Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1918-03-27

Letters from Bradley n. Davis, son
of G.. G. Davis of Newport, who upon
graduating from Dartmouth college,
enlisted in the Ordnance Reserve corps
and is now in active service Some
where in France.
Ordnance Advance Depot, No. 5.
This is Sunday evening and it is
now three weeks since l came here.
The first Sunday we had to work but
will not in the future except in case
of emergency.
We work hard every day and are
getting our depot in good order and
things run more and more smoothly.
| now have much more interesting
work with more responsibility, al
though it's not much as yet.
The weather has been clear and
warm, without any wind. Practically
every day we hear the whirr of an
airplane and look up to see from one
lage, a very pretty sight as they
curve and gracefully swing in broad
circles. They fly very steadily and
seem perfectly safe and stable. A
Cadillac-8 has just driven up to the
office. l was talking with the ord
nance majors chauffeur yesterday
He said he drove 288 miles the day
before; he usually drives up to 2 in
the afternoon and is on the road at 6
the next morning. He averages
35 miles per ho7r and frequently
drives at 60. Perfect roads enable
him to do this. The band is playing
over at the Y. NJ. c. A. about 800
yards away and l have good concert
as l sit here in the twilight writing.
Church bells are ringing. The French
fopI cf hollis ob;o,o,
Bells ring at all hours and in differ
ent combinations, here and in the
nearby village. This morning l
watched the troops march through
with lively swinging step in rhythm
with the music of fine band. Surely,
the country here is beautiful; the
landscape is all of gently rolling land
with no mountains, whatever, but
with fairly high hills. Canals follow
along most of the main highways and
these are usually bordered with trees.
In the villages the streets are very
narrow, the houses built next to the
sidewalks, which often are about one
and one-half feet wide. Surely the
towns show they were built hundreds
of years ago. Wherever there is
finer residence, a high stone wall is
built next to the sidewalk, but be-
tween the house and the walls there
are always beautiful flower gardens.
Seldom do you see a lawn, there al
ways being flowers instead. Just
at this season, there is the greatest
profusion of asters. G last evening
was a very busy scene as many
Americans are there and the best
nearby stores.
1 find there is no local government
of the towns and districts here in
France. All government is central
lied and authority comes down from
the officers of the Republic, located in
Paris, even on such things as the care
Of streets in distant parts of France.
Yesterday morning on long ride
/ passed through some pretty country
and numerous towns.
Some of these towns were flooded
with American troops and the one to
which we went on business was filled
with French troops. On the way we
passed big area where they prac-
tice the war game. The road ran
along one ridge and on both sides of
the road were many trenches, and we
could look down into the lines of
trenches in the valley below A mile
away on the opposite hillside were
still more trenches. I suppose it was
a well worked-out play battle-ground. |
I am getting so l like this place.
These five Dartmouth fellows are great |
ones to make a good time out of !
nothing and perhaps we have learned !
the art of enjoying ourselves wher-