The Press., 1918-06-13

them to you, but it is impossible to
 on paper. After seeing some of the
 country you can understand why the
 French are so fond of their land and
 why they are fighting so bravely for
 1t. Haven't seen or heard from
 Selah, Earl or either of the Charlies
 but I have an idea where they are
 That was narrow shave for George
 Clark when the Tuscana went down.
 saw an article by Irving Cobb about the affair. see by the papers that no parcels can be sent over with out letter from us stating what we want. We'll, there isn't anything really need just now as we can buy nearly everything at the oanteens around here, but we can use all the magazines they send over as reading matter is at premium. Ben put in some postcards of the old town and they certainly looked good to me. We are expecting a lot of mail tonight here's hoping get one or two letters. l wish could write a lot of news, but l guess the papers will tell you more than can about the doings over here. At any rate am all sound ao far and able to eat as much as ever. We can buy fresh eggs not far from here and have some great feeds at night when things are quiet. We have a very. comfortable dug-out now, dry and warm, also shell proof.
 May 5th
 Your interesting letter of April l 9th just came in tonight and right away l am going to answer it and try to answer some of tIIe questions at the same time. The clippings were very interesting, especially the one about the shoes from Earl, as I saw an old Frenchman in one of the little towns where we stopped for a couple of days, making wooden shoes He was nearly seventy years old and for over fifty years had done nothing else but stand at that little beuch and make shoes from square blocks of wood. It was wonderful the way he turned them out and went at it seem. iDRly putting his whole soul into the work. Was glad to hear that the picture got through alright and will enclose one for you folks. They are not very good ones, but better l than none. They were taken by a | Frenchman who finished them h himself | at the front and will give you some idea of how we looked at that time. | He was priest, doctor and cook, | also gas expert. The bulge in my pockets are unanswered letters from | the States, and the wobbly expression | in the eyes is caused from trying to ! keep one eye on the little bird in l the camera. and the other open for | birdmen above, as there were several l lowering around just at that time and I sort of looked for oartload of | old iron to come whizzing down any That is a dimple in my | cheek and not a rat bite as you I thought for the rats were satisfied | with eating my gum and chocolate and left me alone. No! We do not carry rifles yet as, we have only two hands and they are usually we'll occupied. Yes We have pushed our watches ahead an hour, so are still | about five hours ahead of you. It is now 1. 30 a m. and am doing my "factiOn," as the French call a shift" at the sw itchboard and every thing is as quite as a grave yard. By your time it is little after 9 o'clock at night, or as we figure over here 2l o'clock. We have no a m. and p m but start the day at midnight and go to 24 o'clock. have just made a cup of tea and fried "deux oeufs," which is French for 1.-two eggs,' over our stove made of a can with holes punched in it and tin of canned heat. Our cat is watching me intent1y hoping for bite of some thing I suppose, but she is going to be "out of luck, as she doesn t like eggs and we are out of milk on account of the milk man not leaving any this morning. Just about the time you were writing that letter we were quite actively engaged, as no doubt yOn have read in the papers, but are still on deck and able to kick.
 w, F,