Americus times-recorder., 1919-02-25
TWO AMERICUS
SOLDIERS SEE
MONTE CARLO

DR.. and Mrs. F. A. Thomas have just
received an interesting letter from
their son, Private John F. Thomas,
who is a member of the 308th Motor
Repair organization, and who at pres
ent, is enjoying a ten-day furlough
in France, the Principally of Manoco
Monte Carlo and other places of in
terest, in company with Dudley Gate
wood, another Americus boy, attached
to the same organization.
The letter, dated at Balmoral Pal
ace, Monte Carlo, Tuesday, Feb, 4,
follows:
Dearest Mother: Well, am al.
most filled with as much joy as if
had crossed the pond.
''It is real summer weather here
now The trees and grass are as green
as they are at home in June. We woke
up Monday morning and found our
selves at Marseilles, the second larg-
est city in France, and we came on
down here all the way, right alongside
the Mediterranean Sea with the tower
ng Alps on the other side. We passed
through a number of long tunnels un-
der these mountains en- route. | saw
some of the prettiest scenery in the
world, without doubt, and l think
this is the prettist country in the
world. 1 promenaded down to the ia
nous Monte Carlo casino here this
morning and saw some good-looking
women there. The ladies' certainly
were all well-dressed, and most of
them carried walking canes, all wear
ing white dresses and slippers.
We went to a show last night at the
Y. M. c. A, and it was splendid The
"Y'' is located in the theater here
another swell place.
We are stopp ng at the Balmoral
Palace, and it is no joke to refer to
the hotel as palace. 1t is positively
the most equisite place l ever enter
ed, everything being in marble, with
fine fixtures of solid mahogany. We
get real good meals, too. | would give
anything just to be able to put my
thoughts into words, but | am like a
fellow who is in love-words fail me
whenever 1 attempt to tell about the
beauty and magnificence of this place.
We are going to show in the ca
sino at 2:30 this afternoon We want
to see the big wheel of fortune go
around once, and that is the only
chance we may have of seeing it.
1 was looking at the palace of the
Prince of Monaco from the dining
room window few minutes ago. He
sure has swell-looking palace, and
we intend going up there tomorrow.
We also want to go over on the bOr-
der of Italy one day. Sightseeing
busses leave here every day for that
region, and we anticipate no trouble in
getting there and back.
Most of the people here speak En-
glish and lot of them speak four and
five different languages. l will have
had a varied experience, certainly,
and will have enough to tell you for
the next six months after my return
home. This trip alone is worth ten
thousand dollars to any one in it's
educational value. l saw my first olive
trees yesterday. They are real pret-
ty, but had rather look at the orange
trees, which are now in bearing here
We had oranges with green leaves on
them at dinner.
We are getting back into the habits
of civilization again, eating our meals
off a real tablecloth, with actual, hon
est-to-g goodness china and silver In
other words, this place is like its
uame-it is palace instead of ho-
tel, and l think must have sunk about
three feet into that good old feathel
bed last night"
The letter concludes with a gener-
Gus thought of friends and compan-
ions at home, and the hope expressed
that the writer soon may be home
again