The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1918-10-05

and came TO the camp where l an
writing. The docks were themselve:
wonderful. A train was there wait
ing for US andNwe got on It. Iht
] railroads were a great surprise tt
lme. The engines are very small. Small
| Ter in fact than the little engines
which sometimes pull the pay trains
at home. Later / saw some Whlcf
were larger, but they were still very
| small compared to ours. The passeng.
er coaches were as / had pictured
| them, having compartments that seal
six to eight people depending or
whether it is first second or thiro
class. They are very nice except that
| there are no conveniences such as
| water, lavatories etc.
The trip naturally was slow as
are all troop trains either here or al
home. The scenery and the people
were wonderful, but | will allude to
that late-. The big surprise came
when | saw the freight cars. Surely
trought | there must be mistake.
| Those little cars cannot carry their
freight. But as they continued along
the line in a continual string l de-
eided thew were the standard freight
cars. The capacity was marked as
ten tons and the little Wheies were
a rim of iron and iron spokes Utmost
like truck wheels. In size they looked
little longer than the big five ton
trunk that We have at home. Peculiar
as they look they surely must deliver
the goods. The little. coal cars were
the same, and on the way we passed
some sheep cars of which you no
doubt have read. Quaint and curious:
There are no sign boards scattered
over the countryside to mark the
natural beauty. Every thing is spick
and span. Not a piece of trash or
Aying paper anywhere. Every avail
able foot of ground under cultivation
Passing thru the towns every back
ward tho as small as postage stamp
had it's little garden. Passing thru
some of tho towns we were elevated
and could look down into the houses
end yards and it was most Impressive.
The houses never seem to end. They
ara all brick and have slate roofs,
and are built together as one house.
Sometimes in the suburb they would
continue for blocks without beng
separated as tho they had all been
built at the same time.
But the most impressive thing OF
all was the reception we got as we
PASSED thru the towns. 1t seemed as
tho they knew we were coming ana
were out with flags, big and small,
American and English, and waved
and shouted. Our flag was seen on
many a post and pole in many in
stances alone and in other with the
British flag. The tri-color was also
conspicuous. From every house they
thronged; on every street they coulo
be seen running from every direction
to see US. And young and old, (tnere
were no males to be seen of eligible
age) seemed drunk with joy. They
yelled and waved and acted more like
4 baseball crowd after the home
team had scored the tying run than
any crowd | have ever seen. Old
women waved and the children ran
and jumped and yelled, One old man
came out of bar room and held up
a glass of beer, waved and than drank
TO our health. 1t was thrilling. | have
seen the crowds at home, l have
marched with bands playing, f1ags
aving and crowds cheering, but
never has it seemed so heartfelt, so
sincere, so spontaneous as that eX-
hibited by these people who nave
endured so much and who are facing
so much more with the bravest pos
sible front.
In the fields on the way there
were many sheep and quite bit OF
cattle. Mutton, as you know, is the
great national dish. For my part they
can have it. On the way there was
an airplane doing all kind OF fancy
stunts in the air. Looked very pretty
and graceful. Again we saw some
German prisoners. They were very
meek looking and seemed satisfied
with their lot.
When we arrived at the place
where we were to detraln 1T was
raining slightly. The town is old and
ouaint-but more about it later. we
lined up and marched thru the town
with the people gazing. The streets
wero narrow and the buildings small
but substantial. The rain continued
and We were beginning to get wet.
Then we came to small hill and Went
up. Finally after about three-miie
walk and just before dark, with a
steady English drizzle we arrived
in camp. We fixed the men in build
ings which are small SO that our men
occupied several buildings and ate
the supped provided. Last nignt l
gent over to the officers ana
had a good, hot fresh water shower
the first since 1 left Dix.
Havo read several of tbs big Lon
don dailies and see that beer is TO
go, that the draft age is to be raised. eSi.
and Boston has won two and Chi
one game. When l left DIX" Harris
on had Vardaman, beaten according
to the papers, but as it was only the
second day the country vote may
have changed the result. Let me
know. These papers are another sur
prise. Some have four and some sis
pages and the sheets are about the
size of the Sovereing Visitor, bu,
| thev are telling the good old tale OF