The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1918-11-29
From Our Soldier Boy.
ST. Jean de MOnts, France,
October 26. 1918.


Ny Dear Wife: How are you and all
the rest back in the states? | hope as
fine as | am, for | feel about 100 per
cent efficient physically these days.
Today has been wonderful autumn
day. We sat out on little hill, read
and wrote letters. | think | will take
walk down to the ocean and to st.
Jean this p. m. 1t takes about ten
minutes to walk to the ocean and about
half an hour to st. Jean. This is fine
camp. The eats or "mess" are great
as have told you before. Of course
the food is plain and they don't serve
it in courses.
You no doubt will be interested in
knowing something about the French
home and the towns of smaller size
and the rural districts. We have all
heard of gay Paree, so perhaps the
smaller towns will be of more interest
to you The business district is vastly
different from the towns of the states.
The buildings look much like residences
all grouped together, and do not nave
the high front effect and neatly built
show windows, and in most cases you
have to, step up or down to enter. Inc
goods are arranged much as country
store. There are no clerks sOllcltlng
your wants, and most of these places
are conducted by women and children.
Of course you see the markets In the
middle of the street where most every
thing is sold. These stands are appar-
emily run by the whole family, as you
see all kinds and sizes of women and
children around.
/, The streets are of stones and are
used by pedestrians about as much as
sidewalks. About the only convey
ance you see is cart drawn by small
horse or mule. The people use the
bicycle to great extent. You see no
cars only American trucks. l guess
they are not allowed to drive pleasure
cars here, the same as In England.
They have no hitching posts in the
street which is more than we can say
of home, isn't it? The streets are mar
row and angle in all directions, and the
buildings are the same. The buildings
are mostly stone or concrete and the
roofs are of tile. The homes through
out the towns are laid out much the
same. 1t is hard to tell whether the
house is in the street or in the back
yard There is about half acre
around each place and this is surround
ed by dikes instead of fences. These
dikes are from 4 to feet wide at the
bottom and about II or 2 feet at the
top. They are also used through the
rural districts as fences in farms from
10 to 20 acres.
Of course, in some sections Of France
the farms are quite large and similar
to those of the states. These large
farms have no fences, only around the
buildings. These are usually of stone.
In these sections they raise consider
able stock and it is we'll cared for as
we'll as the buildings which are quite
large.
The average home has but one room,
which is used for cooking, eating, living
and sleeping, but all is very clean. 1t
sure as amusing to see them eat. They
have rye bread and loaves about the
size of dish pan and when they want
some bread they just cut. off sllce.
(Hooverizing.) In some homes VINE IS
as necessary as bread. The cooking and
heating all comes from the fire place,
ard they burn any thing and everything,
such as pine needles in great quantities.
The poorer class dress much alike,
| mostly black with small white hats and
| wooden shoes. 1t looks odd to see little
bows about the size of Thomas Earle
wearing dresses. The people seem to
be very religious. There are churches
all over and some are very old. They
all seem to think a lot of home and
! family. With love.
WILL DICKINSON.