Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-09-26
From Ira c. Stout

Somewhere in France, July 3,
/ Dear Ones at Home: I received
two letters from you today ant
was sure glad to hear again.
!. am we'll and getting along tine
but cant say ] like this countr,
I like England fine but I cam
} get anything out of this languag,
! and they are about 100 years be
hind the times here, they worl
bulls by the horns and. mule.
t with a yoke. l haven't seen {
set of harness or q four vince
wagon since I've been here.
have seen four saw mills herebut
they don't know how. to saw.
never saw a mill like these only
} they have . Jack Wilson set OF
workers, ha, ha. Well, tell Uncle
Gordon he can run old Casey
this year but l think I will next
If things don't make an awful
big change I'LL take Xmas dinner
at home l hope so anyway. The
Sammies have gained awful fast
and still at it. You tell Ernie
Crippen that I said he ought to
be glad he didn't get in the Navy
for the dark blue is awful deep
and rough; when the waves hit
the smoke stack it seems pretty
lonesome. | was sick three days
and nights at first, and there are
other things to make you sick at
sea, but I am safe on land again
and only ALSO miles from home
1t sure is a tiresome trip but I
won't dread coming home. 1t is
the general thought of the people
here that it will be over by Xmas
anyway I have seen several Ger
man prisoners and we have
things here that make me hate
the German people. I have lear.
ned that you can't them as far as
we have always thought. I guess
papa is thrashing yet. Tell him
and Uncle Gordan to be careful
when they get over where Mary
is for I am not there to look after
them, ha, ha. Tell Uncle Yves.
ley's hello, and Harley's also. l
sure am glad to hear your crops
look so good. How are Uncle
Gordon's and Uncle Bob's crops?
l will close hoping to hear soon.
With love to all.-lra G. Stout,
Some where in France, Aug. 81.
Dear Ones at Home: 1 reed
two letters today from you, dat.
ed July 8 and 10. I am fairing
fine, getting plenty to eat and a
good bed; don't work very hard,
l guess you think because Idon't
work all the time I could write
more often but rot so, but you
write Just as often, and don t ask
too many questions for I'm get.
ting awful cranky, see. Well, I
guess you have heard of me by
now. l am glad you are fixing
for that Xmas dinner, I think I
might be there for the Kaiser
can't last long. There were some
prisoners captured, their officers
asked to see some of them 8 inch
machine guns the u. S. had. The
cannons were firing so fast they
thought they were machine guns
England is alright; it's a perfect
lower garden, and their prices
ire right, too. but things are aw.
Ful high in France. I bought a
,onteloupe that you couldn't give
way in the states and paid 8
francs or SAC for it, peaches Sc
md grapes / franc a bunch.
wish you knew where l was the
Eth OF July, l was getting some
experience. The Germans are {
'etreating so fast the artillery
ant keep up, it is The opinion
hat they have made their last t
I am right at home here
Arthur Roper, Mute Sanders, t
|ohn Roy, Lonzo Riley and Hor. s
zee Spurlock are in the same bri.
.ade with me and we sure have
jolly time and we don't have to-
ak foreign language either when f
We get together, for I can't make a
'nything out Of this language. S
We visited a church that was 3OO|li
ears old. l don't think they ev. c
'ry build anything new and the
treets are as crooked as a snake a.
We are in q sand desert now. 7
lend me all the boys addresses,
vision number, Aron and Irsel. i.