, 1919-03-06
Letter From Wilbur Toothaker.

The following letter from Wilbur
ToOthaker, who is in France with the
316th U. s.. Engineers, was recently re-
ceived by his parents, Mr.. md Mrs. w.
N. Toothaker of Beaver Creek:
Camp Auvour, France, Jan. IS.
Dear Folks: We have moved since 1
last wrote you from Nogent-le-Rotrow.
We are not far from the town of lie
Mans, which is southwest of Paris. The
country about Nogent-le-Rotrow is very
beautiful. The soil is very fertile and
the climate is much milder than in Bel
GUM or French Flanders. Nearly ev-
erything is nice and green except the
~decidious trees. The people are su-
perior to the people where we were last
summer, (Haute Marne). Another fell
low and l went up to Cassel, a town
two or three miles from Nogent-le-Ro-
trow. 1t was situated on n hill and has
fine paved roads winding up the hill to
it. The tow dates back to the eighth
century b. C. 1 heard also that there
was some connection between it and
the House of Orange-just what 1
didn't learn. From Cassel one can get
a fine view.
1 received my Christmas box all
right and you have no idea how glad /
was to get it. The fiashlight is a dandy
and quite useful. As for the chocolate,
it was the first Hershey's + had seen
since leaving Camp Merritt. Thanks
for it all. 1 received the box a few
days after Christmas.
We spent Christmas in Ryveld. 1t
can scarcely be called as much as a
village. 1t is directly between Steen-
vorda and Cassel, or straight west of
Ypres and almost straight south of
Dunkirk.
AS for rain, wind md mud, we GER
tainly have had plenty. Yes, 1 would
rather march to Encampment than to
Berlin, but 1 don't want to march at
ALIVE had enough. | read not long
e that the Dist Division did 125
miles OF night marching up to the time
we went into the Argonne drive. / won't
know what to do when l get back to a
world where character and common
sense count-a world where one is a
human being and not a mere auto
maton.
When we We're i'm st. Marie-Lierde
we were able to get butter at $500 a
pound and Eggs for 20c each. A bar
of chocolate cost us 10 cents to $500
when bought from the civilians.
1 got the Sun you sent me while |
there. and also the Review of Reviews.
One fellow offered me $500 for the lat
ter. Since coming to Camp Auyour we
have had very nice weather. We have
plenty of rain but also plenty of sun
shine. We are doing some work here.
such as fixing the roads and putting up
buildings. We are, putting up two
large barns. I enjoy the workAit cer-
tainly is preferable to the everlasting
drilling. The soil here is very sandy
and much of it is planted to pine tim
Der. We are using some of 1t to build
the barns. 1t doesn't get muddy here,
for which we are thankful.
The months here have indeed been
long. but the longest months to me are
those since hostilities' have ceased. We
have been waiting and waiting to go
home: We were over here for n pur-
pose. and didn't think of going home
until that purpose was accomplished.
You ask, do they have apples in Bel
GUM. Very, very few. 1 found a few
the first day we were in Audenarde Ga
town the Dist. Division captured) but
they were not very good. There also
seems to be only a few i'll France. and
they are of very o quality, as are
also the oranges they sell here at the
rate of &c each.
Don't worry about me, mother. I'll
come home safe and sound, all right. /
weigh somewhere around ITO pounds
only weighed 145 when / left home. I'll
be-home some timelI can't tell when.
Love to all.
WILBUR G.. TOOTHAKER.
31Gth Engineers, Dist Division.
Hr