The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-02-04
LETTERS FROM
SOMEWHERE"
IN FIR A N CE
FROM sERGT. JOHN q. RHUO.
Wanderers Near .Metz)


Lorraine, 81 November, 1913.
My Dear Mr.. Marks:
At last the censor has repented his
wrong doings. and lifted tho censor
ship of letters a trifle to enable US
to give our present Whereabouts ana
what we are doing.
II remember correctly, last wrote
YOU while we were stationed at Ell
bach, Alsace. We had a very excit-
ing stay in this little village. as ear
oplanes were wont to have daily spats
above US. The ,Boche just couldn't
stay away from our village. and &C
cordingly we gave him many hot re-
ceptions, compelling him to come
down and visit us a couple Of times
during our stay. w .i.ea..
1t was here we had our first taste Of
LaGuerre l. was trying to amuse my
self in the only way in Elbach, 4. e..
writing letters when all hell broke
lose. ! assure you it was mighty en-
citing and when after an hours dura'
ton, I was mighty glad that they
were content with what they had CIV
en- Fritz 1t was SOME bonlbardment.
We leisurely made our way north
stopping week at Menon Court, and
finally reached the vicinity of Metz,
where we were to participate in one OF
the big drives, in fact, we were ready
to move and while at Troussey'sur-
Mouse on November II, 1918. we re-
ceived the official notice of the sign
ing of the armistice, and accordingly
our plans were changed.
fh1,, Interesting
night hike to Pagny near Toul, and
enjoyed week resting, which means
according to revised A. r., drill 'em
like ELL" 1t was at Pagny we were
serenaded by French band, and as
it was very long time since any of
us had heard a band, the strains Of
Star Spangled Banner God Save the
King, the Marseillaise, and other al
lied national hymns was a God send
to us. 81 They 8 also gave us some
French rag and came to close with
when Madelon' the very popular
French soldiers song.ihra, art
l remember the first time | heard
it sung. 1t was in wine shop at
Phaffans, where dozen or more
French ayiators@ were assembled
around their Vin1rouge. All of sud-
den a violinist appeared, and struck
up when Madelon." The rich melo-
dious voices of the. aviators in
grand ensemble just, thrilled, us and
we held our breath until the end.
~ Another feature Of the samea even
ing was the Sabot dance by the bar
maid, a tres belle mademoiselle, so
petite" and graceful, and her lover.
The clatter of the ctbots inisstrict
rythm and the merry laugh Of the
dancers produced an effect that would
put Pavlowa or St. Denis to shame
From Pagny we hiked to Moray,
beautiful little Moray, sparkling on
the hill tops" The sight of this little
village when first saw it will always
be wildly remembered
The Germans had shelled the viii
lage at the outbreak of the war, and
had occupied it up to the Sunday be-
fore our arrival when the American
boys shelled Hades out of Fritz.
Moray is pathetic ruin, every
building home, and the pretty. village
church are like unto Calander for
holes, The Hun Kultur was we'll ex-
semplified In the ruin and pillaging of
the church. An ugly she'll hole thru.
the chancel,ssA and the bursting of
shell within was bad enough, but not
content with that they decapitated the
saints in statuary and in the base re.
lief and scattering the contents of the
CONTINUED on Page Six.)