Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1918-09-04
HENRY BELSCAMPER
WRITES Of LIFE IN
WAR-TORN FRANCE
France, Rest Camp, Aug. 5. Is

France, Rest Camp, Aug. S, Is.
Dear Folks at Home:-
Received your most welcome letter
last night just as | arrived at rest
camp. A rest will be great but I
really don't know just how long it
Will be. We are located in a nice
Quiet place and am now enjoying it
after what I've seen.
saw some great sights. Ruins.
there is no limit! Churches, beauti-
IuI homes, club houses, etc., are.
wrecked. Would like to have been
through here before the war. The
french must have been a ~peace-lov-
ing people.
vas down town talking some
french M. P.'s the other evening and
they were all soldiers. Most of them
had been in the service for fifteen or
twenty years. They had two clowns
with them who were also military po-
lice. If | could be around soldiers
IKE o could soon learn French.
In a little town near the top of a
hill, | saw a beautiful mansion, or
chateau as the French call it. At
least it once was beautiful. This was
a two story structure with a large
attic and nice cellar which was en-
tirely covered with glass. The main
living rooms were once wonderful.
Beautiful hand paintings and draw
lngs were in all rooms. There were
books in great quantities and in one
room was a Grand piano and fire.
place. The piano was standing in a
corner above which a high explosive
she'll had struck but didn't injure the
instrument in the least. 1t was in
line tune and we had several con-
certs while there. There were large
trunks filled with high class music
but had been broken by the Germans
and a great deal of it destroyed as
many other things were.
The fireplace was also decorated
with hand paintings. The old andir-
ons were there and a large mantel
with a fine clock perched in the cen
ter.
Upstairs was a large library and
pool hall. In a room leading from
this library vas a studio for print
ing pictures, etc. In another room off
the hall were trophies of hunts and
this man was evidently a sportsman
as he had fishing tackle of all de-
scriptions.
The house was electric lighted by
a power plant in the basement Tie
light fixtures swung from the cen-
ter of the rooms and were wonderful,
too elaborate to describe.
| could tell you many other things
but would need a bale of paper, I
have seen nothing SC wonderful as
some of these chateaus. They are all
enclosed, gardens with fountains,
flower beds, fine ~driveways, and US
ually a rock wall around them which
was built for protection.
/ have been on the battlefield of
the Marine where the struggle took
place The Germans sure left lots
of guns and ammunition in their re-
treat. They certainly went some and
| guess they are going yet. The
Marine river is beautiful and the
towns along it were quiet villages
once pon a time. The river is very
wide az Platte river.
CLYDE is .. X. We are together al
most every day. One NOR ing we
went down to an old house and there
found a spring bed. We lay down
and slept until dinner time. We could
not miss that. 1t was almost as good
as at home.
Just received some good war news
this a. M, but cannot tell you. Would
sure like TO. There arc lots of other
things I would like to tell but CAN'T
so guess / will call it quits for this
Henry ]. Belscamper-.