The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-10-10
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SOLDIER BOY LETTERS
Merrill Mullinnix Writes Good Let
ter from France.


Merrill Mullinnix, son of +. C
Mullinnix, former resident of this
city, has written the following inter.
esting letter to his aunt, Mrs. D. E
Morgan. of Des MOines:
Dear Aunt Nellie: By the head,
ing OF the letter you can see that il
is not longer necessary to- keel
secret the location. This privilege
has been given noncombatants only
Also the censor has been even more
lenient and generous in permitting
picture post cards of local scenery to
tary value is included. This, no
doubt. will prove a great relief to
mothers and relatives of boys in the
service here. But even if the head
ing does give the location, do not
place it upon the envelop OF any of
my letters. No other address, than
that found upon your letters is to be
used.
I have already written Aunt Polly,
telling her where l am at present,
likewise l made vain attempt, l
am sure. in describing the city.
However poorly it may be written,
you ask for it in exchange for this
thing in her own that is not in here.
One thing ! failed to mention in
commonly used soft white limestone
for building purposes. That comes
in very opportunity with the men
ton OF rivers, as there are caves
dug in the cliffs Of this stone s;o1ana along a{
about ten or fifteen miles east of
here. Not only are caves to be
found there, also houses. even, little
and beautiful mansions with their
fronts projecting out the cliff as
though some giant of unseen hand
in a fit of anger had -tumbled a mass
of rock upon them and failed in his
purpose by leaving that much ex-
posed.
I have also mentioned before how
productive the soil is of this coun-
try. Here in this cliff to it's very
edge where you can see very little
earth, in fact none. the grass and
trees are as flourishing as in well
eeg eacf EafS em ans a cage o the
bluff you see tiny shaft of smoke
as though from bonfire, but when
the source is found you discover
chimney rising from the grassy
slope. Then you know that people
live in these dugouts. Prob baby
they number from 5000 to 1000.
the world At Viuvray, a small
town reached from here by the
street cars Grams in Europe) is a
large number of wine cellars in the
limestone bluff filled with the IA
nous Viuvray wine. Practically ev-
cry locality where extensive vine
yards exist has method of its own
in the manufacture of wine, which
gives the wine it's name and differ
entiateS it from all Others
In the southern part of the cOun-
try are long vineyards from which
comes the supply of wine commonly
drunk in place of water. This class
of wine is nothing more than the
mixed with water, and by it's con-
slant and temperate use is the
cause of the peoples flushed cheeks.
When our boys first begin drin king
it, they pour it down like we are
wont to in America with the result
first of feeling the intoxicating eff
baa when na b the alfohe ek EeaeRes v 5ee
the stomach is affected by the vine
gar action of the liquor. They soon
learn to drink it in the manner of
the French or leave it alone and
substitute with other drinks more
pleasing to the taste. / have only
seen one or two of our soldiers in a
noticeable state of intoxication.
Also, for the first time. l believe.
drunken women, when l saw
French couple arm in arm trying to
keen on narrow walk, but none of
them, either men or women. as bad
as I have seen in the states. where
a sixteen foot sidewalk is not wide
enough. A drunken. person in
France need have no fear Of being
arrested, for l have never seen
r%v, M n
his beat as in America. They only
leave the police station to answer
such calls of arrest as are warrant
ed in cases of criminal Offense or
violation of laws. From what l
have seen of the peoples customs,
privileges and liberties, there is no
need of executors of law
A great many things that we
would consider violations of not on
and society as we'll, are looked upon
here in nonchalance. yet at the same
time the morality of the country will
not measure any lower than our
own, the only difference being here
such things being openly done are
brought more clearly before our
eyes. while we keep them hidden as
much as possible from the attention
of the public.
VII Luc WAOlG HIcHSu dlC NCiy uO-
vout Catholics, observing every
saints day of their calendar by
making it a holiday which seem to
be not a few. On Memorial day
services of some description we're
held in the main cathedral, on
which occasion saw flock Of little
white. dressed like bridesmaids for
a wedding. A little later on my way
To the canal I saw column of bows
all in long trousers. short jackets
and yacht caps of blue with large
white collars coming well down up
on their shoulders, huge black bow
ties and each with a prayer book or
Bible in his right hand. Upon all
such occasions as this such. scenes
reminds us of church exercises at
home on Easter Sunday, Children's
day and other similar ones. Prot
estants in France are as scarce as
Esquimaux in the United States.
While we are near this old cathe-
dral of ST. Gratien we might as well
go in for look at the place. Upon
rAn