The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-12-03
LETTER FROM FRANCE
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France, where / am on g several
days leave Of absence. You know
we came out of the line for rest and
to get requirements of our casualties
and | was the first man to get leave
of absence. / came to st. Molo last
Sunday and will leave for my com
pany tomorrow. Would have writ
ten before but have been so busy
sightseeing and having a good time,
/ haven't thought of writing anyone.
We have been up against it ever
since we've been here, and have new
err been back of the lines any dis
lance until came here.
St. Molo is situated on the coast of
Collie de st. Molo, and in peace times
is a summer resort. At the present
time all the fine hotels here are full
of U. s, soldiers. The government
pays all our expenses and provides
all kinds of amusements, such as vau-
deville shows; orchestras for our
dances, which are almost every night
Then there are some real American
girls here in the Y. M. G. A. service
and they do their best to show us a
good time. There are also English,
French and Beliam girls that attend
our dances One almost forgets the
trenches and the fighting when he sits
down to a meal served in courses or
when attending a real vaudeville
show, where the Y. M. G. A, girls
take part.
Here it is Sunday, and everything
going on the same as week days!
This P. M. there is vaudeville show
and a good time tonight,
We are almost surrounded by the
ocean here, and have a sea wall a
hundred feet high in some places
around the town. The town from a
distance looks like an old fortress.
They build ships here also, and are
now working on the President Will
son." General Pershing" and the
Sammy"
Many interesting excursions go out
from here every week for us; one to
the st. Servian fortress; one to the
Mont st, Michel and one to the Cha
teau-neuf. The last one is the most
interesting for me for the Baroness
de Clovette is a Tennessee lady from
Marion county, She was Miss
Polk, a relative of President Polk,
and is seventy years old. We ar
rived at her chateau about dark, and
were greeted by her and several of
her French kinspeople, then were
served light lunch, after which we
were taken around the chateau and
then the chapel, which has a great
history; the original owner being
Henry VII, It is the oldest part of
the chateau, as the chateau itself was
built around the chapel.
The Baroness then took us into the
large sitting room, and seated her
self before an old-fashioned open
fireplace, and then called all of us
Tennessee boys around her, the re-
mainder from the other states in the
background, an dtold us of days
gone by in old Tennessee. 1t looked
more like picture than anything
else for we were all sitting on the
floor, while she sat in an old-fash-
Toned arm chair. It made a quaint
picture to see the men there that
three weeks ago were killing Ger
mans to save their own lives, squat
ting g4ound an old woman like so
many kids. After awhile we went
into another room and started dane
ing. 1t wasn't long before the Bar
oness mentioned something about an
old-fashioned Virginia reel. Every
one started in to find someone that
could play the Virginia reel music.
As no one else would volunteer, |
started in playing some old pieces
papa and / used to play, and the reel
started. It lasted until about 8
o'clock, and we just broke up in time
to catch our train. The Baroness
sure did enjoy the dancing; said the
Virginia reel reminded her of herr
childhood in dear old Tennessee. Be-
fore leaving we all registered in
large book, giving our addresses.
You would never have though her of