Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1918-05-15
France, April, 2, 1918

possible.
France, April, 2, 1918.
Dear Folks:-I thought perhaps
you would be glad to know that
we are still alive, so here goes for
a letter. I'm not saying that 1t will
be much of a letter, as there isn't
a great deal that we can talk about,
but 1t will be better than nothing,
guess. To begin with Rex and l
are both well and getting along fine,
so you needn't worry about us in
the least. At present we are work
ing with another ambulance COM
'pany on detached service in one of
the small French towns. So far
we havn't done much but clean up
rubbish, but 1 don't think it will
work. I am living in an old house
with the non-coms of this other
company and we have it pretty nice,
as we have a stove, electric lights,
etc. They are all fine fellows and
l like them all, so l am very well
satisfied. One of my corporals
stays here with me, but the other
sleeps with the men in another bill
let. You see | was sent out with
this detachment with one of our
| lieutenants, but he had to go to
lanother place so now ! am alone
in my glory so far as our company
are concerned. The weather has
been quite rainy for the last few
days and it's also quite like the
Fourth of July at times, but we
don't mind it, The mess is good
here and l am getting fat on it.
| l got a letter postmarked Feb.
a couple days ago and you can be
sure it was very welcome. Also got
letter and package from Mrs. Jayne
and / wish you would tell her that
| l thank her and the class a thous-
and times for their kindness. The
candy was just what we have been
looking for and it sure did us a
lot of good Please thank Libby
for that peach of skull cap AMI
tell her that it came in mighty
handy, just how I'll explain later.
I'd write more letters but at present
my correspondence is limited to
two letters a week, one of four
pages and one of two, so you see l
can't carry on very extensive cor
respondence. Tell Marion / liked
her letter ever so much and for her
to write often. Tell Lois to write.
I'll have to stop now so good bye
for this time. With lots of love
HAL.
Another letter dated April 5
states that he is farther away from
his company than ever, and on der
tached service with the medical
men. Says the life is exciting to
say the least. He has a little dug
out to live in, just big enough for
two, with little stove, we'll made
and its very comfortable. The place
is also used for the infirary so it
looks more like drug store. He
also says it had been raining for a
week, but spring seems to be star
ting and the flowers are out. There
is much that is interesting, but will
have to wait until he gets home to
tell it.
France, April s.
Dear Folks:-It is now in the small
hours of the morning, but l am on
duty and will have time for a very
short note. Haroldand l have ar
ranged to write once a week, If not
oftener, unless it is absolutely i'm
possible to reach writing facilities,
which sometimes occurs. Our last
laps of correspondence was due to
that event / am we'll and healthy
and getting along fine. Have been
in the trenches and a mlearning
many things about this war game.
We are more or less on the move
at all times and will have no per-
manent location for some time.
Our quarters range from good to
not so good, etc., but on the whole
are not bad at all. The rats are
an ever present feature, but l have
gown SO used to them that l do
not mind them any more. The
guns make music CD in our ears
night and day now Our food is
good, much better than we have
often had. A soldier has little
cause for complaint on that score,
as a general rule. All we miss is
the sweets. We have not been
am sending quite bunch home, as
soon as we get paid, about so
francs, / think l will send. We are
receiving your letters in good shape
and certainly enjoy them. Enjoy
Lois and Marions' very much also.
Love to all REX.
In Rex's second letter he says
they are quartered in an abandon
ed French village in little ground
floor room. Weather not cold but
very damp. Says he has learned
what the whistle of shell is like
much different than he imagined, a
kind of whistle Or shrek. In
stead it is sort OF faint rattle,
and has a wooden like sound some
what like the faint rattle of lum-
Der wagon. The rats too, he says
are always on the job, and the
place is fairly alive with them,
promenading back and forth every
where. They used to keep him a.
wake, but now are no bother at all,
he says. Also they have gotten
where there is no Y. Nj. c.. A. and
t.,