Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1918-04-18
Peculiar Railroads in England

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Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Argyle have re-
the following letter from their
son, Alfred Argyle, who is in England:
March Is, 1918.
Somewhere in England.
Dear Parents:
1t is the first opportunity ] have
had to write since landing in Eng
land. We had a splendid voyage
across the sea, meeting no bad wealth
er. l expected to get seasick, but
was lucky to escape. Some were not;
so fortunate.
ENGLAND is certainly beautIfur.
country and have seen a great deaS!
of it, for we travelled by railroad FROM
one end to the other. The houses
are Of the same material-red brick
and all the same style. The streets
are all very narrow and winding In
many of the towns | saw the old rem
nants of castles overlooking the vIY-
lage below. Some were still in good
condition.
Everything is so neat and clean in
woman scrubbing the sidewalk, SO
you can imagine there is no dirt else
where.
1t is hard to get used to things for
everything is so peculiar, even the
people. The railroads are very pc
culiar. They have little toy engines
with no headlights. The enlightenment
have no seats, for they have no cab
The coaches are very small and each
coach is divided into apartments hold
ing eight persons. There are no brake
men or conductors but a guard in the
rear | was astonished at the rate OF
speed at which these small trains
travel, some going sixty miles an hour.
The engine tender holds only about
half a tcl Of coal.
The English people talk very odd,
and they surely have gloomy faces.
| don't see how dad could have been
born in England. There are some
very pretty girls here, and everyone
has such natural "Csy cheeks They
surely like the Sammies.
have seen a number of &c, IAN
prisoners.
Today / went down into the towfS,
which is one of the oldest in England.
| spent the entire day going through
the cathedral and castle which were
started before the coming of William
the ConquerOr and completed by him
IF hn ri Iii
queens are buried in the cathedral,
among them Richard ]. The castle,
was a famous palace for the earlier
kings. l went through the dungeons
where many noted English characters
awaited execution.
| have already mastered changing
the English coin, so now | can pur-
chase without getting fieeced.
Every Englishman between 10 and
40 has been drafted, so there are no
young men around.
Everywhere throughout the country
women have put on mems clothes and
are doing their work ! saw women
even working in the breweries. There
is a battalion of enlisted women in
our camp. No matter where one goes
the women do everything.
l wish you could take glance at
cur meals-war bread and cheese ana
black coffee-nothing like in the
states. The nation is feeding on ra-
tons and only allowed so much a day
We cannot buy anything in any store
in the line of food. Must close.
Your loving son, ALFRED.
P. S. l hope you are al well. Keep
me posted on news. l expect some
mail from you when I get to France
The survivors of the Tuscania are
here in this camp. Many are clad in
British uniforms. l have heard some
of the fellows who were on that boat
tell their experiences and it surely
was terrible. I accidentally ran across
Ralph Sanderson, but did not have an
opportunity to talk. Happy Pierce
and a number of the Baraboo boys
were on the same boat | was. Well,
hope this passes censorship.