The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-09-11

Igu6SSeQ II3uy tlAiS 14illS, 1AO, StS II 1tctS
ALREADY been announced that Amer
lean troops are there, see no harm
in telling you I went to Alsace!
What thoughts the mention of this
iprovince brings! What an honor
that to America and Americans ha.
been given the task of restoring Al
SAGE and opening the way to Ger
many! You can, perhaps, best pic
ture the country when [ tell you
itlreminded me most of New England
but was, if anything, bit more
rugged and rocky. 1t is a country
that America may well be proud to
defend Think of defending New
England from the Huns! And AL
SAGE means as much or more to
France as New England does to
America.
We started back on a freight of
returning empties, transferring at a
junction point to a passenger train
which brought us into city abor
dusk. Here we stayed all night at
a hotel once before the wary rem
denvous for tourists all over the
world. You see I was with the cap
tain and he went to the best places.
And here too, we had a glorious din
ner that cost 16 francs for the two
of us. was ready for it, however,
for l had been allowed four days
Communication of rations or 40 francs
for expenses. We arose carly and
took a bit Of look about the city
and took morning train back to
this station. A really delightful and
Interesting trip-one which made me
realize further the magnitude of our
task, the scale on which we we're at
lacking the problem, and the glory
of our cause. And I must say too
that it quickened my desire to be up
there.
| Here | am continuing this letter
on the eve of the Fourth of July
a Fourth of July that promises to be
q memorable one, not much for us,
for although there has been consid-
cradle done here, it is comparatively
mediocre with that which, according
to all reports, is planned elsewhere,
in Paris, in London, Rome and all
the larger cities Of France. When
one stops to consider it is really a
wonderful thing that four great ma
tions should celebrate the national
holiday of one of them, especially
England. Here in camp all worked
in the morning for even on the
Fourth there is work that must be
t..
q big program at the French camp
in the village, Camp President Will
son, of which I have already told
you. AS you may imagine, it was
gaily decorated for the occasion.
Tonight the Americans reeiprocated
and the Y. M. G. A. at the camp was
the scene of a second big celebra
ton marking the fraternity of the
French, British and American troops
gathered there. / stayed for awhile
but, not going early, / was unable
even to get inside SO came back
down to the Office here, stopping on
the way at the Red Cross station at
the rest camp where a second band
was playing and the girls in white
were giving out little American flags
to all who had stopped and serving
hot chocolate to trainload of
troops that had just pulled in on the
siding. It is quiet now, and the
putting of locomotives and the
switching of cars seem to have stop
ped in this vicinity for the moment
and even as I write the strains of
Sousa's "The Stars and Stripes. For
ever" followed by the "Star Span
gled Banner" come to me from the
Y. NJ. c. A. three-quarters of a mile
away. 1t is over and taps, which
has been pushed ahead for the occa-
sion, sounded. The Fourth is past.
But / must hurry on for I'm sure
you will think I'm dead or something
terrible has happened. 1 started this
on Sunday intending to make it my
regular Sunday letter and here it is
Thursday, and it isn't off yet. But
intervening were two French classes
Give sworn to learn French and this
is my third attempt at going to
classes and l have made it rule to
let nothing interfere). Then Thurs
day night the long heralded and long
Hooked for appearance of Elsie Janis
| III our midst took place, Elsie, Janis
Of musical comedy fame. She is
now devoting her talent and lending
her charm and grace to the A. E. F.
and believe me, she is appreciated.
can't begin to tell you all that she
did She sang and told stories,
danced and gave everybody good
time and Incidentally left everybody
Iin the best of humor and filed with
so much fight that if there had been
any Germans in the immediate vicin-
Iity to put to rout I'm sure we could
have done it. really think that
she has been responsible for some of
the "pep" that Americans have been
displaying of late for she has been
up there and her variety is certainly
contagious.
Here I must stop and get this off
to you without further delay.
Love,
Donald
AT MIDDLEBURY