The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1918-01-31
LYNDEN BOY WRITES
OF LIFE IN FRANCE
Eylar Staight Describes Tells How
Country Appears To Soldier From
Nooksack Valley

How Lynden boy serving in the
United States army likes France, is
described in a letter received this
month from Eylar Staight from a
locality somewhere" in that fam
Gus country.
THE weather is still fairly warm
here" he writes under date of Nov.
30. I'VE are too far south for ii to
get very cold. The PRINCIPAL industry
around here is grape culture. and
the making of them into wine. like
1t better here than where / was for
merly. Not long ago. / had trip
of about $50 miles overland on a
railroad. Had fine trip and GER
tainly saw some beautiful country.
1t reminds me of California, around
Los Angeles. This country is more
natural. The country was very
smooth, but rolling fine pastures
and meadows and vineyards, and ev-
cry little way fine chateau. The
trees are mostly hard wood-oak and
hickory. with no large forests at all.
Fences are replaced by pretty
hedges, or stone walls. Every little
way, we would pass a small village,
the houses clustered together made
of stone with mud or thatched roof.
1.-The peasants houses are built
rectangular with a partition in the
middle-one room for them, and the
other serves as a barn. The peas
ants wear wooden shoes, the men
large. baggy trousers, and the older
women small white caps with their
hair combed straight back. 1t is
very common occurrence to see wom-
an out in the field plowing with an
old wooden plow, and two oxen or
milch cows. They never work any
horses in the fields, as far as ! have
seen.
Here inside of our camp limits
is one of the famous chateaus OF
France. 1t is about 120 feet long,
and 60 deep. A driveway leaos up
to it. with broad steps leading up to
the first floor. On one end is tow
er. perhaps 80 feet high and s feet
in diameter, with barred windows.
The chateau is built Of rock. dark
gray in color. In front, under the
steps, is a place for table and chairs.
On the roof is garuen with more
tables and chairs, and in front is a
hot house full of pretty flowers. In
the center of this is large room for
a summer tea garden. On the lawn
are bird cages built OF wire. about
10 feet high and feet in diameter.
with natural bushes in them. There
are also large ponds full of fish, with
swans and wild ducks swimming ar
ound. The barn is as large as the
house, but it is made of concrete.
1--WE are camped only short way
from a lrge city, lots different from
our cities. They have one wide street
but the rest are more like alleys. To
walk is about the only way to get
through the shopping district. The
streets are crowded with people. and
l think every nation in the world
is represented here.
Every little way is a large pub
lie square. with two or three large
monuments About one-fourth or
the shops are cafes with small tables
and chairs on the sidewalks in front
as we'll as within. All classes OF
people patronize them, They nave
I 10 special places for men to drink
and no bars.
1.-The better class of people dress
nearly the same as we do-the styles
are some different. The women seem
TO be great for face paint, perfume
and jewelry. Some wear rings on ev
cry finger.
"They have pretty good street car
service, but the cars are small-most