Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-14

has written the following letter to his home here:
 April 24.
 My dear Onest-Here I am about twenty miles from the front line, writing to you by aid of my candle lantern in a room in house in a French village, waiting to retire in q real bed between clean, white sheets, but first 1 must tell you of the comic opera doings of last night. Then they were serious; now, they are laugh able.
 My letter. of course, will have to be general IS to places and distances but after a few days and nights ride on train through France we arrived at dark, in pouring rain, at a station; were dumped out in the dark and rain, and proceeded to unload, While waiting l could hear @ distant muf1ed "Pung. Pung." every few minutes; peculiar sound. like distant blast, or single clap of thunder They were the real thing. and made me think of Empey's book Cor was it Ian Hay's?) though it did not have the same ef- | feet on me.
 As soon as the trucks were loaded with the rations, we started for the three Villages where we were to be billeted. l got on truck. and it was wild ride. believe me, with only one small light going, skidding from side 1 to side. the three-ton truck sliding, grunting and grooming along. but we kept the road ts-,...
 1 One American driver who loaded us, l said there must be million trucks in l France, and am sure I never saw so many in any one place as were in some of the railroad yards and camps on our route.
 1 The men came stopping on. and we 1 slipped up hill and down through will lages that were partly ruined by she'll fire, apparently deserted, until about i.30 a. m. we pulled into a village, and cur French driver gave a grunt and nod
 Down I got in the rain. and started a detail unloading into a barn. Then we reported to two very suave French officers at the town hall. After much talk, with the aid of an. official inter preter, an officer started down the street with half a dozen of us to look for rooms about 2.3o a. mill Not a light in the village. but with his flash light he came, to number on the wooden door. What a racket! It made me think of A Tale of Two Cit ies. Under the Red Robe. etc.
 More banging and finally candle and head appear at an upper window. Volleys of French conversation are exchanged, and presently the head disappears. the door is at last opened and Mir, Durbee- sheer" is called. and disappears down the long covered courtyard, following the figure with the lamp.
 Night, Derby.' we call. and pass on. Next we leave Sumner, etc, etc, till Dixon and I are left. I was get ting tired of waiting. (tf1ough I found out later that I was reserved for the best room. being highest in rank) so said I would go4with Dixon if he did not mind. The officer proceeded to ex- postulate, and say "Pariour, Parlour Emon capitaine" but I said in plain English I would go no farther, and here I am
 We followed our guide upstairs in- to nice large room with high bed which she immediately proceeded tc adorn with clean sheets blankets and the feather bed which goes on top in stead of quilt. We said many ''merci's'' got out of our wet boots and clothes, took a rub with our towels and turned in. Walked at nine. and went downstairs to investigate: couldn't say word the madame could understand except "tay"-so she in Equired ia sucre?" and nodded ana E.said, "Oui, Madame" had brought salt, sugar, canned beef, jam and har6 tack, so we made out quite a break. fast. &
 saw a Teddy bear in the nexI room and asked her if she had a child She nodded, and soon in came Wo' man about twenty five, and beauti' full little girl about three. whom
 judged to be the daughter and grand child. They .volleyed Trench at me and all I could get was that the child,s father was mort don't believ; there is a asfamily in France that has l not suffered loss.
 Friday. l Heard quite a bombardment. tonigh } at suppertime. in the air. Must have been about twenty explosions; but VI
 could see nothing. only wonder. Saw 5 some French troops come in this 1 l morning and they stopped near me | ] one man asked if I had "a match