The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-02-06
LETTER FROM LIEUT.. sHAKIE.
FORD

| LETTER FROM LIEUT.. 6HAKIE.
FORD
The following letter from Lieut..
ShaklCford. nephew OF Mrs. May 8.
Johnson. formerly of Logan and Ivan.
hoe, but now OF Toilette, Texas, will
be read with interest.
November 18th. 1918.
Dearest Wife and Folks:---
Will only take time to scratch off a
few lines tonight. as II Is 10:15 D. m.
tBy the way. II Is about s O'Clock in
Omaha. and is twenty-five O'Clock
and fifteen minutes" here. The day
starts here at midnight and time is
counted as though the hands OF the
clock made only one revolution in
"a hours)
We arrived here Mt about o'clock
this afternoon Us o'clock) after hav-
ing spent days on the road. The
men rode in box cars, and we officers
rode in second class day coaches in
the day time and slept on the floor of
freight cart at night. 1t was hard
riding. but the most wonderful
trip person could imagine. IT
would take volume to tell you about
all of the things I have seen, and !
won't attempt to here. but IL was
just like stepping into a fairy tale.
have travelled through and we are
| now in the most beautiful part Of
France. Are billeted in typical
French village In what was within
sound of the big guns, and am quar-
tered in the upstairs front room Of
the majors house. About 25 miles
from here Is a city almost as large as
Omaha. where I stayed last night and
| occupied the first really good bed l
have been in since lett home. Such a
wonderful night! They were cele-
brating the signing of .he armistice
with Germany, rs only the French
was delericus with joy land wine)
flags were flying everywhere, the
| lights were turned on for the first
time IN four years and the streets
and cafes were crowded with people
singing, shouting and weeping all at
| the same time. American soldiers,
especially the officers, are lionized
here, and wherever one appeared
| there were cries of "F'inis lie guerre!
Nive l. Americaine!" to which
would reply with equal fervor, "Vive
la France!" Then would be grabbed
and kissed by men aud women (not
all old ones either) and we would all
join in singing the -Marsellaise. Well,
as I said before. II was wonderful
night, and was very sorry to have
TO drag your little petite Lieuten-
ant" whom you told me to take good
care of Off to our hotel shortly be-
fore midnight.
How wish you could come over
here and see some of the things
have seen. / don't blame the rich
Americans for coming over here and
spending their money touring this
country. Our train just rambled
around all over France and apparent
ly stopped wherever the train crew
took notion to stop, and stayed
there until they had all made up their
minds that it was time to GO little
farther. I have wandered around
through the quaintest little villages
you could imagine, and also seen sew
eral good sized cities. Haven't been
in the real war zone at all, but day
before yesterday ! saw famous
cathedral and today we passed some
Notifications that were originally
built by Julis Caeser. We have passed
through several tunnels, one of which
must have been about five miles long
Today we passed through the most
beautiful mountain scenery j have
ever looked at.
We haven't a sick man in the COM
pany and have only had two cases OF
drunkenness since we left the
States. ! still have my old job, but
don't exepct to keep II more than a
week longer, as II has been customary
to send all OF the officers away Ia
school about as soon as they arrive
in this country. Tomorrow I will
, have to go over to the next village
; where there is big camp and make
; my journal report to the command
, ing officer. A balloon company just
; moved out of here, and we have mos'
of our equipment, SO expect to have
| q balloon in the air by tomorrow af
! ternoon. ! am underscribably dirty
, haven't shaved for two days, an
awfully tired. but otherwise am al
} right. On the table in my room
, found an Omaha Bee dated Sept. 10tf
the first one / have seen in months
: Haven't heard from you since
. left the States. SO haven't the faintes
Y idea whether you are dead or alive
D Am hoping that you and George go
: over the influenza all right, and tina
r everybody Is well and happy. An
hoping there will be some mail wait
ing for me when 60. over to the BIZ
t camp tomorrow. The general i'm
preston among the American officer
! whom have seen is that most Of u
: will be back in the States in 81,
I months. What relief 1t will be Il
D cross the ocean again in decen
{ weather and not have to be guarded
a by battleships and destroyers an,
close all the port holes at o'clock Il
Y the evening. Will have something l.
: tell you about that too when I &c
home.
e With lots OF love to everybody
l especially yourself and little Pidgeol
a Toe. / am
2 vn,,r husband