Norwich bulletin., 1918-11-04
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
Sees Bulletin in French Town.


 A letter written Oct from France by James Lynch of East Town street to one of his neighbors was received Oct. 27 and reads in part:
 Just a few lines to let you know that I am enjoying life or rather try ing to in Frante, but then the world is pretty small after all. Just the other day I was walking down one of the main streets when I happened to look at torn newspaper lying in the gutter. To my amazement it was The Bulletin; since I hadn't received my newspapers sent from home, you can imagine how wonderful it was to read the news straight from Norwich. Later I made inquiries and found that Norwich boy had been with a unit which had recently gone to another training quarters.
 France is certainly a wonderful country. The people after four years of fighting have a unified feeling of whipping the Germans. It doesn't matter whether it is the aged mother who works in the fields or the son who expects to be called to the colors in the next fighting class. They like the American soldier and will do al they can to help him out. Their homes are opened to them and many an
 
 friend in France. This is a wonder l full town and is surrounded by gentle sloping hills. The famous vineyards of France are in the locality and also several ancient towns around which are walls built in the days when Caesar was plunging through France. The walls are still extant and many soldiers make pilgrimages to visit them Ancient chateaux dot the tops | of the high hills.
 l Our favorite pastime is to take walks on Sundays to parts not much occupied by troops. The people are | pleased to welcome you and five times out of six you'll get an invitation to dinner And few soldiers would refuse French dinner. for it is appetizing and healthy. All farms have poultry and a roast chicken reminds one of the Thanksgiving days at home. But it is much different. There is lack of modernness about France, and the same in other countries in Europe. The homesare of stone and inside are as gloomy as a prison. The people are not strong on the open air fad, at night. However, usually they are in the air in the daytime and that makes up for the night lack. ! Prices have done an aeroplane dance since the Americans landed in large numbers. In some cases the authori- ties had to stop the raising the price, for although the people think each American soldier is a, banker at home, his money doesn't last long when it goes out on, high priced articles. But in usual times, when the kaiser thinks more of drilling soldiers than of hay ing them killed, living inv Europe is reasonable, according to the different statements made by some of the French people to me.
 Saw a Russian soldier, veritable giant, who had escaped from a Ger man prison camp and had made his way into France. He was waiting to get a chance of fighting with the French army. He was dressed in his lregulation Russian uniform. He stood well over six feet three inches in his stocking feet and weighed about 25O pounds. Every inch of him was mus cle The German prisoners whom I've seen are well fed and they are more pleased to be doing an eight hour day behind the lines in France than being driven into the trenches by their of ficers.
 Life is fairly smooth but Sthere is (
 good deal of work to be done. C'es la guerre, as the French say, and s( they go through their deprivations il the best of humor.
 I expect to be home before spring Remember me to all my dear friends
 I remain,
 Your neighbor,
 JAMES E. LYNCH, M. D., U. S A., 737, A. P. O.