Mexico weekly ledger., 1918-10-31
LIFE OVERSEAS
BY Robert L. Campbell

THE following letter is from Rob
rrt l. Campbell, a former instructor
in Mcmillan high school, who is in
France with Evacuation Hospital No.
/. 1t was written to his friend, The
Odore H. Winans, jr., Of this city,
Dear Old Boy
In every letter that / write to you,
] try to have at least one thing worth
writing about. There may be othal
things, too-little bits Of news or
events more or less unimportant,-but
| must have one thing for the basis Of
a composition be it news, comedy
or philosophy, or you get no letter.
And every time | seal one up and drop
Il in the box, | wonder: well, what
shall / find to write about next time ."
For, you see, kind sir, I'm writing
these letters quite as much for myself
as for you. They form a sort of diary
that may make more or less interest
ing reading some day when Kaiser
Bill is only an unhappy memory.
It's been a coed while since | wrote
you a travel letter, i. e. a letter telling
something Of the country and the
people. In fact, as | look back over
the things I've put in my letters late
ly, I'm forced to admit that they have
reflected more of the life and works
and thoughts Of one Robert l.. Camp
bell than they have the beauties and
points Of interest Of the place N
which he now finds himself, which Is
very bad, for that particular chaps
life is unimportant, his works Of very
little consequence and his thoughts
frequently may say usually-of nt
value whatever TO anyone, even hiln.
self; whereas this country in which hC
now resides is altogether beautifu.
and interesting. So far today I'm
going r. ask you to forget that suct
an individual az the said Campbr!
man we existed, and take a trir
with me-a trip that ! have taken
to n Of the larger French towns
not the largest, but certainly one OF
the most interesting-both for Il,
own history, and for the fact that i
is located in a province which has had
more atatention paid it, perhaps, thar
almost any other town in France.
We shall leave camp about $3.50 D
m. Our passes read 300 TO 500, but
it's well TO get an early start, as /,
isn't safe TO overrun. We cut across
the field and eventually strike the
main highway, n Of the fine-sd.
perfine-rock roads that are the pride
Of the whole country. We have hardly
gone a hundred yards, however, when
there is the sound Of wheels behind
US, and a farmer boy drives up IN q
cart with a little calf tied in the back.
and a more invitingly big and cont
Portable seat in front Good day.
sirs," he calls out, with the never fail
ing French politeness. Are you go
ing to -? II so, don't you want To
ride?" W. do, most emphatically, for
a number Of very good reasons. In
the first place the town is several
kilometers away, ans We are lazy. Be
sides, we welcome an opportunity 10
exercise our French, and this chap, a
husky lad Of is or 10, looks interest
ing. SO we scramble up beside him,
and away we 90 along the smooth,
shady road-for the French have
thouRhtfully planted shade trees al
along both sides Of their cross coua.
try highway. The weather is az near
perfect as the most critical could de-
sire. The air is pure and clear and
sweet, the sun is shining as II he were
on dress parade, and il is just warm
enough 10 feel comfortably lazy-you