The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-07

Tours, France, January 7, 1919.
Dear ALI
1919! How funny it seems to
write it thus. l suppose that for
week or two I'll hesitate moment
before / write it as / did just now
and then off I'll be for another year
for fair. And let's hope that it'll be
wonderful year. And all things
point to that end.
Sunday was a rainy, disagreeable
day, and outside of going up in the
Tower of Charlemange | did little
of Importance. 1t is about all that
remains of the old church of St. Mar
tin, which was destroyed in success
i've revolutions and whose site is now
marked by the impressive new church
of which | have spoken often. The
tower dates from about the year 1000.
1t is some $50 or more feet high. The
roof terrace is reached by the Gus
tomary winding stairway of stone,
deeply worn by the thousands that
have gone up and down. From the
terrace one may get a good view of
the city and look down into the court
yard where Joan of Arc is reputed
to have received her armor. l have
given up for the present the idea of
going to Orleans, for they say that
outside of statue of Joan of Arc
there is little of interest there and
think that if | can get a chance to
visit Paris | can stop off there for
an hour or two and that will be
enough. Instead l plan to put in my
Sundays for the next few weeks look
ing about this section, which possess
es some of the most interesting chat
eaux in France. may go to Chinon
next Sunday.
read in the paper that it was
20 to 80 below in Fargo, so l pre-
sumo that it must be very cold in Mil
bank too. 1t is hard for me to be-
lieve that when | daily go about with
out my overcoat except to and from
the office morning and evening. This
is surely mild climate.
Sunday evening several of US went
to a movie and were lucky enough to
, see a Charlie Chaplin film Sunday
! is great day for the French. They
go to church in the morning and
jam the cafes and theatres in the
| afternoon and evening.
Last night John and l and another
Lieutenant from Oregon went to the
Tranon to see the Argonne players
I'll quote from an announcement that
appeared on the program.
/ The Argonne Players of the Sew
enty seventh Division are a group OF
soldiers formerly professionally con-
! nected with theatredom, who were
recruited from the front lines and
gunpits, forming a permanent thea
trical unit to furnish the men in and
near the front lines with entertain
ment. Their productions were writ
ten and produced at the front in the
shell-swept areas. This, their latest
offering was written and first pre-
sented in the Argonne Forest, in g
German built theatre twentyfoul
hours after it had been wrested from
the enemy. When the players toured
the divisional circuit they actually
! played under shell fire, and it is q
fine commentary on the quality OF
the production that the performances
went on uninterrupted in these new
! ly captured theatres-even when the
shells were bursting less than hun
dred yards away. Since its Inaugural
ton the unit has offered it's perfor-
mances in every conceivable kind OF
a place-ruined cathedrals, German
theatres, tents, under ground thea
tres, chateaux, and, when nothing else
was available an open air platform
I, was erected.
AS to the show, it was just a rat
ting good vaudeville performance
Two dramatic skits, staged and acted
/ with laughable acts principally con-
cerned withe situations of army life
that we know SO we'll, formed thor
oughly enjoyable combination.
might add, too, that there was a
cellist, formerly with the New York
Symphony orchestra and an operate
tenor on the program. In fact the
77th division is made up largely of
men from New York and is known as
"New York's Own" and for their
divisional mark they have the Statue
of Liberty on their left shoulders.
the divisional circuit they actually
played under shell fire, and it is a
fine commentary on the quality of
the production that the performances