The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1918-08-16
BERLIN OR BUST
SAYS CAPT. SMITH
Tennessee Boy Writes Interesting Let
ter to Mother Back Home.

Under date of July 10, Albert Perrin
Smith, son of Maj. and Mrs. Rutledge
Smith, writes an interesting letter to
his mother from France. He is cor
poral headquarters company, 115th
field artillery. The letter follows:
''Dear Mother:-I am well and in
good spirits. All the boys in this reg
iment are in fine health and spirits. !
don't believe there is coward in the
regiment. The nearer we get to the
Germans the better we like it. i feel
convinced that / will come home in
good shape. This war does not worry
me and do not want it to worry you.
/ wish l could tell you how good our
officers are and what marksmen our
gunners are. The Germans and the
French marvel at the American gun
ners and rapidity of their fire. | was
out on observation duty today and
could get a good view of the shells
bursting, and it is wonderful. The
United States has the best equipped
army in Europe. Everything goes on
the jump; nothing is done in SLOW
enly or halfway manner. We have
everything for our protection and eV-
erything for the enemy's destruction.
If the people at home could only see
and realize what large undertaking
and making such huge success out of
this war as the war department is,
they would be amazed.
Il went to nearby city not long
ago and spent the day. 1t has a popu-
lation of about 100000. / hired a cab
and drove around the city for three
hours. Fathers friend, Sergt. William
Richardson, and two more sergeants
were with me. The French certainly
love the Americans. For dinner we
had six eggs apiece, steak, F. F. po-
tatoes potato salad, jelly, bread and
butter and coffee and lots cheaper than
in the states. The city was a very
beautiful one.
Il went down on the train for three
hours. l rode through some very
beautiful country. The French crops
are fine; their cattle are fat and pretty
but their horses are not in the best con
dition.
"The French use big two-wheel
carts instead Of four-wheel wagons.
They lead their horses and don't drive
them. You never see a Frenchman
riding a horse. Many French people
wear wooden or steel shoes. The lit !
tie boys wear an apron and an issue
forage cap. When they dress up they
wear a straw sailor hat and black
suit Of straight legs and double breast
ed clothes. | cannot tell their ages, a |
nine-year-old boy looks like an old
man. Lots Of the children speak quite
bit of English, talk with them and
Gan learn more French from kid than
a man. They are the brightest kids |
ever saw. When can, ] pick up some
little girl or boy and ask its parents
may take it to supper. | took three
to supper with me not long ago. l am
thinking about adopting one.
Il have seen a few fine castles and .
lots Of cathedrals. The architecture
is wonderful The castles and cathe-
drals are all Corinthian architecture
hut the houses and stores are more on
the Ionic style. All the buildings are
stone ones. After the war we will all
come over and get a large touring car
and see Europe together. When / get
rome do not want to sleep for a week
l just want to talk without being dis
turbed.
Zone of my best friends in the COM
pany is from Charleston, S. c., and
enc of the "opoponac cordial crowd"
The other night, someone mentioned
fathers name and then this Charles
tonian began asking questions. / told
him fathers mother was a Charles
tonian and then he had to shake hands
and tell me about myself. He is a grad
uate of U. of T. and Kappa Sigma.