Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1919-02-06
Lodging Free and Making Money.

Sergt. Bottomer's letter was dated
Nice, France, and in part is as follows:
Lodging Free and Making Money.
"Here am taking advantage of Uncle
Sans hospitality by accepting his res
penses paid and the generosity of the
Y. M. G. A. by leasing for the American
eXpeditiOnary forces. members a most
beautiful casino built on a pier. l have
been here since Christmas eve and Ger
tainly have been enjoying myself, but
the best part is that / have been making
money.
I'VE are the only American jazz in
Nice and we are just as much in de-
mand as Mr. and Mrs. Castle were about
five years ago. The first night here we
played on the pier, passed around the
hat and cleaned up 400 francs Give
francs to an American dollar). Christ
mas night we played at a hotel from
o'clock until 10 and made 175 francs.
andNthen we played at the officers club,
we pulled in 500 francs, OF $40 for each
man. Friday night an officer wanted me
TO play for little dinner party from
to 8 O'Clock for IS francs, which l ac-
cepted
feel honored when l think of tive
played in the Municipal Casino of Nice.
a handsome place where they have
French opera singers and talented musi-
cal artists. After talking to four mana
gers with our line of French we decided
to play from $3.50 to 10:30 between two
acts. for $50 francs. Well. it was not so
much the money as it was just to say
that we played there
At $3.50 we entered the casino, which
was crowded with many allied officers
French, british, Italian, American and
Belgian. The women were handsomely
dressed. There were good many
Frenchmen dressed in civilian clothes
and when we entered, oh. boy. we did
get a hand. We were ushered up on a
marble platform surrounded by palms
and ferns, and around the platform were
many tables. 1t is hard to describe it.
/ only wish 1 could have taken a snap
shot of our little jazz bunch in such
celebrated place.
And Then the Dance Began.
about GAS we tore up Dark Town
Shutters Bali at one>Step time. Chairs
were pushed back, tables were piled
high and sure enough the jaZZing began.
We only played about three epieces on
account of so many encoreS. To make
a long story short, we simply had the
people wild over us.
IAN amusing incident occurred at the
Officers Club. They have contracted
for French orchestra of four pieces
and they play beautifully. Our second
night there they were told to watch us
play and get the idea of how to play
dance music. Can you imagine bunch
like this teaching an artist on the violin
how to keep time?
This is a great place. only ten miles
from the principally of Monaco, ruled
by Prince Albert /. In this little place
is located Monte Carlo, the famous gam
bling casino, and, believe me, it is some
place.
81 took the boys there by automobile.
Monaco has population of 10000, with
an army of twenty men. 1 also went
through the place. Oh, boy! nuf sed,
and when I went through the beautiful
throne room where the prince receives
his guests can you imagine me falling
fiat out on the hardwood floor. My hob
nails caused my ruin. I felt terrible.
It's an honor to fall down in front of
the rulers throne and everybody gig
gled. IT'S good thing the kink'
wasn't there. he might have been much
abashed that should have fallen like a
silly ass -