TRANSCRIBED FROM THE HOT SPRINGS NEW ERA AUGUST 23, 1918 P. 4
Mr. Frank W. Rowles
Circuit Clerk, Hot Springs, Ark.
Dear Frank.
I am addressing this letter to you but I incidentally am writing it for all the boys in the court house, so please pass it around.
You know that there has been a rather peculiar characteristic about me that no matter what I start into that the moment I start things begin to stir and get lively, it was that way in civil life, and bless me, if it is not the same way over here. Just as soon as I begin to get accustomed to the sunlight bang the big thing's on. It give me a rather home like feeling, and really has knocked me out of getting the rest I looked for over here. One of the main things which I had in view when I left home, right after the campaign and the heat of same, and the contentions incidents to the Hotels and Doctors which was constantly demanding my attention one way or the other that I could find more rest in no man's land than at home, and reached this conclusion I just layed down my business and came over. But somehow or other things over here are about the same condition as a Democratic primary leaves things at home during the last few days before the election, rather active.
Have had some remarkable experiences since I left the Springs. The trip across was of course filled with many highly entertaining incidents, but of these things I cannot write, but suffice to say I reached "Sunny France" without untoward experiences--sound in health, limb and body. You noted I quoted "Sunny France" I don't know where they get that "Sunny" from. I think the "S" should be "F" for one gets up in the morning with the skies as blue as indigo and before ten it is as dark as the hinges of the half-acre just beyond the city limits of Hot Springs. I have nor seen a real day since I landed.
Saw an old Palace, said to have been prior to the time of Caesar, the other day, which I would like to move over to the Springs. I feel like it could be used there to such wonderful effort. It has four floors or dungeons, and in the last floor is a slide through which by pulling a lever you let the victim drop down into a well, and the big thing is over. Just think of the peace one can get if they could use this old "humane device" called a palace with which to make peace--it would soon be memoralized as a "community peace monument." It is really an interesting sight, you go down under the ground four floors, and down in the very bowels of the earth are these apartments, or cells for the victims, all covered with moss and as dark as a grave, and as damp as your imagination tells you it would be, and is surrounded by a moat.
On July 14th the French celebrate their 4th of July. I presume you had some sort of ceremonials down home, but it was very interesting here, they had a big parade participated in by French troops, American, English and Portugese and being rather new in this country at the time it had a truly inspiring effects. But these effects soon die off as others follow in quick succession especially that of the marching of troops, all equipped for the front. Have seen quite a few French troops, fine trim fellows going to the front, singing as they march, trying to forget they are tired, and they say that when troops march and sing they can go so much farther singing as it diverts their mind.
I don't know just when we all are going to Berlin, but believe me when we go there will be some big crowd of American boys on the job, furthermore, the news as you read it now over there shows very clearly that we are on the way. The boys from the states are all there when it comes to do the fighting game, it is the only homelike experience many of them get after they land in France, and in a way it is sort of relaxation for them. We were all sorry over here on the death of young Quentin Roosevelt. He was a game one.
You fellows must all stick with the Y.M.C.A. and help it in all its drive for funds. It is just the biggest thing in the whole cheese from my point of view. It is just like a big brother to every boy on the front, it furnishes him his only amusement, his place to spend his idle moments, a good fellow to talk with you when you are feeling blue and cheer you up, a comfortable place and stationary to write home and in fact everything that one could think of as being necessary for a fellow in the army way away from home is in the "Y"--they are on the job every minute and have been the means of adding cheer to many a disconsolate, homesick fellow. Since participating in the benefit derived from them. I wonder whether I really did my whole part towards helping them when at home. I know that I gave much time to speaking tours, but one finds himself asking the question did I do all that I might have done. It is such a great thing that no patriot should stand back for a single moment in helping it in anything that it might ask for, and they should not forget that the luxuries of home don't exist in France, and that the only luxuries are those offered by the "Y."
Well, I wish I could write you some of the real live stuff that you would like to have, but we are not permitted to do so.
Hope to see the end of this in the course of the next year.
Write me when you boys can, and believe me always,
Your friend,
Wm. G. Bouic.
A.F.C. American Expeditionary
Forces, Headquarters S.O.S. No. 5
U.S. Army P.O. No. 716, France.
P. S.--You may give this to Goslee after you boys have read it.
P. S.--Saw in the news the other day over here where the Constitutional Convention had made Fayetteville the permanent location for the State University. It was like a breath from home to see something in print from dear old Arkansas.
Bouic.
NOTES: William Garner Bouic was born on July 28, 1875 in Rockville, Maryland and died on November 6, 1947 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is buried in the Rockville Cemetery in Rockville. He was an Army Field Clerk and sailed for France June 30, 1918 onboard the S.S. Siboney.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Mr. Frank W. Rowles
Circuit Clerk, Hot Springs, Ark.
