The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1918-03-28


a great big stone building and know
they haven't had fire in it since the
war started. 1t was colder than the
train. Had to stay there that night,
and hope you never have to get into
a bed as cold and damp as the one |
crawled into. And all this is solid
comfort to the natives. compared with
conditions on the front.
Men From the Front.
While in Paris | became acquainted
with an English Captain spending a
months leave of absence. He was
one of the first of England's $4,000
eXpeditionary forces and was very in
terestng This was his first leave
in over thrNe years. He told me he
was in the shell hole for three or four
days and nights without shelter of any
kind rain all the time and no dry
clothes even when he did get a chance
to go out.
! Have talked with several men back
from the front who have seen little
children with their hands cut off. wo-
men with their breasts cut off and
other atrocities. One gets in mighty
bad here If one even uses single
word of German in conversation. Many
of our men speak German but no
French. and in learning the language
| they now and then let slip word OF
the forbidden tongue
This Is Our Fight.
| | talked with an Englishman, a man.
ufacturer with a large shop and no
one but girls and old men to work in
it. He had occasion to be up at the
front few days and had seen some
of the things | have mentioned. He
was the most bitter man have yet
seen. He was one live wire, about
fifty years old and has been turned
down several times on trying to get
into the army. He has French wife
The younger daughter is quite a
lpretty girl about 49, | was in his Office
in conversation one day when she
came in, in operalls and wooden shoes,
seeking instructions. Turning to me
he said i'm matter of fact way that
he wished" this one wore pants in
stead of drawers. SO she could be at
the front. The people where | have
been are all of one mind, that is 10
win the war cost what it may. They
consider themselves, their property,
everything. secondary TO the main
issue. And all of our men | have talk
ed with seem TO think the same as
do, that this is our fight as much as
England's or of France, and that ii is
great pity we were not in it right
at the start If we had been it would
have all been over now.
| received a package of smoking to.
bacco not long since from the Elks
and it was mighty welcome. 1t had
been on the way about two months.
We get the army editions of sew
+, eral Chicago and New York papers
besides several London papers and we
probably get the war news as soon as
you do. AS to actual conditions at
the front we know little more than you
except when we occasionally meet
some one who has been there.
Difficulties Of French.
Have been to a formal reception
and to a concert in q city some dis.
lance from here. Met several French
people of consequence and was out of
luck because l could not speak French
| am studying diligently however and
can see that | am beginning to make
some progress. The pronunciation is
quite difficult and in many cases it
does not in the least resemble, the
spelling. If l am here long enough l
hope to master it, after a fashion. The
trouble is, my work does not bring me
in contact with French people enough
to do much good. Tonight am in
vited to the home of French family.
The man is a French official whose
duties correspond to our Surveyor of
Port" He speaks English very we'll al.
though his wife and daughter are just
learning.
| have made friends with a couple
OF little French girls and took them
over the work with me the other day.
They enjoyed the ride and were very
interesting. One is about seven years
old and her sister around twelve. The
grandmother with whom they live was
much pleased to have them go on the
trip and SO were they Their father
has been killed and the mother works
daily.N This is one of the thousands
of cases in France. The only thing one
sees here on the streets. so far as
civilian clothes go, is black and
mourning. There are few young men
to be seen anywhere. The three years
and more of war here have certainly
been all that General Sherman claim.
ed 1t was.
Sincerely,
Captain E. F. Bridges,
Engineering Corps.