Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1919-01-08

job. He rub dub dubs, then yells
blub blub blub blub bing bang, with
repetitions until someone throws him
out of our domtcile That word, dom
icile, is a good one. We share ours
I.With three COWS, 8 horses, pigs,
| jackrabbits, cats, mice and rats and
the hens believe in cover them over
with flowers" as they daily scratch
the hay all over our blankets but they
won't lay eggs. We watch every nest
like hawk. At our back door we have
grass and nice vegetable garden, at
our front an immense manure pile as
our landlord is very Well-to-do man
until we purloin piece of wood to
build tiny fire or an armful of hay
to bolster up our bed, then he swears
at us in French and we return suf-
ficiency of the army variety. Ha! Ha!
We told him his blooming barn would
be in bits if we hadn't come across
and he admits it but guess he's like
the rest of US, just likes to crab. The
chateau across the way is in ruins
as the Boche were stopped in 1914 at
a nearby hill But the hired man is
a good guy. For cigarette he'll fur
nish us shovel, axe, saw or tell us
VAACAO NC Ndl Atla d stray plSCC I'll
wood. You people cannot realize how
| things are conserved here. We don't
steal unless we have to as these peo-
pie have so little at best that it seems
pitiful to do so.
| Madame Roudeax burns a tiny kerr
osene torch as while she has gasO-
! line tickets for her small lamp yet
there is none to be had. She has a
nice large kerosene lamp but it is
too expensive to burn. Candles are
very scarce and we pay 10c to zoe
| apiece when we can get them.
Grill and / are lilly white" again.
We have had two good hot shower
baths GU. S. bathhouse) new under
wear, and the company" seems to
have left us. | still read my shirt"
daily as precautionary measure.
! Our blankets and whatever clothes
we wish are put through de-cootie-
iZer, to-wit: a tank through which
live steam is forced. We have had a
touch of the flu in the regiment but
| there it none IA ,Ao oand and we take
all precautionary measures. We
| have very fine doctor at the head of
our medical department so no need
to worry on that score. We know the
doctor as he was with our old infantry
regiment.
Sorry l didn't get helmet to you.
! The Frogs are making fine ones now
for american use" Hal Hal Cop
wing the Boche "Triumphal Entry
pattern of patent leather, gold spikes
and cord and silk lined, which for
various reasons they never had op-
portunity to use This fancy pattern
was used by the German upper Off
GERS, the genuine are very scarce.
Have learned that we may now tell
of our location as the boys are send
ing local postal views home. So adj
dress the Madame Roudeaux, a Cou-
vonges, par Bar lie Due. Meuse.
France. If anyone seems interested
and wishes 10 help them | would sug-
gest sending money as they have
clothes but they need food and cook
ing utensils, dishes, etc. They have
only two table knives and they are
not mates. as an example of their
! needs, Mind, their home was bombed
and what they have is only salvage.
They are absolutely good moral peo-
pie and have had four years of des-
titution and sorrow. Baby Suzanne
is their greatest treasure and the
young woman is beautiful in her
motherhood. A dollar or so in let
ter would be scrupulously spent and
| can assure you greatly needed and
appreciated. They hold America and
it's people in very high regard.
You speak of weather and snow.
We have had heavy frosts and chilly
muggy. rainy weather but no snow as
yet A good fall of snow would be
a good sanitary measure as this coun-
try is filthy.
|. Hope Miss Dorothea is progressing
in fine shape If they keep us in this
town much longer I'll come home a
trained nurse as little Suzanne" is
teething and requires .'beaucoupH
walking and entertainment but at that
is good natured most of the time. She
hasn't even a rubber teething ring"
hut she's got all the knit stuff you
sisters sent me except 3 pairs of wool
sox. Now are you hurt? When home
sentiment and warm comfy baby be-
come the issue OF the day I ditched
the sentiment and several of the 9TH
er chaps did likewise.
Father, I received your letter which
was fine. We are proud to receive the
compliments OF the boys OF 81. In
the minds of many of us we have
held you boys" as an ideal to live
up to. You set a mighty high stand
ard of courage and fighting qualities
and many night as I've lain in my
blankets, the air aquiyer and the sky
red with the conclusion and flame of
the guns, that if ever it would be my
lot to go over the top 'twould be the
spirit of my father" that took me as
flesh and blood ME would fear
Whether or not the same feeling pass
ed over the boys who really did go
| do not know but feel certain that
it did with those whose fathers fought
in 81.
We had no opportunity to visit in
England nor do we expect or want to
go back that way. 1t would be inter
esting to see thetold homestead town
of Tucking Mill and ali that but Am