Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1919-02-05
Interesting Letter from Lieut..
A. S. Tomkins to His
Father.
z Rarecourt, France.
January 3rd, 1919.

hdTGCOuEG, f4dilSS'
January 3rd, 1919.
Dear Papa:
l have your letter of December 3
and enjoyed and appreciated it very
much. Since my last letter (no, l be-
lieve I did write you once from Bor-
deaux) l have had little trip, and L
truly enjoyed getting away from the
constant and monotonous grind of
this army life. I went down to see
Gus for three or four days and found
him in fine shape, but like the rest of
us, anxious to get home. He looks
very good and healthy, comfortable
quarters, something the most of us
haven't, but well fed-up on France.
dropped off at the ancient city of
Tour to see Jim Sheppard and found
him in good shape too. Tours was
quite an interesting old city, having
several buildings now in use that
have stood ever since before our
great country was discovered, and it
/ is said that the most refined and cul-
tured people Of all France live there,
the best French is spoken there. In
every city you will find City Hall of
the most elaborate design, and in
Tours, I saw what I consider the
most beautiful of any. They all have
the Wedding Room, and this one was
certainly wonderful piece of work.
The walls were panelled off with
large clusters Of heavy brass and be-
tween each panel was a hand painted
picture, the ceiling was the same.
The furniture was all old mahogany
with silk upholstering, and the fire.
place had enormous statues on either
side and inside the fireplace you
could easily put twenty men.
In Paris / visited the famous old
spots such as Napoleon's Tomb, The
Eifle Tower, Madeline, Notre Dame,
The Grand Palace, The Temple of
Justice, The Arch of Triumph and
the old church which was struck by
the Big Bertha of the Boche on Good
Friday last year and killed over a.
hundred people, you will recall the
occasion, no doubt. The blood was
still on the floor. 1 didn't intend gos
ing there, but my guide took me.
there before I knew it feel 1 have
seen my share of blood already on
the frightful battle-fields.
AS masons, the French have it on
us, hut in no other respect was I i'm
pressed with their cities, we are two
hundred years ahead of them. find
the cities interesting, however, for
you can scarcely stand on square
yard of land that hasn't some histor-
lie interest. This little settlement in
which I am now billeted has some in
teresting history; Napoleon taxed
salt during his reign, for immoral
purposes, am told, to build palace
in southern France. Well, this little
town and the one adjoining, were the
only places in France that did not
pay that tax I cannot follow these
French people with my limited knowl-
edge of French when they start talk
ing about these things, but / think
this old lady said this town had some
kind of separate government, or
there was some kind of cleak, and
they got out of the tax.
While we were advancing in Octo-
ber, we took a little town named
!Verennes, the place where Louis the
Sixteenth fled with Marie Antionette
and was betrayed and given up by
the town priest, or mayor.
Going back to Paris for few mo-
ments. I was disappointed in it. The
streets look as though they were nev-
er cleaned, only a few nice, modern
stores. The only thing found in a
bundance was wine-everywhere you
look you see it, and from the Oldest
to the youngest drink it. I care very
little for it, in fact my stomach does
not allow me to drink it.
1 have heard that Berlin was the
most wicked city in the world. If it
surpasses Paris I would hate to stop
there. 1t is really amazing shall
tell you about it when I see you. Liv-
ing is very high, hotel room and eat
ing take almost a fortune to get a.
long. was impressed with the
crowds I saw shopping everywhere l
went. These people may be poor but
they certainly do not act like it. l
priced a pair of paiamas in Paris and