The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1918-02-14
news OF OUR SOLDIER
BOYS
French Language BOthers the
Emmett BOys-All Speak
Highly of Treatment.

Last Friday was soldier letter day
in Emmett, and pretty. near every
home from which a soldier boy has
gone to France was frightened by a
long looked for letter. In spite of the
fact that restrictions as to what may
be written by the boys are severe, the
letters printed below contain much of
interest:
From "The Boy"
Jan. 6-Here we are, all safely To-
Gated, Somewhere in France, and from
all appearances we are no nearer the
battle front than the day we left
Boise When | write Somewhere in
France" it is no joke, for | haven't
any more idea where we are than
YOU have Of course, know the name
of the town near which we are located,
but SO far | have been unable to get
a map to find out what part of France
we are in.
We are located in the heart of the
mountains. They tell US at an eleva-
ton of about 2500 feet, almost the
same as Emmett. There has been
about three inches of snow on the
ground ever since we arrived here,
but today the sun has been shining
bright and it is rapidly doing away
with the snow. In fact, this is one of
those beautiful winter Idaho Sun
days and it almost makes me home
sick for good old Emmett, it is so
nice and pretty outside. The weather
is fairly cold. the thermometer hang
ing around zero all the time, but there
is very little wind, so we don't mind
the cold very much.
We are located in large stone
barracks, a two-story, REINFORCED
concrete building. The headquarters
company is located in room all to
itself and we have things fixed up
mighty fine and comfortable. We have
stove in the room and burn poor
grade of coal. While we have to be
very careful and not use too much I
coal, we have plenty to keep US warm .
and comfortable We are located on
a hill about three-fourths of mile
from the village and we have fine
view from here. The hills are not
rugged like the Idaho mountains, but
are rolling, and the valleys are very
narrow, reminding one of ravines more
than valleys such as we think of in
the states. Every place there are trees
trees of every shape and descrip
ton, some bare, some with the foliage
still on them. But most of the trees
are of a regular shape, as they are
trimmed every year or so and the
trimmings are used as fuel, while the
smaller branches and twigs are tied
into bundles and used for brooms.
All the buildings in France are
built of stone or re-enforced concrete
and many of them are very pretty. 1t I.
is very very seldom that one sees
frame building of any kind. The i.
fences even are either built of stone
or else a row of trees. So the coun-
try is beautiful and sight that We
never tire of looking at.
Our trip from the boat here was a
hard one and it will be quite while
before we forget it. We had no IA
cilities for cooking food, so all we had :
to eat was canned meat and hardtack.
There was no heat in the cars, and as !
it was pretty cold we had to hug up 9
together to keep warm. So it was a :
mighty pleased bunch when we ar
rived in camp late one afternoon and \
we're assigned to our quarters in these :.
nice warm barracks. =
l haven't received the Christmas box :
yet, but l don't suppose that it will =
arrive for several days as an Ameri-
AN postoffice has not been established =
here yet. None of the boys have their :, ~
,oxes yet. '. y
VIII have quite a time trying to =
ret the French to understand us and :"
" the motions we make | suppose :
,eople in the states would think we y
we're crazy. But already l have =
earned how to ask for five different
.inds of wine, so you see am getting ~ =.
long famously. But judging by the s'
ate l am progressing, it will be a ~ ~
sng time before will be able to talk ~
o the French. The language is diff a.
ult to learn, especially as we have no a
,nglish- French grammar to teach us ou
he construction of sentences. ~
The French wine is very mild, there 20
eing almost no alcohol in it and one oii
an drink barrel full and never feel an
ne effects of it. The common wine is ~ =.
sour grape wine and is fairly cheap, -.
bout 20 cents quart. Champagne .
IN be had for about S1.50 bottle, :.
at of course that is too high for us vi
oor soldiers. And besides, all the az
ovs are afraid to buy that, for it is nS. nc,
grave offense to be under the infiu- W.
ice of liquor here and is punished ~. ~.
,ry severely.
Most things are very cheap here,
uch cheaper than in the states. A DO
,od meal can be had for so cents at mel
e best hotel in town, and it is sur an'
Using the many good things there roa
e to eat About the only thing that Is
uld be called a hardship is the alb -