The evening leader., 1919-01-04

en- passes and after looking through
the shops we started out to see if we
could get lost. Well, l haven't yet.
Soon we were put to work repairing
locomotives and I have been at it ever
since.
l began to think that the sun never
shone in Paris, or in France, for that
matter, but had rain instead. Every
thing was wet and muddy, but it isn't
such bad country, have found out
since. We sure had a time when we
started to work. l was placed at a
bench with some French workmen. l
could speak no French and they could
not speak English, but we got along
pretty well. Now 1 can quarrel with
them pretty good, but still it isn't all
French; we have become accustomed
to each other and have gotten a Ian
guage of our own now-half bad
French and bad English mixed-but
we get along all right now.
We had lot of excitement in few
days, when the big gun shelled us by
day and we were subjected to air raids
at night. They shot all around us and
bombed all around US, but haven't hit
us yet. OF course we lost a lot of
sleep but have gained it back by now,
so we should worry.
There were lot of interesting
things to be seen here in Paris and |
have been going all the time I had to
myself. | will not go into details, as
| want something to tell when I get
back. This is a rough sketch of what
[ have been doing over here, and the
first time the censor would let me say
anything, but I mustn't tell it all now
There was a little excitement in
July, when the Germans were nearest
to Paris, then started back-lost all in
about four months that it took them
four years to gain. They were within
about twenty-five or thirty miles of
Paris and when they started that big
drive we could hear their heavy shells
bursting and guns booming. Then the
tide turned and we could hear our own
artillery open up on them. After two
or three days we could not hear them
any longer. They had started back
and kept on going.
During the air raids we got a good
sample Of shrapnel bursting and
bombs striking. Some started fires.
/ have seen one air raid in the day
time; the others l did not see. 1t was
interesting to watch the machine sail
ing along. All of a sudden puffs of
smoke would burst all about him so
as to hide him from sight, then he
would come out of that to meet anoth-
er burst of shells. But he got away
that time.
Well, | guess that is about all know
of for this time; most of the rest I
have been writing about at different
times in my other letters. l have a
date with Covert tonight to go to the
movies and it will soon be time to go.
The day the armistice was signed
they had big time here. Guess the
papers have told of it by now, so there
is not much to say about that. They
had a lot Of shooting, bells ringing,
whistles blowing and mery-making.
Everybody took a vacation. They sent
up barrage over Paris also to help
the celebration. Last Sunday they had
another big day, celebrating the re-
entering of Alsace-Lorraine into the
French republic.
Well, here's hoping to get long
Letter from you soon, and that you are
in the best of health, and will continue
my story when l am home, whenever
that will bel don't know. | had my
picture taken and will send you one of
them. They are not very good. l will
have some good ones taken later. We
just stopped in and had them taken
just as we were, just for the fun of it.
They say it looks like me. Maybe it
does.
Well, good night for this time. Lots
of love to all.
Your loving son,
CHARLES.
corp. Chas. E. Patch, Co. K, 10Th
n n, ~ n n 1o0 IN IN