The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-07-03
INTERESTING LETTER
Continued from page I

! Everyone seems 10 unCOnSC1OuSly re-
alize that should they leave the COM
pany Of the crowd and go away to
themscives-alone with their own
thoughts-they could not stand IL;
their spirits would begin to droop;
they might lose their nerve or be-
come home-sick. "A victim of nos
talgia," the doctor would say. 1t
rarely ever happens, but a man is no
longer any good when the malady
does strike him. 1t has even been
known to drive them insane in
some cases. So man without a
strong will does not attempt any
| such reflections He would naturally
fear the result, and fearing it would
realize the consequences, and so he
does not often leave the society of
his comrades.
That too, is the reason we are al
ways so anxious to visit another
town when our time for liberty
arrives. Every man is quick to take
advantage of it, to jump on one Of
the large auto trucks and go to a
summer resort south of here about
thirty-fve miles for the relaxation
OF night and a day I've written
you of Les Stables d'Olonne, andhave
} sent you views of the place. About
seventy-6ve of the boys are allowed
to go at a time, leaving hesitation
at o'clock each Saturday afternoon
returning Sunday night.
Before boarding the trucks we are
lined up for inspection; clothes must
be spotless, shoes shined until the
Commanding Officer can see his
features reflected in them; hat must
be immaculate and set correctly on
head; every button must be in place.
| We literally sparkle we are so clean.
We form perfect straight line and
the Commanding or Executive Off
GER, or both walks slowly down this
line, stopping in front 81 each man
and giving him a careful appraisal
from hat to shoes; | recall the time
when you played a. similar role of
Commanding Officer in my young
! life and gave me just such careful
scrutiny, making me stand at at
tention" and pass inspection before
could go out and play. The crowd
usually passes inspection though for
they know the penalty if they do not,
He is returned to camp and placed on
/ second class conduct liberty for two
months, being restricted to the limits
of the camp for that length of time,
After inspection the order is given
"Compony-y-y 'Tenshun-Right Face
-March!p Then we tramp thru the
dust to the auto trucks for three
hour ride down the coast of the beau
tiful Bay of Biscay. Passing thru
many small-villages enroute, the popu-
lace is always out to cheer us; throw
ing boquets of flowers at us, etc.
| am enclosing you note written
| in French which was attached to a
boquet of flowers which ! caught as
it was thrown into the crowd by an
aged French lady. 1t had evidently
been carefully prepared and await
ing our arrival as they look forward
to our coming each Saturday. OF
course you can /. translate it, it is,
Greetings to our brother Americans
long live our beautiful France; long
live the United States" On the end
of the paper you will notice the words
Camille Classe 1921" That means
that il the war is still in progress in
1921 that he, Camille--her son-will
enter it at that time for he will be of
age then. 1t was his mother who
handed up the flowers to us; an old
French peasant wearing wooden
shoes and tottering with age. There
was pretty little flower garden with
few vegetables in it in back of their
dilapidated brick dwelling from which
she had taken the flowers for us.
The house looked terribly rundown
i
and neglected and goat mulched
quite contentedly on some rubbish
at the front gate.
In this little garden in the rear of
the house was the usual mound OF
earth which one. sees so often, with
the crude and simple wooden cross
at the head of it; that of son who
had returned wounded and died, or
who was sent home corpse.
1t seems as if in the absence OF her
son the aged mother could no longer
keep the house and yard in good con-
| dition. The only SPOT which showed
| any signs of care was a-oInd tie
grave in this little garden where the
dear old soul appeared to have con-
centrated all the strength and atten-
ton that her declining years would
permit. One could easily see this
| r IL II