The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-14
LETTERS FROM -
SOMEWHERE"
IN FIR A CE
Wanderers, France,
20 November, 1918.

Dearest Mother:
Just finished wiping the supper
dishes, and it was a real supper too,
cooked by ourselves.
This town was entirely deserted
when We arrived with the exception
OF some negro troops who left upon
our arrival, and, of course, we were
billeted in the best of the ruined
houses.
Very little of the contents Of the
homes We're taken by the inhabitants,
as suppose they were fortunate in
escaping with their lives. We ar
ranged everything until we hove a
very cozy home. Sgt. Void and l
have a room to ourselves, which has
big beautifully designed fireplace
Of marble, wardrobe, French bed
heaped to the ceiling with feather mat
tresses and pillows, large easy chairs,
and everything. We also put in use
enough dishes to set our table, and
II you'd see our table complete
you'd surely be envious of us.
The first day upon our arrival, l
went into the garden, beautifully laid
out. and picked jardinaire full OF
chrysanthemums, large red, yellow
and white ones, and placed them OH
a pretty little table in our room. 1t
surely looked beautiful. The frost
now has killed everything.
Lots OF the preserved fruits and
vegetables of the French are still
here, and we surely make use Of it.
We have cherry pie, mirablle jam, and
fresh string beans, peas, etc, so we
are now well fed. Suppose an order
will come soon telling us to move to
another town, and then we will be out
Of luck. G5 @
Wear now allowed to mention the
name 6f our town, and letters are not
censored so I'll be able to tell you
definitely where I'm at Wanderers is
about half way between Metz in Lor..
raine and Pont a Mousson in France.
Lorraine formerly belonged to Ger
many, but it will now be French. Metz
was one of the most strongly forti.
fled towns in Europe, and the 'Ameri-
cans didn't attempt to take it by she'll
ing. but surrounded it in order to
starve the Germans out. OF course,
the armistice was signed before this
happened, and the Germans were com.
PEELED to leave.
The Germans surely have riddled
these towns with shells. Every home
seems to be a wreck. The second and
third floors entirely gone or in ruins
and the first full of shell holes.
j Tomorrow Sunday Sgt. Void. my
seld and others are going to take q
hike to nearby town (don't know its
name) which is situated on the sum
mite of a large hill, and a big castle
is the most conspicuous object. They
say this village was shelled the worse
Of any and it is completely in ruins.
Norroy, where we first billeted when
arriving up in this section was also
badly shelled. I'm sure told you
about it in my letter before.
We were also billeted at Arnaville,
where oily certain section was shell
ed. We had excellent billets. Supt.
Wold's and my room was luxurious.
I'm writing this on stationery found
in German Captains trunk at Nor
row He left in such a hurry that he
left his iron cross which a German
thinks the world of.
They also found his helmet, which
surely is beauty. It is made OF
patent leather, decorated profusely
with brass. shined to finish.
I understand the sick and wounded
will soon be leaving for America. I've
heard the SSth division would leave