Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-03-05
DEBORAH Girl is
NURSE IN FRANCE:
CONTINUED from first page. ,

/
suffer for want of entertainment. Ne
have wonderful library and the
eats couldn't be better.
! Thursday-We are having a ter
rible storm today. The waves look
like mountains.
| Friday-Ye Gods, the storm was
terrible yesterday. / was awakened
about 4 a. m. with things moving
from one side of the room to the
ether; was thrown out Of bed. ]
questioned an officer later and he
told me the cargo shifted. Guess l
will stay in France too They had
to do some mighty swift work / tell
| you. They poured oil on the waves
all day. Miss Johnson, my roommate
was out on deck most of the day and
she enjoyed it, thought the waves
were beautiful. l could not see It
that way.
Friday-the thirteenth, is st
beautifully calm day. very little
rocking. was taken all through the
boat today. Went down in the engine
room, saw the big steering wheel.
kitchen, sailors dining room and
their sleeping quarters, two stories
down, also store rooms of grain,
canned goods, several hundred bags
Of Christmas mail. This ship expects
to bring back 1000 soldiers.
Today is Sunday and we are in
the Bay of Biscay. When We left
New York we expected to land at st.
Nazaire, a small port, but wireless
received today changed our course
to Bordeaux. I am glad, because
they say it is such a wonderful city.
We are in danger every minute now
on account of the mines. This boat
has three mine scrappers out, one
on each side of the boat. The COM
mander was just around and told us
to have our life preservers handy
| Che likes to scare the nurses.)
Today between the hours of and
we were allowed to talk to the
privates. / rounded up three boys
from Iowa, two from Dubuque and
one from Waterloo. enjoy talking
to these boys; in fact | would rather
talk to them than to the officers, and
do every chance l get, order or no
order.
Monday a. M. We have reached
Bordeaux. H.
! ... ..., Letter 2.
40. Thursday, Dec 10.
Dear Sister and ALI
Arrived in Bordeaux, FRANCE,
Wednesday about 5 p. m. We stayed
on board until the following day and
left the boat at 2 80 p m. Thursday.
never will forget my first day in
France. An army truck met us and
cur driver did not know the way to
the Base Hospital and lost sight of
the other trucks. We were lost for
several hours. We finally met an of.
ficer who directed us after We had
driven several miles in the country.
We are at the Base Hospital No. 6
Bordeaux for today, but expect to
move on any minute.
The weather here is terrible this
time of the year. 1t is not cold but it
rains continually. l know now why
the Red Cross gave us such heavy
shoes, raincoats, hats and rubber
boots, and l am SO glad, as we surely
would suffer if We were not prepar-
ed.
Our last days on board the ship
were wonderful. We sighted land
Sunday and travelled along the coast
from Brest until Tuesday morning.
There were hundreds of ships in the
harbor and the sight was wonderful.
Tuesday morning we went down the
river Gironde and I wish I could
describe the scenery along that
river. 1t was beautiful. The Chateaus.
grounds, trees and gardens, and +
never saw such rainbows and SO
many. The complete circle across the
sky and the reflection in the water
was beautiful. Am writing this let
ter in the Red Cross House. A
French girl is cleaning and we are
taking our first French lesson from
Ter. We may leave today for a camr
near the firing line. Will write later
p. S.-The sun is shining for
change.
| BERTHA.
| Letter 4.
| Tonnerre, France
| Jan. 21, 1919
Dear Folks and ALI
| am hack to Camu HOsDjtal No