The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1918-03-08
Letter From The Front

l.. Fox, formerly Miss Zella Big
ham, from her husband, Sergeant
Fox now somewhere in France.
Mrs. Fox having many friends here,
the letter will no doubt be very in
testing to them.
"Our voyage has been uneventful
and tiresome. Never a sub did
we see. Outside of the monotony
and tiresomeness of the journey I
enjoyed my new experiences.
Christmas day was dreary and COM
monplace. All order came out
Christmas eve promoting me to SER
geant.
81 was not seasick at any time
and we had some "choppy weather"
| am in good physical condition and
have stood the little hardships we
have had exceedingly we'll. am
not homesick or disheartened al
though get very lonesome at times
and long to get my feet under your
table But little things such as an
empty stomach occasionally, amount
to little.
Censorship forbids me from say
ing where am or what am doing
other than | am in safe place and
devoting most of my time to study.
We are living in billets (empty
stores, barns and houses.) Another
nom commissioned officer and have
a room to ourselves and are COM
fortably quartered. There are 80
to 100 men in a place. | have
about SO men in mine. My room
! (the attic) rent for 40 francs
month. 1t is just above my billet
and very convenient to some. other
wise | would have to live with my
men. Picture me seated on an old
stool before an old, old fireplace in
an old, old attic in an equally old
stone house in a quaint little village
of -, France, such village as
you have never seen, nor-heard of.
A village whose streets are nought
but passageways between high stone
walls. that run everywhere and no
where. A street down which one
may walk, yet always arriving at
the place from whence he started.
never recognizing the starting
point.
"The weather is around and be-
low zero and wood is scarce. Fuel
, is scarce everywhere in Europe.
"We are working hard and yet
there is much work to do. Our
boys are taking hold with will
, and by spring the enemy will surely
realize that the "Yanks' have come.
There is push and vim in our men
that is noticeably lacking in our
allies Q speak of man for man,
There are not hats thrown in the
air or cheap displays of fight, but
the fight is there just the same.
"The German prisoners are an in
: teresting study. They stand and
: watch us in stupor Of bewilder-
! ment when we pass by. Some of
: them still think we are English.
dressed in U. S. uniforms. They
S can't believe we are genuine
), 'Yanks. These prisoners are well
a fed and we'll treated, sleek looking
: animals. wonderfully physically per-
i feet for the most part. Some of
:, them were taken at the beginning
:, of the war; The other day passed
l. two of them whistling while they
worked Not so with the pouliu
e that guard them. These middle
r aged French soldiers limp their
:, post in grim silence, hands in pock-
a cts to protect them from the cold.
IS and rifles slung across their backs.
a Only when we 'YanEs' pass with a
bon jour do they relax their stern
a looks. These Frenchmen think we'll
h of the 16lst. They did not think
e so highly of the regiment we re-
n lieved.
l. Things are very, very high
A. priced here and scarce at that. l
IS crave fresh fruit and sweets. We
live better than the civilian popula-