Dear Frank.
I am addressing this letter to you but I incidentally am writing it for all the boys in the court house, so please pass it around.
You know that there has been a rather peculiar characteristic about me that no matter what I start into that the moment I start things begin to stir and get lively, it was that way in civil life, and bless me, if it is not the same way over here. Just as soon as I begin to get accustomed to the sunlight bang the big thing's on. It give me a rather home like feeling, and really has knocked me out of getting the rest I looked for over here. One of the main things which I had in view when I left home, right after the campaign and the heat of same, and the contentions incidents to the Hotels and Doctors which was constantly demanding my attention one way or the other that I could find more rest in no man's land than at home, and reached this conclusion I just layed down my business and came over. But somehow or other things over here are about the same condition as a Democratic primary leaves things at home during the last few days before the election, rather active.
Have had some remarkable experiences since I left the Springs. The trip across was of course filled with many highly entertaining incidents, but of these things I cannot write, but suffice to say I reached "Sunny France" without untoward experiences--sound in health, limb and body. You noted I quoted "Sunny France" I don't know where they get that "Sunny" from. I think the "S" should be "F" for one gets up in the morning with the skies as blue as indigo and before ten it is as dark as the hinges of the half-acre just beyond the city limits of Hot Springs. I have nor seen a real day since I landed.
Saw an old Palace, said to have been prior to the time of Caesar, the other day, which I would like to move over to the Springs. I feel like it could be used there to such wonderful effort. It has four floors or dungeons, and in the last floor is a slide through which by pulling a lever you let the victim drop down into a well, and the big thing is over. Just think of the peace one can get if they could use this old "humane device" called a palace with which to make peace--it would soon be memoralized as a "community peace monument." It is really an interesting sight, you go down under the ground four floors, and down in the very bowels of the earth are these apartments, or cells for the victims, all covered with moss and as dark as a grave, and as damp as your imagination tells you it would be, and is surrounded by a moat.
On July 14th the French celebrate their 4th of July. I presume you had some sort of ceremonials down home, but it was very interesting here, they had a big parade participated in by French troops, American, English and Portugese and being rather new in this country at the time it had a truly inspiring effects. But these effects soon die off as others follow in quick succession especially that of the marching of troops, all equipped for the front. Have seen quite a few French troops, fine trim fellows going to the front, singing as they march, trying to forget they are tired, and they say that when troops march and sing they can go so much farther singing as it diverts their mind.
I don't know just when we all are going to Berlin, but believe me when we go there will be some big crowd of American boys on the job, furthermore, the news as you read it now over there shows very clearly that we are on the way. The boys from the states are all there when it comes to do the fighting game, it is the only homelike experience many of them get after they land in France, and in a way it is sort of relaxation for them. We were all sorry over here on the death of young Quentin Roosevelt. He was a game one.
You fellows must all stick with the Y.M.C.A. and help it in all its drive for funds. It is just the biggest thing in the whole cheese from my point of view. It is just like a big brother to every boy on the front, it furnishes him his only amusement, his place to spend his idle moments, a good fellow to talk with you when you are feeling blue and cheer you up, a comfortable place and stationary to write home and in fact everything that one could think of as being necessary for a fellow in the army way away from home is in the "Y"--they are on the job every minute and have been the means of adding cheer to many a disconsolate, homesick fellow. Since participating in the benefit derived from them. I wonder whether I really did my whole part towards helping them when at home. I know that I gave much time to speaking tours, but one finds himself asking the question did I do all that I might have done. It is such a great thing that no patriot should stand back for a single moment in helping it in anything that it might ask for, and they should not forget that the luxuries of home don't exist in France, and that the only luxuries are those offered by the "Y."
Well, I wish I could write you some of the real live stuff that you would like to have, but we are not permitted to do so.
Hope to see the end of this in the course of the next year.
Write me when you boys can, and believe me always,
Your friend,
Wm. G. Bouic.
A.F.C. American Expeditionary
Forces, Headquarters S.O.S. No. 5
U.S. Army P.O. No. 716, France.
P. S.--You may give this to Goslee after you boys have read it.
P. S.--Saw in the news the other day over here where the Constitutional Convention had made Fayetteville the permanent location for the State University. It was like a breath from home to see something in print from dear old Arkansas.
Bouic.
NOTES: William Garner Bouic was born on July 28, 1875 in Rockville, Maryland and died on November 6, 1947 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He is buried in the Rockville Cemetery in Rockville. He was an Army Field Clerk and sailed for France June 30, 1918 onboard the S.S. Siboney.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT