Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-05-17
RYRNE MANLEY WRITES
FROM SOMEWHERE IN
FRANCE
Speaks Entertainingly of the French
People, OF Their Fine Buildings
and Beautiful Farms

Byrne Manley, of this city, now with
the Z. S. forces in France, to his uncle,
J. w. Manley, of Richland Center,
Wis. and will. we are sure be of inter-
est to our readers:
Your letter received yesterday and
as mail even with the best OF luck is
some time in reaching home ports, Will
start a reply without delay. 1t is
mighty pleasing to we soldiers on this
side. if mail, (nOt always so regularly
receiyed) contains letter or so for us.
and if opportunity presents itself all
correspondents may be assured OF a
reply.
With myself, since arrival on this
side. everything has been well and so
with what / had expected to endure.
At no time has the temperature been so
low as we experienced before leaving
the States and now that Camp Mills
has been condemned, | think l may
safely say that it would be difficult TO
find one in France its equal in unsanl-
tary and disagreeable living conditions.
unless it be in the front line trenches.
OF course my lot thus far is not to
be compared with what many of our
BOYS are experiencing and even l may
have a different tale to tell in my next.
1t is not our privilege while on Uncle
Sans payroll to tell how or where we
shall go over the top" and if he sees
fit to use us perhaps more advantage
ously at other points on work just as
essential. he sure will do so. We are
at present engaged at re-mOunt work
and knowing the country and charac-
ter of the men, from which my company
was recruited, am sure you will agree
that they are all well qualified for the
kind of work found at a re-mOunt sta
ton. My own work is that of commits
sary sergeant for the detachment
The climate here is of the very best,
and with green fields, carefully
trimmed hedges, blOssOming cherry and
apple trees, substantial brick and stone
buildings. with their red tile roofs half
covered with vines, as are the numer-
Gus stone walls surrounding them, all
help to make picture not at all dis
pleasing to look upon.
Surely there is much about the
French and their surroundings to adj
mire and that we might do well to pat
tern after if possible Spoke to
friend of mine in regard to the excel
lent roads and good substantial build
ings seen everywhere in France, and
he replied, why shouldn't they have
tod
here long enough" No doubt there is
something in that, but l would rather
believe that they can see little far
Their into the future than we Americans,
and build not for themselves alone but
for coming generations. Am sure that
there are brick, stone and concrete
buildings on great majority of these
small farms that were they torn down
and rebuilt even in normal times would
cost twice the value of the land itself.
Shrubbery and grounds are always in
good condition and am not sure but
what there are many of these French
farmers who could offer pretty strong
competition to our sO-called landscape
gardeners in the States.
The prOverbial pOliteness and cOur
teSy of the French, is not, | am begin
ming to believe, so much exaggerated.
The same seems to furnish cause of
misunderstanding for both they and
us They wonder why we do not speak
and shake hands with everyone going
and coming, and / guess most OF us
wonder just why the devil we should
Go so. Certainly some laughable eX-
periences occur from time to time, due
to not understanding. For example,:
Sergeant KeShleak and myself were
out looking for stray horses yesterday
and stopped i'll a small village to make
inquiries. We chose, not wholly by
accident, to question a very nice look
ing girl standing in one of the shop
doOrways Were making fair progress
flair progress in such cases usually
means with great difficulty with our
limited French vocabulary when the
fair maiden said in very good English,
Il love YOU / nearly fell off my
morse, but managed to tell her that my
sentiments were exactly the same. We
finally explained III Ffencn what Ilef
expression meant and had we not been
SO amused would have certainly felt
sorry for her evident embarrassment.
Some soldier had evidently been giving
her first lesson in English without
explanation, or at least without the
correct one. Think 1 shall tender my
services in continuation of said Eng
liSh lessons.
Have not received the Richland Cen
ter paper yet, but probably will soon
Will surely enjoy receiving it and
many thanks to all concerned. With
kindest regards and promise of an
other letter in the near future if con-
ditiOns permit, am
Your affectiOnate nephew,