The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-10-25
SOLDIERS LETTERS

picked me a oniestt cafe this morn
ing and TIED reproducing sketch
] made on the boat, for this letter,
but first the patrone, then the flies,
then a soldier or two had to drop in
and say 'hello" all bothering me,
so Isgave it up. Besides it's rainy
day again. The hot sunshiny day aer
those chosen by our fate for march
ing nine or ten kilometers from some
station to camp billets. l am on po-
lice duty again here. guess I've
gone to war to preserve peace and
| orders.
You will think l am out of sorts,
but Pm not. Neither am l on the
wings of any pleasant fancy this
morning. / haven't caught up sleep
yet, having been one night sardined
in third class railroad wagon"
and two nights more or less on guard
duty, and have before me a day of
all days demanding attention. pay
day-our first since leaving America.
Well, the language is coming to
me little by little. | can catch parts
of even those rafting private con-
'versations one hears on the street,
and can understand just about every
thing that is spoken to me directly.
have made acquaintance with a
charming French girl, "taillense"
or dressmaker we would say. had
gone with her to our first band con-
cert on the "plac" the evening of our
arrival here, when I was appraised
of being again on m. p" But
returned soon, after getting a guard
out and I have quite a bit of time
for visiting.
In this part of France the people
speak a pure brand of French, which
is all the better for us. After we go
to the American front, if that be our
destination, there may be no more
speaking French. rather hope we
go to French part of the line so as
to be near these people and hear
their pretty language spoken.
| received, in our first batch of
American mail, two letters from
home, one enclosing clipping from
the Statesman which had copied a
piece out of the Republican, the one
Mr.. Trego wrote me about.
The weather is very mild here, and
has been sultry. Perhaps the rain
will clear it up. 1t is the sort of eli
mate that leads the folks to sit out
side their doors in the evenings en-
joying the night air.
The funniest thing we have seen
lately is a certain pygmy brand of
burro used very much here for
draugnt There will be great big
bulKy, two wheeled cart, load, a
driver and almost hidden behind two
gigantic shalves, bit of donkey,
plodding along, almost with energy,
and looking more fit for circus clown
ing than actual work. "a. first we
thought they were rare, but now it
is common to see them, sometimes
even playing the role of carriage
horse. 1t is laughable from out point
of view. The little brutes are not
much bigger than good sized mas
tiff.
Quite number of persons here,
especially children, wear wooden
shoes, surely an unhandy foot-gear.
There is a manufacturer of them
next door to me now, where one may
oOO IhO olOW-ohupCu UAOSho VI WOOu
restined to retard some unfortunate
man or boy in his goings and comings
about town, lying ready to be scooped
out and sold. l used to believe half
the statements read about the wear
ing Of solid wood shoes, but I'll
swear there's no camoufage about
them, they are of a single piece, hol-
lowed out with chisel, and with
none to much-regard for their light
ness. Then there is a spices of low
sabots, slippers of wood, held to the
sole of ones foot by strap over the
instep. The patrone here is wearing
a pair. They force one to shuttle
along almost after the manner of a
person on roller skates, you UNDER
stand, there's no use stepping high
when only the toe Of your shoe comes
up with your foot. When they go
inside they step out Of the clumsy
scows and go about in soft sl.ppers!
But the French are a wonderfully
lovable people as any American sol
der in France will bear witness.
Sincerely,
FREMONT KUTNEWSKY.