The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-08-30
SOLDIERS LETTERS
French Republic, Aug. 4, 1918.
LNnsn

French Republic, Aug. 4, 1918,
Dear Friends:
You know, by heck, you can't
imagine how hard it is for one who
Is not accustomed to it to write
letters for the perusal of that highly
essential and worthy gentleman the
censor. Here I've been sitting for
the past half, hour trying to get
started on note to you. | think of
| something to say that believe would
! be of interest, but no sooner do
transfer my mind to the paper that
it looms up like an electric search
light as something that should GER
tainly not be said in view of the
censorship regulations, and l must
rack my brain for something else.
Well, here we are at last in the
famous country of France, an6 set
tied down in one of these villages
like We used to read about last year
in LES Miserables." We have here
everything needed for setting the
stage for "Gray's Elgy:" A young
Fellow named Roberts and | were
walking down the road one night re-
Gently, when I happened to think of
this old poem, and it happened that
just at that moment the whole thing
was acted out just right. The cur
few tolled the knell of parting day."
whereupon the 'plowman" appeared
only in this case it was 'plow-
woman and we had the lowing
herd" and all the rest. AS for "ivy-
mantled towers and owles. we have
plenty of these-so you see the scene
was quite complete. But it's not
necessary for me to give you any
further description of the place
just open up any Of Hugo's books at |
the steenth page and you will find |
this village described better than l
could possibly do.
But must tell you about the in
insofar as the worthy CEN
sor will permit. You know the
European farmer, unlike our Ameri-
can of the same species, is lover
of companionship. Instead of living
out on the farm like our rustics do |
these people all live in villages and |
go out to the farms in the morning
and come in at night. Their living
establishments also differ consider
ably from ours, in that they have
the barn and the chicken house and
the hay lotto say nothing of the
manure pile-right handy the
house. Whatever might be said of
this arrangement from the view
point of sanitation, it's certainly
handy, as all said farmer has to do
is step out of the drawing room door
and he finds himself in the COW shed,
and few steps more brings him into
the kitchen-all of which does away
with unnecessary walking.
Our trip over was rather unevent-
full. Fritz" and his little subma-
rine which has made him so famous
was not to be seen, and we crossed
the ocean without even getting look
at submarine. The weather was
fine all the way-in fact, it was just
like going on a Sunday school picnic.
We were all tremendously glad to
see land again, after seeing nothing
but water for SO many days, but just
link of how much more pleased we
will be when we see the coast of the
United States on our return trip.
That's the principal subject Of all
conversations in quarters when we
get back to the United States"-it
'anks next to discussions about the
'o0d, which of course is the most
thing and must be discus
led more than anything else. Every
body is in good spirits and health
ho, and as for myself, I wouldn't