Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-05-08


Gus. The weather is warm and every
thing green and fresh. We have no
need Of fires or heavy clothes.
The birds are singing and | feel
| am at least going to be happy, that is
as much as one can be under the cir
cumstances. We are about 5000 miles
from home
The local Y has American tobacco,
etc., all very cheap. We are allowed
to visit the village each day from
4:30 to p. m. and there we get pure
mild wine at francs pence a quart
or about so cents and champagne at
$3.50 to $500 a quart. Of course, un-
derstand that wine is used here uni
versally as drink instead of water,
coffee, tea, etc.
Last evening Micky and I had a
quart Of Red Bordeaux with scitron
and 4 egg sandwiches with eggs to
the sandwich, all for 70 cents. Nice
rye bread and fresh eggs, which are
plentiful and cheap.
Nearly every building has a wine
room with long plain board tables
and benches, tiny wine counter with
few bottles on shelf, probably a
stone fireplace in one end of the room.
WOulGn VI udluS UO oil Tic S01II1IS VI
wines. They are Of the Peasant class
and free and easy, a smile and flash
of dark eyes for everyone, very pO-
lite, ignorant more than bad. would
not call them immoral but rather un-
moral, that is lack of morals through
ignorance. Most of them have good
compilations, black hair and eyes. Of
course they are not corsetted and
g ooJxv rS,.11
plain dark clothes and maybe a
white cap and apron and coarse slip
pers. The kids wear wooden shoes
mostly. Many of the women wear
felt slippers which are often in COL
Ors.
They are proud of the American
phrases they have picked up. They
and we have lots Of fun trying to
speak each others language.
Later-Went to the Y and here
bought a hat full of almonds for 8
! cents. A pound Of fine ripe dates, not
dried and pressed, and a little round
basket of ripe figs rolled in sugar.
We get 5 oranges for so centimes or
10 cents. Durham tobacco for 3
cents or half the U. S. price. We do
not have to pay revenue tax on it
mere, same on C1SdG0CC0S.
Remember we are in an American
camp. Stuff may not be so cheap out
in civilian life, that I don't know.
x
Monday demonstrating for in
( spection so will add few lines and
mail this before it turns into mag
azine Half a dozen Of us boys had
a stag party last night. We played
and danced in our barracks. You
should have heard us trying to talk
French. I'm having more fun than
I've had for a long time. All clean
fun
Royal Hartman is out in front of
our barracks marching up and down
I with that big gun and fixed bayOnet
! guarding some Germans who are do
| ing some piece work. Prisoners are
! fed and treated we'll. We have orders
under no circumstances to poster,
abuse or do anything that would make
it unpleasant. Of course there is
regulation treatment" for them in
that seems to be the farthest thing
that seems to be the fartherest thing
from their thoughts. They are we'll
off and they know it. doubt if they
would go home if they had a chance
until the war is over.
Just found out today where we are
located, but of course [ cannot tell
YOU We pile out of bed at 5:45 a.
m. or AS the night before for you
and go to bed at 10 p. m. or p. m.
for you, seven hours earlier than I'M
til March 31st when [ understand the
y. S. will set clocks ahead an hour,
then we'll be only six hours ahead Of
you. I'm eating dinner when your
head is still buried in pillow.
Expect you are being asked, when
will the war be over?' That is a joke
Christmas with you, but who can
Christmas with you, but who can
tell? At any rate, do all you can for
the RED CROSS and the Y NJ G. A.
/ CONSERVE FOOD and leave the rest
to US, as the English put it, "And
ere comes the bloody Yanks to end
the war"
Ned Ivey,
100 Field Artillery Band