every nationality thronged the tsreets.
 "Winc is about the cheapest thlng that we can buy here. It costs about ? cents per quart. Many articles of food cannot be purchased here at any price, and other things that you can buy are by no means cheap. l have not seen a pie or real cake since I left the United States.
 'T.ast Tuesday we all turned out 10 fight big forest fire that had started about : miles from our camp. We got back in the morning after fiphtiur it all afternoon and night and were then relieved by 6OO men from one of the other camps near here. The local people gave each man a pint of wine to show their ap- preciation for the help. And we ap- preciated the wine, too. It certainly had an unmerciful kick in 1t. and some of the men were carried clear away bv drinking it. ] shall steer clear of this particular brand here after.
 "The country is beautiful around here. and we all like to take long walks into the woods in the evening. There is long twilight. and now at S.45-thc sun is just going down. It is dry and sunny here now just about like Arizona weather. The country hercabouts is covered with f,eld after field of grape vines. There: are big pine forests in this part ot France also. and the trees are so thick that one can hardly walk be- tween them unless a trail has been cleared
 "I am feeling fine now, and when in town the other day. I found that | weighed 150 pounds. or just b pounds more than I did when l lett Funston. And it takes an awful lot to fill that hollow in my stomach these days. too.
 "CORP. HAROLD BRISELY
 ..31Ofh Field Artillery"