Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-08-22
A Letter from Burt Moser.
FRANCE, July Is, 1913.

IVEAI uAS SAoRfNu yOu !
card some days ago saying all was ,
we'll and that l would write in q short /,
time. Am not doing much letter
writing, as there lie nothing Of any in
terest that we al write. The Censor
will not permit us to say anything
about where We are and what we are
doing and where we are going, etc.
About the only thing | a say is that
we are or have been within four or
Ave miles OF the front lines and living
in dug outs on a hill where we can
hear the sound Of the big guns both
day and highland hear the shells from
both sides. However, zone of them
has dropped near us, although Jerry
(which is what every M calls the
Hum has dropped bombs from his
planes close by. We have a good
deal of sport watching his planes come
over and our gunners shooting at
them, and sometimes they bring one
OF them down. 1t ia most interesting
when they happen at night, as they
get a German plane under the search
lights and you can see every move
meut he makes and see the shells
bursting around him.
This is a most beautiful country in
some respects, especially the farms,
but the climate where We are is pretty
tough. 1t rains frequently and the
nights are cold, but the sun comes
out (some days. and soon dries up
the mud, which is a nasty proposition
to contend with. However, the open
cir life is a mighty good thing and I
flop down on the ground with only a
slicker under me and sleep all right.
Have a good appetite, in fact, almost
too good, and get plenty to eat. We
don't get any pies, of course, but we
get plenty OF good substantial food
and plenty Of jam and can buy cakes
In the c%anteens, also chocolate, figs,
etc. Had a whole can of gooseberry
jam the other day that | bought in Il
French store and 1t reminded me OF
g~oosebsrry pie. BY the way, we can
also get wine if we want to buy it, but
don't care enough for the red ink,
as we sometime call it, to drink the
stuff. Had some ripe peaches a week
ago that | paid about Is cents each
for, but they were worth it. Oranges
cost about 10 cents each. We use
French money, their unit being the
franc, which is worth 17}a cents U. s.
They even have a bill valued at one
franc, Then come the g., 10, 20, 80,
100 franc notes, and while a l09-franc
note sounds big it is only $3.50.
Had q letter from Aunt May and she
said everything was o. X. Horace's
regiment had not left at the time she
wrote, and, of course, she did not
know when he would leave. Probably
he is on the way now, as the papers
indicate that American troops are
coming over rapidly. The last paper
Isaw saidlthere were 1,loo, 600 Ameri'
can troops now here. We get the
paper every day. 1t is published II
Paris by the London Daily Mail and
we get it the day after it is published
thereby being enabled to keep in clos'
touch with the a Have not heart
from Byron and Ella.
Edward Levin il in Paris with thu
Y. NJ. G. A. and l expect to SO ther'
the first leave l get. We get sever
days off every four months and tina
will give me an opportunity to 60 t.
Paris. Also want TO 60 to London ant
will do SO il l get q chance. We al
also want to 20 to Berlin, but not TO
the same purpose as going to Pari
and London.
Drop . line when you can. Yo'
can say anything you want, as letter
from the States are not censored
Lot me know how your health Is an
about Annie, Will, Belle and Leo sn
everything that might be Of interest
However, don't take it into you
heart to send me any packages OF an
kind, as we have to get permission I
have stuff sent from the u. $. A. an
don't believe there 10 anything TIL
want sent, az l can get PRACTICAL
everything I need here.
Don't expect a letter from me otte'
We don't write many.
Trust you arc enjoying your usu
good health and that all the rest
the family are well.
With love,
PRIVATE u. N. MosER,
Co. q, lOsth Engineers, America
E. r.. via New York.