Norwich bulletin., 1919-02-18
SOLDIERS AND SAILORS
Met Andrew Avery in Arqonne

in the 32nd division, Q. M. C., men tons meeting Norwich boy, Leut. Andrew Avery, in the Argonne forest ln letter written home by Lumsden on on Jan. l5 from Wienan, Germany. The letter follows:
 Wed, Jan. 5, 1919
 Wienan, Germany.
 Dear Friend:-I was beginning to wonder whether my mail had all sunk in the ocean, as I had not received | any since Dec. 3Oth, except lonely | postcard, until today when 1 got ! three, including yours of Dec. 22nd i The mail has habit of coming in 1 bunches-not quite so pleasant as | general delivery, but of course well ! come, just the same.
 l have not seen or heard of Lieut. i Andrew Avery since 1 met him in the Argonne forest in France.
 Everything is moving along quietly Tn thls place. We are doing the same old things, loading rations, bling wood. shovelling coal and all manner Of interesting pursuits. We often flnlsh at noon for the day, as the load ing of rations is our regular job the other things are occasional extra ! work. The weather continues the same, except at one time we had three whole days with only one shower. It IS very warm for the season here, ana we have had no lasting snow. l spend my spare time in walking or staying in the house reading, writing or sewing on buttons. 1 have been 1 living very comfortably in the spare room of huose in Wienan, but working in Dierdorf northeast of Coblenz. My landlord treats me very well. He gave me a bed, a stove l with wood to burn and a pillow, and occasionally some warm milk and | things to eat. The German population | IS extremely friendly to us men; it is hard to recall that we were throwing things at each other shortly. They ev- ldently realize that any mischief will not get them anywhere.
 The inhabitants here are all farmers and are somewhat better than the folks in the big German cities. They behave themselves well. They often beg for some of the things in our
 supply, such as rice, soap and real
 coffee and white bread which they
 have not had. Evidently their supply
 of grease went into explosives for the
 army.
 There are a few pigs and rabbits.
 The hens are always in the way on
 the street, except when they are in ; the kitchens. The cows and hens gen. orally sleep under the same roof with : the humans as tie house and stables adjoin. The hens walk up a ladder !. to their quarters on the second floor
 The people don't cultivate front lawns the main decoration is generally ( . pile of old straw or manure The wo, 5 men amuse themselves with making 9 butter and various sort of lout r cheese, Many of the men have beer drafted into the service of IGct 7 i Sam and are keeping the main r .ad Q in condition.
 ;; The only prominent building ii l l Wienan is the school house v-ner y numerous children will be taught thz = Deutschland is upter AIles rather tha1 7, uber alles, and that the kaiser is no all that is. The children carry slate
 with sponges dangling from string . attached thereto. The Germans sec :: to be very efficient in raising chi. | dren; every house is full of them : is no wonder that they can keep bi ? army.
 Everywhere on public building. g cars and engines is the ugly Prussia y eagle. But l have not seen any Ger
 man flag. 1 have had license eaoug = to take several walks in the neighbor Il hood and visited many of the village
 There are good roads in the vale.
 leading to Dierdorff, Martenfausel
 | Eaubach and Puderbach, but in th T back hills there is hardly a roa l. worthy the name. Although there a.
 many primitive villages. There al " pine woods that are practically a b black by day as by night, and ties = are hills with good views. I have nc 5 seen single horse owned by a resi n dent, trey use oxen and dOnkeys | ii draw their wagons. In my tramps d the woods l have seen numerou - deer. There are plenty of hounds i ' the village; they are inclined to ge | musical rather frequently in the n;Gf ", season and make racket like th E howlnig of a winter wind.
 ' As 1 can't talk German, and the ir n' habitants done seem to Unde~stau
 my English, I have no easy time try l,7 ing to tell them anything and by tI ni time we understand each other, u e. e information is apt to be out of dat V9' But we are gradually learning nc u; words and I suppose if 1 stayed ab9l al fifty years, I would be able 10 spea 5 German a little. But I have no Gesi1 ,u so to do. I sometimes visit the Y } iS c. A. or K. of C. at Dierdorf, but =, don't buy much, some places tal :" French money only, others only Ge
 man money. The German mar 1g5 which was worth 24 cents before u I5 Ig war, is now somewhere around eu cents in value, and is still unsteady. It There are not many things 1 wa H. to buy, except a few things I cant 8 he ford
 V I will close with best wishes to 1o my friends in Norwich, till we me -. again,
 ng Yours truly.
 GU Pvt. WALTER <. LUMSDEN,