The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-03-09
INTERESTING LETTERS
FROM lover THERE
Gilbert Collins and &. Leroy Adams
Write of Experiences in Crossing
Ocean and in France.
WISH TO HEAR FROM FRIENDS

The following is a letter received by
Isaac Collins from his grandson, Gill
bert Collins, with Uncle Sans forces
somewhere in France
Am dropping you a line so that you
will know that l crossed the Atlantic
safely and at the present time am feel
ing wonderfully well. The trip across
was very pleasant and interesting. Our
food was very good and although l re-
ceived a sufficient quantity, was con-
stantly hungry, due most likely to lack
fortunate enough to have been able to
eat all my meals, sea sickness not
bothering me in the slightest degree.
One interesting point on the trip was
our so-called abandon ship drills.
These were to prepare us for any ac-
ton against submarines or fire. Each
man at the alarm made his way to his
designated part of the ship. Fortu-
nately we were not bothered with subs.
We landed at -, a small town, and
marched through mud. The towns are
interesting, small houses crowded to-
gether, constructed mostly of brick or
cobble stones and mortar. They look
ed as if they were at least a century
in age. We passed one old castle that
was built nearly 5000 years ago. I un-
derstand that many of the royalty have
been confined here. The room of tor
ture was shown to one of my friends
and the matron in charge was telling
him how people were placed in small
dungeons with only a small hole above
and spears were then hurled at them.
If they survived this they were placed
in dungeons to fight mad people. The
trip to the camp was pleasant, passing
through a part of the farming district.
For the most part they were allowed
scarcity of men for this purpose. You
will understand that | cannot write
you of what we are doing, or where WI
are, due to the strictness of the GEN.
sors. We hear very little of what is
going on at the front, so l cannot tell
you any news of interest in that line"
Harry E.. Parsels, secretary of Excel
sior Council, No. 231, Jr. o. U. A. M,
has just received from E. Leroy Ad-
ans the following letter, dated Feb.
12:-
Just received your Xmas package
today. A little late, but it contained
articles of compound usefulness and I
do wish to thank you and the Lodge
for their kind remembrance.
81 have just returned from a very
pleasant trip all over France where
troops could be found. Doing a great
business in the insurance line. Ninety
per cent. of Jul men are insured for
1 $1,000. Our work is about finished
and l am back at headquarters wait
ing 5orders for a transfer, probably to
the line.
"V5ur package is the first mail I
nave ItCtlf6u III TldlCC, oO yOo Soh
imagine how delighted l was to receive
it,
~ guess I was the first one from
home to hit this foreign soil. Have
any more boys arrived here yet?
Just landed here last night at 10
o'clock. Spent this morning taking a
good hot bath (something I haven't
had for 8 weeks), and changing my
clothes for clean ones.
perhaps you saw in the paper about
the Tuscania being sunk. This boat
came over with us when l came. I
was just a trip ahead of old Boche this
time with his submarines.
"Well, Harry, l must close and get
down to headquarters, so if you can
find time to drop me a line Of news, l
would greatly appreciate same, as well
as a line from any of the other boys"