Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-06-13
LETTER FROM FRANCE Limit sale OF SUGAR
Soldier Tells of Life as He Finds 1t
In the Land Where var is Raging.

In the Land WherC W aE 10 Aash'S'
Readers of The Gazette and espe-
cially: those who have soldier boys II
France, will be interested IN the fol
lowing letter, written to Mr.. and Mrs
George D. Hopkins, of this city, bJ
Private C. ]. Newig, who is ''some-
where over there"
I am making just as many copies
of this letter as | possibly can fot
it has been more than week since
| have had an opportunity to write
and it may be some time before
shall have another chance.
Today is Sunday, May 5th, "Moth-
er's Day." and as our captain IS a
very conscientious man he has given
the company the day off.
| have been in this country for a
little more than a month, and have
no complaint whatsoever to offer. |
have seen whole lot, at least I think
have, of France, and have lived in
two camps as well as in a barracks
located in desirable spot Of a fair
sized city. The boys have received
a pay day; and although it lasted but
couple of days, they surely "lived"
while it lasted, for =c that time they
enjoyed all the liberties a person in
the army could wish for. To be
given liberty after approximately six
months of confinement in the U. 5.
they naturally were all travelling
men when they were let loose.
We are now located quite a way
from a city, or even respectable
sized town, but if the boys haG the
"wherewith" they would find little diff
fculty in spending it, for an Ameri-
can must look like walking gold
mine to the natives and every farm
house is small "cafe"
AS for the country, it is beautiful.
All buildings are cf stone, and the
masonry is something to be admired;
the farms are very small but are well
taken care of by the women, and
have beautiful hedges around them IN
place of wire and board fences. The
interior finishing of the average farm
home is ALI of Stone, and one feels
as though he was in neatly kept
basement" when he walks into one,
for the rooms, generally, have very
little wooden furniture. The most
beautiful edifce I have ever seen in
nv life, and something more beauti-
full than I could imagine, was ca
thedral. 1t is very old building and
must have taken century to build it.
AS for the French people, l can
only say that they are good looking
lot. for an enlisted man has chance
to meet only the lower class and a
few peasants. and the impression he
NAV get may be altogether wrong.
4 Most every one in the army carries
IN ,English-French dictionary. and
hyen then it seems harder for we fell
ows to "get by than for the Dagoes
Vim America About two weeks ago
we were camped near river and |
wanted to purchase some fishing
tackle. I'll bet that l was steered
into every kind of business place
from a "hockshop" to cafe. but l
finally did get few hooks.
1t has been raining all day, and
mcst of the fellows are using the
opportunity to write to those at home
Harry Tubbs is some fifty miles
from here. and the last | heard OF
him he was sick in hospital with
the munps. don't expect that Harry
and I shall ever get together again
unless by accident.
| should like TO tell you where
am but cannot. nor is there anything
else that | know of that would be at
all interesting.
P. S.-Give my kind regards to the
Howells and the Hasletts if you
should see any of them, and please
lot me know if you receive this letter.