The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-12

still it would take this country abou:
so years to catch up. You could put
enc of their railroad engines in the
tender of one of ours. The houses
and other buildings are all made OF
concrete. Even the farmers chick
en- coops are made of the same ma
iterial. No wood anywhere. Every
body is slow and lazy. There is To-
connective works where the French
used to turn out one engine a week.
the U. s. soldiers are in there now
turning out six monsters day These
people never saw 250-ton crane I'M
It'll the U. s. put one up which picks
up a railroad engine and moves 1t
from one place to another. The first
time they heard one OF these shrill
whistles they thought the devil had
gotten loose.
| We get Chicago Tribune and the
New York Herald every day, printed
in Paris. also have talked with sew
ieral soldiers just from the front and
they tell the same stories. l don't
see how the Germs" can last. Their
days are certainly numbered. The
Italians are certainly doing some
wonderful work. Well, | think | had
better ring off on war talk or I will
get in bad with the censor. We are
really part of the army. My rate is
top sergeant. I don't know just what
that is but | suppose Mr.. Gardner
can tell you. l believe he has been
in the army.
No, you need not worry about me
because | think l will be back all in
one chunk. There are thousands of
us here and we are here to keep the
Germans away from you, so don't wor.
ry because they won't get you or any
body else. This is not place Of shot
and shell as you are pleased ~
imagine. Everything is very pleasant
Except the weather. This is too far
north for me. This country is about
on line with Nova Scotia. | hope
we will be going back by winter. l
was talking to an officer who had just
returned from the front and he was
betting two to one that the war would
be over in so days That sounds good
fut | am not quite so optimistic as
that. There are great chances of
them keeping us here after the wal
for sanitary and other work. There
are no sewers here so everything is
in the cutters. We built our houses
out of the engine crates in which
they were shipped. I do wish you
could see them but we cannot take
pictures or send postcards so that is
some more news that will have to
wait until ! get home.
Be sure to let me know how Jennie
and dad are. Tell them to enclose a
few lines in the next letter. will b,
there some Of these days and we won't
have to write any more letters.
won't that be greatly I suppose you
think | am in the bottom of the sea,
cont you? am enjoying myself az
much as is possible under the circum-
stances. I have a good clean place
to sleep and as usual have made
friends with the cook. l get all the
good eats l want but l still have that
farm on my mind and continue to
dream about and plan for it. wish
| had that old album Of the property
and the pictures of home. Can't YOU
find time to send them? All the pic
lures | have is that last pamphlet of
Hallam's and l am hanging on to thai
as II it were gold. You don't know
how 1t feels to be nearly 1000 miles
from home, so I'll tell you a few pic
lures look mighty good.
We don't have much trouble getting
When we had the first lib
erty over here and after everyone had
the various wines. few of
the pet lovers proceeded to pick up
dogs here and there. We have white
collie pup and small, half-staryed
He is a cute little
pup and very playful but needs his
tail cut off. They won't let me do I,
because they think it will hurt, but ie
ever he comes shopping around this
sick boy he will certainly get a dose
of worm medicine and his tail snipped
on. AS we have five trains we need
three more dogs. I am very much
afraid some little boy or girl will miss |
heir pets some of these nights. While |
am on the subject of animals, / must
add that through the country we have |
PASSED so far we failed to see a cow |