American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1918-04-05
LETTERS FROM POWER
COUNTY SOLDIERS.

.
r. L. Wallace, one of the first con-
tingent to reach France, writes an in
teresting letter of his impressions,
which emphasizes the great desire our
soldier boys have to hear from friends
at home. Mr.. Wallace was here en-
ployed on the new power house con-
struction, working under Mr.. Newell,
and is we'll known to a large part of
the people of American Falls. His
letter follows:
Somewhere in France, Feb. 18th,
1913. Miss Helena Hughes, American
Falls, Idaho. Dear Helena: Was it
Socrates, Virgil, Ivanho or Billy Sun
day who first started that old plati-
tude, 1T never rains but what it
freezes?" Your letter, spring and pay
day arrived together and were well
coined in the order named. There was
some question about giving spring pre-
ference over pay day but letters always
rank first. To clap the climax there
was a celebration in joint commemOr-
alton of Washington and Lincoln in the
evening, which made the cup of Joy
to overflow. We have for weeks been
wading and stumbling around in the
mud and fog, no news from home and
the only excitement was to bet (un
franc) on who would be in bed first
in the evening. When 10; the sun
shone, the mail arrived and the best
talent of France was procured for our
amusement. Best of all were the let
ters, as they link the past with the
present and hold a sort of mirage be-
fore ones eyes, so that hope comes
anew that, sometime, some place, one
can renew the old friendships, use
more or less civilized method of pur-
suing the elusive biscuit. and have the
old right TO liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.
This getting back to the stone age,
primitive way of living rather ap-
peals to me- The itinery we followed
last Sunday was: procured a pass
from the captain for the day. A stroll
through the parks and a visit to the
art galleries in the morning High
mass at eleven o'clock at beautiful
cathedral built in the 10th century.
Lunch at the Y. NJ. c. A. To the musi-
cal comedy The Belle of New York"
in the afternoon presented in FRENCH
A five course dinner with all the trim
mings at seven and to see Faust" in
the evening Enough variety for all
and you having bved in the Gem state
long enough, will o.. preciate what this
means to a sagebrusher.
Most Of my impressions of France
were made during the trip from the
port of debarkation to our present
lcamp. We had landed rather weary
from a rough trip across the channel
in the wee small hours and were
marched to a so-called rest-camp,
That evening we were entrained in
cars which resembled a homesteader's
shack on wheels, they being labeled
Hommes 40, chevoux s which simply
means that the car will hold 40 men
or eight horses, depending on wheth.
er hay or hard tack had been placed
in them. The trip lasted two days and
was one continual ovation. We were
the first American troops to pass
through that part of France and they
strove to give us rousing welcome. AZ
the stations where we stopped we
would swarm out like so many bees
to stampede the markets buying fruits
and other edibles in an effort to kid
our stomachs into accepting more OF
the bully beef and hardtack while on
the train. Our officers had to forbid
the buying of food at these stops as q
hungry regiment makes quite some
dent in the stores of a small town
when food is scarce. Everyone want
ed souviners. made some life long
SSds by the judicial distribution OF
ivan postage stamps.