The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-05-28

Inc fOllOWlnS letter mas Deen re-
ceived by Mrs. Walter Todd from
her son, Dorsey, who is now serv-
ing in an American camp in France
10th Engineers. r. T. c.
American 2. .. No. 1873.
A. E. F. France, Via n. y.
May 4th, 1918.
Dearest Mother:
At last l have captured a type
writer and am able to write you
nice long letter, telling you all that
has happened to me since leaving the
u. S. A.
First let me ease your mind by
telling you that l am just as fine as
silk, am in a wonderful camp, much
better than any in the States, have
job as stenographer in the office
here, and am just having wonder
full time. A regular millionalre's va
cation.
We had a wonderful trip across
the ocean, and / wouldn't have miss
ed it for anything. We had wonder
full weather, always very calm, and
the climate was very warm. There
is one thing 1 nave learned about
the Atlantic Ocean, and that is, that
it is just about ten times as wide as
it really is. Anyway that is how l
felt about it. l got seasick about the
third day out, but was only sick
couple of days. 1t is funny feel
ing and you never want to get that
way. The only relief you get is the
fact that you have plenty OF COM
pany. Most all the boys were sea-
sick at some time during the trip,
and you may rest assured that there
were some soldiers on that boat, too.
After a time which seemed to most
of us about six months, we arrived in
sight of land, and, believe me, there
were many smiles on that boat the
morning we saw land.
After short length of time we ar
rived at port, d beautiful city in
France, but on account of having
gotten aground just before we set
anchor, which made us late in get
ting in, we We're obliged to stay on
the boat all night The next morn
ing we were called at O'Clock, had
breakfast at 4.30, and were on our
way to a rest camp about three miles
from the city by o'clock. We
found this camp to be very different
from Camp Meade; in fact, nearly
enough to make US homesick. Our
barracks were floorless, lightless, ex-
cept candle light, the windows were
just like the doors, solid wood, and
the hunks were double deckers, made
of wood with wooden Stat bottoms.
Our first meal was at noon and
was as follows: Beans, tomatoes,
hard tack, which is very hard crack
er, and coffee. This same menu las
ted until We left, three days later.
You might think that We got tired
of it, but such is not the case. 1t was
cooked splendidly and we felt just
as good after partaking of it as We
would if it had been hotel bill OF
fare. After you are in the Army a
while, you don't care what you get,
just so it is something to eat, every
thing tastes good, in fact, after a
while you get to expect certain
things for mess and if you don't get
them you are disappointed; for in
stance, BEANS.
Well, as said above, we stayed at
this camp for about three days, and
then started off again We arrived
down at the station in the town
which we debarked, and were put on
passenger coaches. This is what the
French call them, but 1 would call
them summer trolley cars, with
doors attached on the sides. This is
what they look like. They backed a !
little engine to the coaches, an en- =,
CINE a little larger than ,push-o-,
bile of engine type, and it said toot, |
foot, and we started away, never !
making over 100 miles an hour They |
were very smooth riding ears and !
could be best compared with the mo-
ton of twO-wheel cart over home. |
One thing that / noticed in par
ticular at the station was that the !
women were doing the work, such as |
checking cars, pushing the cars,
freight, from one track to another, |
Tin our country We would call this |
work switching, and it is done by |
engines), hauling freight from the |
house to the cars and putting same |
in; in fact, doing all the dirty work, |
all the work that is done in OUR coun |
try by men and steam. The women
doing it over here is accounted for |
from the fact that all the able-bodied !
men are at the front, doing their bit |
for their country. After an extend I
ed length of time we finally reached |
our destination, of course, in not as
good condition as when we started, |
but much better than dead
We were loaded upon trucks here