Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1919-01-10

can troops on their arrival in one Of
these villages; cleaning it up. was
billetted in many Of these places the
first three months after reaching this
Our beds were always in
the hay lofts.
There is however, in the larger
towns, quite a difference. There
we see some Of the prettiest homes
(Chatteaus) centuries old, and we'll
kept. The streets are wider with
etc. There are very few
places in all Of France that can be
classed as cities, rarely ever see a
building more than three stories. /
have been over large part of the
country and ! have only seen one
new building in course of erection,
but / have seen thousands torn to
pieces, many places where there was
only a chimney or wall or two to
mark where once were towns. OF
course this was in the war zone. In
all the villages, towns or cities the
principal building or interest is the
church or cathedral. I'll tell you
more about these places sometime.
Water don't know whether you
mean the drinking water or the
streams and rivers. Anywhere you
go provided the Germans haven't
been there ahead of you and pois-
Oned it, the drinking water is simply
fine, drawn from deep wells and is as
cold as ice water the year round and
in almost every place there is a
fountain with "Joan of Arc" statue
where both stock and people can
drink. The whole country is net
work almost of streams (all called
rivers) and along some of them is the
most beautiful scenery ! have ever
seen, winding in and out among the
hills and lined with tall pine trees.
They all abound with fish. The water
is clear and in summer time there
are many fine swim ling places and l
sure did enjoy them but it is too cold
for anything like that now. Where
these rivers run through the towns
you find boats, etc., for pleasure.
Flowers-there are lots of flowers
over here, roses, geraniums, Il don't
know whether that word is spelled
correctly or not) but the principal
flower is kind of wild flower some
thing like the golden rod. You may
go to any French home and you will
either find bunch of these or a pot
of geraniums sitting in the window.
Trees-There aren't many big for
ests, mostly hedges and thickets, but
when you do strike a forest it sure
is pretty place. / believe there is
more beech than any other kind of
tree unless it is poplar.
Roads-There is another thing for
which France is noted One can go
for miles and never make turn on
roads that would do credit to most
any American city. On both sides
are lined big poplar trees, all trim
med evenly and meeting over the
center which make fine shade, gives
one the impression of passing under
an arch. 1t is almost a pleasure to
hike along these roads, even with q
big heavy pack on your back; on
both sides you can see things to in
terest you.
People-Now there is a subject l
don't know how to deal with. They
are a strange people and at the same
time they are wonderful people.
/ can't understand them. | will tell
you first of the young people (girls
of course). They are pretty, almost
every one of them. l heard of one
fellow describing them this way.
"They aren't much on par lez vooing
English but they can shake your hand
and smile like H"
/ guess the most noticeable feature
is the extreme old age to which the
people live. | see more who are over
80 than any other age. don't know
this is due to the bread, the
water or to the wine. have heard
all three had something to do with
it but | am inclined to think it is
the wine. They sure do drink lots
of it. Their customs are like their
age, "old-timey', it seems the pro-
gressive age hasn't reached France
yet.
The soldiers however in my opin-
ion are the greatest in the world, aD-
fearless and the best discip-
lined | have ever seen, their eff
cheney has never been questioned and I
am glad to have fought beside |
them. The civilians classed as a
whole are very friendly and accomo-
dating toward US Americans but
nevertheless they are affected with
~ 49,. NJ IL II ,, |