Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-12-19
Letter from Major Earl Beagle

La Charlie, France
Nov. Is, 1918.
Dear Mother:
Have started to write you several
times since landing but the lights
went out or business came up or some
thing happened to put it off. How
ever, this time am out to finish it.
5 We landed o. X after a beautiful
voyage and the regiment was sent to
what was called rest camp but it
was more like mad house than any
thing rrstful. We We're put down in
the mud along with several other reg
iments and then set to work unload
ing ships. We were in this rest camp
for week when orders came separa
ting nearly all officers from the regi
ment and sending them to school and
! was left as the senior and in COM
mand. of the regiment. Then orders
came sending four batteries away to
different places and sending the rest
with me out here to this place where
we are in the woods cutting out fire
wood for the soldiers.
We are camped in beautiful little
field about five miles from town. out
IN as fine piece of forest country
as l ever saw. We are in tents and
when our stoves arrive we will be
very comfortable. Our work is cut
ting out the small wood and stripping
Off the brush and cutting the poles
with gas saw irto proper lengths
Tor fire wood. 1t is a long way from
tlrlng the big guns at the Hun but
the Ian run and the war is over so
we should worry, although badly dis
appointed in not getting here in time
to help.
Franc certainly went wild Monday
when t!se word came that the war
was 4gu4d. For the first ti since
the war began, the flags were lying
and the people were singing and dane
ing. the stie; of the towns and vii
lagos were crowded and it was about
all an American life was worth to
be seen. Everyone, men as we'll as
women, wanted to kiss all the Amer
leans, and they pretty nearly did it
1t is some experience to have husky
man with beard sncared all over
his face, grab one and plant a wet
kiss on each cheek. The women
weren't so bad, though. But France is
happy now and they all thank Am
erica. They say we saved them and
our men have been so decent to them
that they just naturally love every
one of us. We are right popular in
France today. But they don't allow
then. love for US to interfere with
getting all of our francs.
Yea think prices are high in Amer
lea, well you ought to go shopping
here. Meat of any kind is worth soc
to $1.5O a pound. Vegetables of all
kinds are very high. Anything made
OF leather is luxury. Soap. sweet
stuffs and tobacco can't be had.
Clothing prices are thing to wonder
at. Wine is the only thing that an
pears to be reasonable but if an Am
erican buys it, the price goes up.
Eggs are $1.00 dozen Butter. milk
and cheese are very high. Everything
IS high and it makes us figure pretty
close to run mess that the End.
Lieuts. can pay for.
We are all hoping that we will
soon be on our way back to Gods
country. France may be wonderful
land and all that but America for me.
Bath tubs, heat and decent light are
unknown here. The water is bad and
the French drink mild wine. They
are wonderful cooks, though and when
one learns bit of the lingo and
something about the country. one can
live very well. Their beds are enoupb
TO drive one crazy. They sleep on
about three feather beds and under
Two more. A French bed is about :
1eet deep and how they breath in if
l will never be able to learn. They
never open a window and the he'd
rooms smell musty and dusty and not
very healthy. Still they like it. 50 /
guess it is all right.
If Germany settles her troubles and
gets government going that can
run the country, we won't be here
long, but we may have to clean up
the country and possibly Russia and
may be here another year. Of course
it is all guess work just what is going
to happen and you get the news be-
fore we do. But you have nothing to
worry over about me as nothing can
possibly happen now.
It won't be such an awfully long
time now till ] will be home again