The Springdale news., 1919-01-10

The right away is all fenced in and at every crossing there is an iron gate and some one to operate it. If train is likely to be there in 30 minutes the gate will be closed But as we travelled up the line we began to see cars and engines with U. s. A. on them. They were real.
 When l was firing on the Frisco have seen engineers buy air cush- i ions and pay S5 for them, the spring | cushion that the railroad company ! built in the seat boxes wasn't good enough for them.
 In France the engineer has no seat box, and it is against the law for the engineer to sit down while the engine is in motion If you are | standing around railroad station and a Frenchman comes out. runs up and down the platform three or four times. and if you are on the track you had better move, for there is a train coming.
 We arrived somewhere along the line. A bugle sounded and We all , got off, marched short distance away and pitched tents, and stayed over night. Next morning we were billeted in an old French peasants barn. Our company was quite q distance from any other company. We were divided into platoons. The signal platoon was the largest, of course, so we got the best barn. Any 1 way.
 There was some little mistake about our rations. We came very near having to live on French scenery for i day or two. Our captain went to an old French farmer and bought four small sheep and paved $96 for them
 One guy played wise and went to a French home, bought three eggs
 and gave the lady an American dol- lar and got one Franc in change. "A franc being worth about 20 cents). But they don't know the value of, or how to count our money. We have never been short of anything to eat since that time.
 The l53rd has been in France now some time, and we are all becoming naturalized, and realize that we are in the country where the war is go- ing on. Our experience at times Is laughable, but is also educational.
 We have a time trying to talk to these people, they are very congen- ial and the most they can do for us is too little But they have their hands behind them for the francs.
 Some of the Prohibitionists that have been trying for years to dry up the U S. ought to come to France. They would have life time job. As every business house in France IS saloon.
 And now just tip" to the boys over there that expect to come to France Leave your rings at home The first thing these French girls ask you is: Are you marrled?" All the time looking at your fingers, and if you have ring on, believe me, you are out of luck from then on.
 Some time ago went to saw mill to get some lumber. l found It right in the heart of the town, behind stone wall. There was big iron gate at the entrance. A lady came out and unlocked the gate with key fully eight inches long and weigh cd about four pounds. never saw saw mill anything like it before
 One of the Frenchmen asked me for chew of tobacco. l had a plug that has just been issued, handed It to him. He yelled out something aho shut down the bill and all the mill hands came running for chew of real tobacco. When 1 started to leave they all saluted and waved thelr hats and chatted lot of stuff. l know l would be welcome there at any tune if I had the chewing tobacco.
 They were saving lumber out of logs that were so knotty that we wouldn't cut it for fuel in the states and the lumber like everything else is very high priced.
 This was the first time that had seen the French chew tobacco They all smoke cigarettes
 Their passenger trains here don't all carry Pullmans like in the states. The trains are classed first second and third class. l rode on tlrst class train. and swell looking French qirl sat in front of me. took out Camel cigarette and she reached Tor one. When she began to smoke she jumped up, ran back in the car and brought another girl to get Camel If the French did start the cigarette smoking, they never saw any real cigarettes until the Americans came over here. 1 would hate for this war to last long enough for the American women and girls to have to do what I have seen the French women doing
 About fifty per cent of the labor in this country is done by the women and it is a mans job, not only few places, but all over France.
 belive the American is better soldier than the French, and l know the American Girls out rate the