Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-12-02
NICK WRITES
C'HAI !! | letter
N. M. O'Connor, Now a X. C.
Secretary in France,
Writes Interesting
Letter.
SEEING GAY PAREE"
Has Fine Visit With Lieut..
r. c. Crumpton of
This City.
SEEING GAY PAREE"
Paris. Noyemher 3. 10

II Try HE IrOu over mere Dul
it's up to You to omit all blunders az
this is not my line.
In the first place, want you to tel
Capt. J. r. White that he had better
whet up a bit before I get home as
will have few hair BREADTH death
defying stories that will make his stor.
les seem very tame.
We left New York on the 9Th with
many transports, cruisers and destroy.
ers. On our boat, besides many sol
diers, there were three Y. NJ. G. A. and
eighteen X. G. secretaries and of the
whole bunch Of secretaries, was the
only one who did not feed the fish,
They could not understand why I, from
the tall grass and golden grain fields
of Iowa, could weather the storms so
well, but when told them Of many
nerve-testing and frightful experiences
with the waves, bull-rushes and pond
lilies on Wall Lake, they saw i was
one Of the old timers.
On Boat Eleven Days.
We were eleven days on the big
pond, and while enjoyed the trip as
much as possible. will say the change
Of scenery was monotonous, just winds,
water and waves and each succeeding
day, more wind more water, and more
waves. We had an eighty mile gale
for twelve hours without a letup, SO
you can imagine that the old Atlantic
was bit rough. Auto roads as uneven
as this would make joy riding little
unpleasant, even in a Chevrolet.
We had one little CD experience
which ! would like to tell you but
fear it would be censored so will have
to keep 1t out until get home. I will
say that the first sight Of land was
more pleasurable and more welcome
than all the prohibition, suffrage or
Democratic victories Of the past. We
landed ut Liverpool on the largest dock
in the world. This dock is about ten
miles long and 200 feet wide. 1t is a
floating dock for the convenience of
loading and unloading at the different
stages of the tide. Was I'M Liverpool
only two hours so did not see much of
the city. From Liverpool we went to
London, a very interesting trip. The
farms are kept right up to date, not a
foot of waste ground. All the farm
buildings are of brick, all thorn hedge
fences and finest of roads.
The Trains.
The passenger coaches are about as
long as ours but much lower and mar
rover, all side entrances with first,
second and third class accommodations
in each coach. The freight cars are
sure joke, about one twentieth the
size of ours. The road beds are very
fine and while the engines are small
they are powerful and speedy. l lost
my ticket on this trip and had to dig
up another fare of about ten bucks,
but / found it later in my match box
so will get refund some day. Losing
ticket is nothing strange. l know Of
people who lose their golf balls, and
many of them. Ii you don't believe
it ask Big Bob.
In London.
We spent two days in London but
hit there during one of her famous
fOgs which made it very unpleasant,
vet we visited many Of the noted
places, st. Paul's Cathedral, Windsor
Castle, Kings Garden, Henry v.
Chapel, Westminster Abbey and the
Houses of Parliament, also saw the
Lord Mayor driving through the city.
(Felt somewhat sighted as he did not
ask me to hop in for ride). Sure
was some swell rig drawn by two OF
the toppiest horses in London, two
drivers up in front and two guards in
the rear. believe it even surpassed in
grandeur the turnout of the mayor
of Webster City on hot summer day
when ice is very much needed.
Canadian Club High.
From London we went to South
Hampton, place ! don't fancy very
much as they charged me 80 cents for
a small nip of Canadian club. II you
don't know what Canadian club is just
ask any one of the eighteen live ones
left of the Wall Lake bunch. From
South Hampton we sailed to Havre
just a ten hour ride. The coast OF
France was beautiful but it was rain
ing. Don't care much for Havre either
Won't tell you why, but they cant
string me but once.
The City of Cities.
From Havre we came to Paris, the
city of cities. She sure deserves the
name of "Gay Paree." We have beer
here ten days receiving instructions
before being assigned to our posts Of
duty. / have asked for and have beer
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