The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-07

man smile Christmas eve we were &c
miles up the Moselle river on that pom
toon bridge, but came down last Sat
urday and have been busy getting or
ganized here since. This is rather
pretty little town, right on the banks
of the Rhine. The street running up
to the river front is pretty, lots of
small hotels dotted here and there. ]
imagine it is. as pretty as a picture in
the summer time when the river is low
grass green and foliage out. The boys
are all so anxious to get home now that
nothing looks very good. There ism I
even good rulnor about our coming
back. Guess we are stuck until the
conference gets going at least and then
you will get word in the home papers
of those to return before we will.
You never saw anyone so isolated in
your life as we are. Not a daily paper
or anything. All we know is where to
90 to draw rations and follow the drill
schedule. Do these two things well and
YOU keep out of trouble and usually in
good health | have lost three men
since coming on this trip, all from the
"fu' or kindred symptoms. A shame
after what we went through back in
France to have a man go off on a pic
ME trip like this. But they marched
dav after day, wet feet, sleeping on
floors, haymows and everywhere, it
is wonder more did not 90, perhaps /
had one good touch of cold back at
Frier Germany, the second day on
German soil, but we stayed there for
four days waiting for the rest of the
allies to come up into line SO had
time to fight it off. In all there have
been probably 90 or 80 men drop of
with it in the regiment. One company
had so men down fat at one time, thai
was back in Luxembourg. We lost one
officer, a lieutenant, just before the arm
istice was signed. A shame, a fine
young chap just simply went down
and out.
Christmas eve we had a little party
Just the officers of the company, piano
in the house and very good time. Last
night there wasn't very much doing
Christmas evening the regiment had q
Cristmas tree lighted. band concert and
speech by the colonel but being here
we missed it. Guess they had a good
time. Last night the Y. NJ. c. A. gave
out a little can of jam, good face
towel and some writing material. The
| face towel comes handy, linen is very
very scarce and expensive. Just com
non rough stuff a dollar yard. They
sure are short on some stuff. All kinds
of fats, butter, lard, etc. This ism 3
| farming town so not many cows, hence
no milk, butter or cheese man car
buy.
These poor Dutehmen are out o.
luck in great many ways. Have t
give up their rooms for a bunch O
soldiers, move all of their truck out o.
shed for q company kitchen or store
house, and yet there never is an,
trouble. They understand only too wei
| why we are here and of course the
| ian figure out that it is for their owl
| good to do what is asked of them
But they do more than that, the,
have done hundreds of little things 70
me personally that shows they are a
least sorry for me if they do not low
me or mine. In this house there is tn
mother, perhaps 10, three daughter
from 10 to Is, father a doctor TIL
first evening she came in and intro
duced herself and said few words
bringing in the girls who could say
few words of English. Last evening
she brought in a large glass dish o
cookies, home made. Tonight when
came in from retreat she had a eliot
on the table and pot of coffee, hi
nlate of waffles. You know what the
are, just like pancakes only holes
the top. Not having any maple syru
in my bedding roll / ate them with but
ter-a pretty way to eat a pancak
The coffee is some | gave them so c
course that was real, theirs is a
roasted corn, but not so bad at tina
Apparently there is no i'll feeling her
One little damsel, where one of the of
GERS slept in the last town, insisted thu
she "hated all Americans but woul
do everything for him. When he lei
she asked him to come lack when Il
war is over, but not now because he
her enemy. So ii goes, lots of funn
+ little things happening every day, mo-
amusing to us being "on top tina
J they "the under dog" l wrote abol
= the price of those potatoes / got, bl
: was mistaken Got to thinking abol
it and decided it was one of those sto
les that man won't believe if he tel
4 himself. | found we got only half
many bushels as | thought making
; price of about 20 cents a bushel. B
{ that is cheap at that
. Was kind of glad to get off tn
darned bridge The thing was five hu
, dred and FIVE feet long and rippil
. old current.
HUGH.