Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1918-02-01
CHRISTMAS In FRANCE
VIM. Olson Writes of the Rail-
way Engineers and Their Cele-
bratiOn of Christmas "SOme-
where in France"

where in France"
Somewhere in France,
December 20, 1917.
Mr.. Lord, Editor Herald:
AS | have an opportunity for side
issue this evening thought you and
our friends of the Herald would be
interested to hear from us in this
shell ridden community, and that all
the boys are in excellent health in
our regiment. We have great
many lads from Portland, Bangor,
Lewiston, Island Pond, Lancaster,
Colebrook, in fact from the entire
White and Blue Mountain districts
whom are all glad to be serving
Uncle Sam in token of the fine me-
mentces from our American friends,
and we are not having any picnic or
vacations, believe me. We have
been having zero Vermont weather
and your northern brothers are
standing it better than any Of them.
They have all been remembered
beautifully with sweaters, socks,
and woolen goods, and even then
"cold feet" are hard to eliminate.
The light railways have the difficult
ties the Grand Trunk does, but
nevertheless they are doing good
work handling material in the dif-
ferent sections of the war zone
through snow and ice. They have
not given the Huns much rest this
winter and the allies will sit up and
take notice when the fine American
facilities get moving in good shape.
The clerical department and oper-
ating of these foreign roads are
far different than the Ameri-
can standard. The Germans have
raided and bombed quite close and
the illumination from the anti.air
craft resembles lightning in the
skies, and it is fun to see the allied
fiers 20 after them. We do not live
as high as at home, as bread is not
as plentiful as at peace times. The
boys often mention they wish they
had the bread now which was wasted
in the U. S. A. The New England
regiment took up subscription of
over 5000 francs for the poor French
children close to the headquarters,
and gave them a beautiful Christ
mas tree and supper. 1t was ex-
ceedingly interesting to observe
their happiness and about all of US
had a French child on our shoulder
during the ceremony. The Ameri-
can people have been grand and lib
eral with US so we returned the COM
pliment in the above manner. Twill
give you the translation of a little
twelve year old French girl:
Thanks to you the advance guard
of our mighty ally of Free America,
the Christmas festival will be happy
for the children of--this year.
Since September 1914, when the
most of US were obliged to leave our
unfortunate little city on account of
daily shelling by the enemy, there
are none of US who remember having
seen a Christmas tree so prettily
decorated or so we'll furnished with
presents. While we were refugees at
the rear we we're very sad, regretting
our homes, our little beds, our books
and our toys, left behind.
Today, when we have regained our
homes, unfortunately often badly
damaged, but with a fireplace
where we can place our. shoes on
Christmas Eve, it SCENE as if our
unhappiness is at an end, and it
only needed this beautiful festival
which you have prepared for US, set
in frame most dear to us, sur
by the faces of friends and
accompanied by our former teachers
to fill our hearts with joy.
Also | am very happy to thank
you most sincerely, both in the
name of all the scholars of the
schools of--and personally, and
to ask you to believe in our deep
gratitude"
Do you not think the efforts of
the boys in Red, White, and Blue,
were we'll rewarded?
In the evening | had the pleasure
of meeting and dining with Sargents
and Corporals of the French army
who were veterans of the first inva-
sion of the war, and we were most
cordially received and they all want
-, ,a, , pA,u H. LII Il .sao..