The Elbert County tribune., 1918-11-08
SOLDIERS LETTER
Somewhere in Fran G.
80 Sept 90. 1915

received letter for nearly two
months. Some mail came this morn
ing, 80 ! guess we Will get our mail
more regular now. We are billeted
in a large chateau and 1t sureeis a
pretty place. IT is located on q
large river. which cmpties. INFO the
ocean, and rises and falls twelve or
fifteen feet twice a day. This is
caused by the tide coming in and
going out.
1t has been raining here for nearly
two weeks and today is the first day
that II has not rained but II looks as
though 1t might rain any minute.
I never felt better in my life. We
were issued two more blankets few
days ago so we are just as comforta-
bio as we can be- Two of us sleep
together. so that makes six blankets.
besides our rain coat and overcoat,
and shelter half TO keep us warm.
The only rub is. we have to sleep
on soft side of board
There is a large fire place in the
room where we sleep and some of the
boys gather around and start fire
every night.
The climate is nearly tho same
here as in California. II is warm
here. though the rainy season is on.
1t dries as soon as it quits raining.
All the fruit is ripe here now, and
is very plentiful. There are all
kinds OF grapes, figs, nuts, and small
berries such as blackberries and rasp
berries. There are great many
nuts. and they are very cheap. as
they grow wild up and down the
river. They never think of picking
blackberries. SO we can pick all we
want to eat when we are drilling.
We drill only few hours each day.
Just enough to keep in shape for
marching and exercise.
We get the American paper every
the only news we get.
France is certainly beautiful
place and sure deserves the name
of Sunny Franco" The grapes are
Just ripe now. and every body seems
to be working hard getting ready to
take care of them and make wine of
them. The people over here don't
drink water. They drink vine. We
are allowed to drink wine with our
meals. and before going to bed, as
long as we don't got drunk
Manufacture of wines seems to be
the most important occupation. They
raise n good deal of grain and gard
en- truck, too.
The country is covered with trees
and bushes and the towns are close
together. Nearly all the people live
in town and go out every day to
their gardens. There are trees all
along the road from town Just as IL
it was one city, and the streets are
just like our paved streets in the
States. In front of the main build
ing of the Chateau where we are
staying. there is a large lawn and
flower beds, with a large fountain
in the center. Just across the riy-
er from us is large town but we are
not allowed to cross the river as the
tide is SO strong. We are surround
ed by grape vineyards. Slime of the
boys were out picking grapes today.
as 1t was Saturday and we had no
drilling as only usual morning in
spection.
We stopped in England few days
to rest up. 1t Is a pretty country
also. We took the train and rode
"a hours overland. SO we saw good
deal of the country. II was while
we were on the train that we saw
our first German prisoners. There
was h large bunch of them, guarded
hS English soldiers. They seemed
TO be happy and have had plenty to
cat and wear
Some one of the boys Is appointed
every night TO go and buy grapes,
nuts. and wine and we sit around
and eat and drink till IL is time to
go time to go TO bed.
Well, II is nenrly bed time and
my buddy wants to go to bed, so I
will ring off and help him make
it down. Good night.
Well it is mnrning again, and
looks like it might rain any minute.
Our captain is sick in bed and
they had to send for a DR.. for one
OF the Lieutenants. This is the first
sickness we have had that amounts
to anything. except one fellow who
was sent to the hospital with the
mumps.