The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1918-06-20

showed what we commonly call be-
ing up-to-date. The most common
sign across any French, city's shop
and everywhere along the hlgnWaSs
that vine is sold within, for, we
must remember the Frenchman
drinks light wines instead OF water.
The people present comlcal appear,
ance in their wooden or mop nalled
shoes and peculiar caps. Nhen one
suddenly hears a clatter as horses
ed for it's only the children wood
faces and clothing, he would think
he had fallen among gang OF our
cities street gamins. The majority
of men are of elderly appearance,
the younger being in the army-and
are in mourning with some eScep-
lions. The common, dress OF the
Young girls between fourteen ana
twenty is that of home girls in their
household or factory gowns, but on
Sundays all come out, IN parade
dress" of great dissimilarlty. II the
opportunity ever comes to secure a
picture of a representative group OF
natives, | will be sure to send some
of them home as better explanation
shan words.
When we entrained at port for
this camp our American Pullman &C
Communications were forgotten. About
forty men were crowded onto eight
long seats in a small box car not over
tWentv-five feet in length with
scarcely elbow room for the number
of men without equipment. So you
can imagine how uncomfortable we
we're and it was almost impossible
to sleep for any length of time a.
night. Yet we managed to endure
1,n Irn
But oh, when | turned in my bunk
with a bed-sackful of hay under my
bones, ! imagined that | was IN a
bed Of down until the rain found it's
way through the roof into my face;
But now the roof has been recovered
and gravel spread over the bare
ground floor of the barracks, two
SibIey camp stoves installed to drive
out the dampness and a mess hall
with tables erected to have protec-
ion from the elements OF meals
Without using the barracks for, a
dining room. And we are glad to
escape these elements at meals and
first few days the mud was ankle
deep around the camp buildings on
account of the persistent daily show
ers and cIoudiness, then after few
days of sunshine the ground was as
hard as brick, but once again pre-
caution must De Gmplcyeu WniiS
walking to work or one will find
himself sitting in about two inches
of slime and water resulting from
almost five days of mists, drizzles
and showers. Nevertheless. the work
progresses whether rain or shine.
So far / have not felt any ill effects
rom the weather except a cold in
the head for a few days and an in
crease of my catarrhal troubles. All
the way from Camp Dodge here |
drank coffee until l found that it
gave me heartburn. The water here
must be chemically treated for
drinking purposes and seems to be
the cause of kidney weakness among
the boys Permission is given our
soldiers in France to drink beer and
light wines. On various occasions
he consumption has been apparent
iy heavy from the number of happy
ones returning to barracks, but be-
fore morning the majority of them
must give up for this French wine
is too much. However, the next
day they are as ready for work and
accomplish as much as those not par
taking of the Commerce De Wins
wares.
Until the. last week our company
has been in quarantine aN4 i had