Mohave County miner., 1918-05-04
DESCRIBES CONDITIONS
 OVER IN FRANCE

Howard W. Hart, native son of Kingman, who was reported wounded while battling on the Foul front in France last week, writes an interest ing letter to- his grandmother, Mrs. L-.y BL4lity, who is e resident of Kingman. Mir. Hart is e cartoonist Ot rare ability, and should he return to the United States will make his mark along with Mast, Davenport and oth CT great men of few years ago:
 Somewhere in France"
 April l, 1918. My Dear Grandmother:
 Greetings! No, have not forsak- en my old home town yet. Far from it though I am, often think of King man and long to return once more to the place ot my birth. Perhaps l wouldn't know the old town now. New faces, no doubt, have filled the ranks vacated by old timers who have gone the way we all must eventually go, and old buildings and landmarks of yesterday, so familiar to the Kingman of six years past, must surely have given place to the more modern structures of today. Funny how so many things can transpire in six years time. For instance, Europe, six years ago populated by a peaceful and prosperous people, is now locked Tn the throes of the greatest war known to the history of the civilized world. It is impossible for one who has not been here and seen it, to fully realize to just what an extent this war has ravaged France. The majority of the little towns and villages near the tlr- ing line, once so picturesque in their quaint ways, now lay in ruins, pOpu- lated only by troops on their way to the front or from the trenches, and the deathlike stiffness which reigns IS broken only by the roar of allied ar tillery, booming its way to victory, or the bursting of German shells, which generally fall in the shell-ton waste that was once field of waving grain. The laughter of playing children has long since vanished, the populace hay ing retreated further to the rear ot the lines and out of the range of artll- lerv fire. Endless stretches of barbed wire and many little wooden crosses marked in barely discernible letters, No. 274-"1 Allemand," or T Fran caise "No. 438, which now adorn the rolling hills, greets the sight of the American troops and only serves to punctuare the fact that i've owe Ger many a 'strafing.'" She'll get it! I'm sorry that I must confine this letter to just a vague description of the country, as I should like to give the home folks vivid idea of just what our duties are comprised of, but cen sorship makes that impossible.
 I have read in the papers that Am erican families are only allowed five pounds of sugar a week now. Sugar is absolutely unknown over here, and the salt commonly used by the French is of the coarse grain variety such as we used Gin times past) to freeze ice cream with. The French, it seems, do not go in for pastry much. I've never seen Q pie or cake in France. This may or may not be due to the war. In- .asmuch as I've never been in France in a time of peace Pm in no position to say.
 We'll, it's "mess" time, so will call this letter to an abrupt halt. Trust ing this finds you in the best of health, I beg to remain, as ever,
 Your loving grandson,
 HOWARD. Address Corporal Howard W Hart,
 Co. D." 117th Engineers,
 Annex Forces.
 p. S.-Please excuse this hand writ ing-it's natural. H. w. H.