Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-09-28
Escadrille Spad SS,
Secteur Postal 240 G. c. %,
40. 1n 2

! NNSSNN
! Aug. Ia. 1918.
Dear Mother:
Thanks to the efforts of an Italian
band, l have been able to tell when
| Sunday comes during the last
| month. You see, lots of Italians are
working around here making roads,
| building barracks and any other
little job the French need done and
as a side issue give us music on
| Sunday.
| knowing how 1 like music you
can believe that l for one, appreciate
! it. They really could play well and
| put so much in the music that II
got into the feet of some Americans
who were listening also. 1t had al
ready reached the feet of the Ital-
| ians and they were whirling around
| in the maddest two-step you ever
saw. Even with my air raining l
know l should have become dizzy
| trying the same thing.
Need Dancing Partner
The Americans, however, although
| itching to dance, could not see any
| fun in hugging a comrade. They
wanted something soft, sweet and
| feminine and with usual American
impatience. of Il want what l want
"chercher une femnae." The fact
that none of them could speak a
| word of French mattered not at all.
One big tall fellow who hailed
| from Utah, and who his companions
| jokingly called the Norman" lost
no time in upholding his states
reputation and proceeded to ask
gigglinS French miss to dance. l
| don't know what he said. but the
lady would not dance and he came
back to the group saying that she
| had explained that since her brother
| had been killed in the war she would
| not dance.
You can bet this plausible expla-
nation brought a roar of laughter
that nearly drowned the music, FOR
! since our Mormon friend could not
| speak a word of French he certalnly
couldn't understand any-but trust
an American to save his face.
| Identity PuZZling
AS usual, these Americans stared
open-mouthed at my blue uniform
as l spouted the good old American
| lingo. and even after talking with
me, for fifteen minutes were SUN
somewhat dubious as to my identity.
although they admitted unWllllngly
that l certainly talked like an
American.
on closer inspection they even ad-
mitted 1 looked like one also. What
the distinguishing mark is don
know, but it seems to be still there,
thank Heaven.
Salvaging Planes
| These Americans were camped
few miles from our camp ana WeIe
engaged in the unique work OF sal
vaging planes brought down In the
French lines-yes, French ones as
we'll as Boche.
MANY and gruesome were the tales
they told of the things they had
seen. among them being the story OF
a fight in the air between two Spaos
and a Boche plane. The two French
men set the Boche atire almost I'M
mediately and the Americans surely
thought it was the end, but the
Boche had another think, for to the
surprise of all the beholders he
jumped from his plane trailing
parachute behind him.
Start After Him
The parachute soon opened ana
he began sailing serenely TOWARD
terra firma But if the spectacIe
looked serene it had not that erect
on the two Frenchmen VINO hao
caused it all, for angered at thus
seein5 their quarry getting PACK 10
his beloved Fatherland and not at
all appeased at having got ms plane,
they promptly dove on the parachute
that he looked like sieve petoFe
he reached the ground.
At that he landed on the French
side and these Americans helped 10
bury him. Naturally, they didn |
/ leave out any little gruesome details
in relating it to me. However, TINS
incident will point out how unprac,,,
i ticable is parachute to a chassS
pilot-sure he can jump, but on
J what a lovely target as ne hoatS
\ slowly downward!
Infant Diet
You know, 1 am back on an infant
diet again. Being so tar from INC
front has made this posslple' lor
milk seems to be quite abundant
around here despite the fact that l
/ have yet to see COW. Goats seem 10
be quite numerous though-Bllly
and otherwise-and now, wonder
! Still it tastes very 5000 WIN my
black coffee in the morning.
This morning l had chocolate
thanks to the kindness of an Amerl,
can lieutenant who just changed
from the French service. He gave me
a whole cake of Lowney's COOKING
chocolate, so you can bet for the
next few mornings little Walter Is
going to apply himself diligently 10
filling that sweet tooth! It's neeoeo
attention for a long time.
| AS for the place at which L puy
| the milk, l am still wondering now
| the family survive the awful com
bination of dirt and odor, for It's
the usual type of rural dwellings,
| half stable and half home, with
| dung heap for a front yard.
The other night when bringing my
bottle to be filled with milk l passed
| by a woman and a baby carriage
The lady was occupied in keeping
| fine flies off the baby who seemed TO
| have discovered he was as sweet as
| his mother thought him, judging
from the number around. AS polite
| ness is quite a fixed. custom IN
| France, especially in bidding every
one the time of day, l did my little
bit as 1 passed by saying quite
| heartily. "Bonjours, Madame!"
Makes Serious Mistake
"Mademoiselle!" responded the
lady, with the most hurt expression
| have ever seen on the face OF a
woman. And what could l do put
promptly say "pardon!" for the mis-
take. l couldn't trust my voice 10
saw any more, for L should have
"busted" right out laughing, for she
was the most unpleasant piece Oh
| fenininity 1 ever hope to meet.
A dwarf in stature with form
that a sack of wheat would be in
suited to be compared to, hair drawn
straight back over a head out OF all