The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1918-09-27


The following letter is from Charles
Omeroid, written to his mother. We
are sure all will enjoy reading Charles
letter for he is one of our Spencer
boys:
France, Sept. 8, 1918.
Dear mother:
As have some little time this p. m.
will write you few lines to tell you
something about this country. I will
first say that | am feeling fine and I
like the place first rate. The wealth
er, in fact everything is similar to
Ohio, at least it seems so to me. The
days are warm and pleasant and it is
commencing to get a little cool at
night, some nights rather cold. The
land rolls, not very hilly. They raise
wheat, oats and grapes. I haven't seen
a corn field yet. I don't think they
raise corn. The big difference I see is
in the people. They are years behind
times. Most of them wear wooden
shoes. Of course, I suppose leather
is rather scarce. They don't have any
tools for farming, not even a four
wheeled wagon. Everything most is
done as the men of "61" used to tell
about. / have not seen threshing en-
gine yet, and their separators are very
small and run by two or three horses
driven in a circle, such as you used to
see farmers using to grind feed. In
some instances where the crop is small
they use fail I have heard several
moving machines running but have
not seen them. They sound similar to
those at home and no doubt are Amer
ican made. They do have fine horses
here. guess the best in the world, and
you never see team, they are driven
single, hitched to two-wheeled wag-
on with wheels about 7 feet high. If
the occasion demands more than one
horse they are not hitched side by side
but one in front of The other. All
roads are improved. saw one place
where they were putting in stone The
stones are hauled like we haul them
from the creek. then a man or two
breoks them I'm with a hammer. 1t
looks to me as though time were moth
ing to them. The women are hard
workers here. Of course, at this time
they are forced to 60 into the fields
and some. in feet, most of them are
getting rather handy with the fork
wheelharrow. etc. A great many have
their, cows and goats to take care Of
and from the looks of them they have
pretty good care. In some of the larg-
er towns, where there is no farming
to do, a. great many women make 9
living by washing. selling nuts, fruit
etc. Washing is done in most instan.
ces at public pools; they have no tubs
or wash boards, lust scrub brush
but it seems to do the work. Wher
they are through the clothes are clean
You should see the blackberries here
They are just getting ripe. The roat
side is black with them. If you were
here week you would no doubt get &
winters supply possibly two winters.
I am told the French people won't ea1
them, for what reason ! do not know
They are used mostly for making wine
. Wine making seems to be the big in
dustry here and of course, grape rails
ing is given great deal of attention
I like this country pretty well. l sup
pose I will get tired of it as soon az
the newness wears off. But the peo
nle are very good and friendly towart
!, the American soldiers. They make i
as pleasant as they know how. I have
,, heard several rave about girls, but
have not seen any would rave about
Maybe it is all in getting used to them
,, I will tell YOU more about that later
If you get chance send me some
sweets of some kind. Can't buy cand,
here and I get awful hungry for it
VIII say goodbye for this time and will
write again soon.
With love, your son,