Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-19

George w. Bell, whose home is at
TAB South Nineteenth street, enlist
ed July %, 1917, just twelve days
after he was Is years old. He chose
the Medical Corps and is now some
where in France doing his bit. He
was member of the class of 1918
at Tech High school and has been
in France about four months and
seems well satisfied as these ex-
cerpts from his letters show.
Dear Dad and Mother: 1 had an
unexpected trip to France, but ar
rived safely. L thought it best not
to let You know of it until l land
ed, so that you would not worry.
This is the first opportunity L had
10 write. We left for France on
october 27 and it took us twelve
days to make the trip. When we
landed we took a hike of several
miles and were loaded on the train
and were three days reaching our
destination
Another letter is dated November
80, Just after Thanksgiving and that
festival was on young Bells mind
evidently. Dear Dad" he writes
Il suppose you had some dinner at
home and maybe you thought /
was eating hardtack and corned
beef. But you certainly were mis-
taken. Yesterday was the first
that / felt homesick and that was
when | thought of the good old meal
L was missing at home. But l put
one over on all of you at home hy
having my Thanksgiving dinner
about the time you were getting up.
You know it is six and a half hours
earlier here than at home. Here is
what we mad for dinner, and / am
not eNaggerating: Turkey, goose,
filling, dressing, mashed potatoes
sweet potatoes, soup, coffee, cram
berries, fruit cake, peach pie, figs
apples and several kinds of nuts. ]
suppose you can hardly believe that
we had all this but it is true and
| we could get a second helping, too
Last night there was a show In
| the Y. M. G. A. and in the sol.
dier club so you know we did not
| have such a bad time for Thanks.
giving.
'At the present time we occupy
town by ourselves with the eX-
ception of a few old French wo.
men and children. 1t rains al.
most all the time and it is so muddy
that we continually have wet feet
people are about 1000 years be-
hind the United States in their GUS
toms for their dress puts you in
mind of the old Quakers, and their
footwear is like that of Holland
wooden. There is an orphan home
down the street and it is pitiful tl
see those children come down or
the pavement in their long dresses
, Hide-rimmed hats and wooden shoes
as they go to school. There is a
box put out in front of the school
and the soldiers put in it all their
! spare change.
THE French people certainly
| know how to charge the American
soldier, but they do not get much
money out of our bunch for we did
not get paid since October 8, and
! we 40 not expect to get any until
the goth of next month. Then we
VIII have two months pay coming
/ am not going to send any more
money home for we cannot insure
| it and ! hate to take chances, sc
/ am saving fifty dollars out of next
pay by letting the government keen
it until ! get my discharge. We are
compelled to save at least one-hali
of our pay, so l am going to let the
government keep whatever it choos-
e. to save.
Il am we'll and like France very
much and / hope that you are all
as we'll and not worrying about me
for / am perfectly safe"