TRANSCRIBED FROM THE NASHVILLE NEWS AUGUST 7, 1918 P. 1
Dear Folks:
I hope you received my other letter O.K., stating I had arrived. I have been moving around considerably since I arrived and have seen quite a bit of France. This country has been a pleasant surprise to me, as it appears to be the land of milk and honey so far. The land is rolling and you see very few level tracks of land. All the ground is covered with grass and the trees and hedges are green. The undergrowth makes the country look like a tropical climate. The land is separated by hedges instead of fences, like we have back home, and the trees are planted on a line in many places. You can see old chateaus scattered all through the country. You know, I spoke about the railroads being behind. Since travelling over them I find that the road bed is rock ballast and the trains make good time, and the cars appear to be the only thing behind the standard. The sleepers and the second class cars afford sufficient comfort. However, I have not tried the sleepers yet.
I am now working in the office of quartermaster, and so far it is just like working in a big office back in the States. I like the work O.K. I am located in a good town, about 76,000 population. Of course it does not appear as up-to-date as our towns back home, but it is a great place to see, and we have two beautiful rivers near by. If Uncle Sam had this country back in the States, he would make it a paradise. Of course we have some country that loks as good as this, but this looks good in all parts. Every day I have been here has been fine, with plenty of sunshine and warm. The nights are a little cool, but not enough to bother you. Good sleeping quarters and plenty of water.
I have been separated from over half of my company. There are 25 of the old bunch with me: not any of us working in the same office. I left one of my very best friends behind; I certainly would like to have him with me, but have a splendid bunch along.
We can get a daily paper, published by the New York Herald in Paris. It is a pretty good paper, but not so newsy as the papers back home.
This French is pretty hard to learn, but I am sure I can learn it if I try hard enough, but that’s the question. Now about these French dames: They will pass: there is no way of denying the fact that they are attractive, but it will take them a long time to look as good to me as American girls, and I won’t have any trouble playing the game safe. I sampled their wine and beer, and it won’t be any difficulty to abstain from the use of both. You see very few young men not in uniform, women are seen in fields, but they are as calm and cool as if there was no war at all. There is no question about their country, like my own, being worth fighting for. A Frenchman can afford to die to leave so fair a land to those who follow him.
We have a good Y.M.C.A. here; also an enlisted men’s club. The “Y” has arranged for a place to swim in the river, and I think I will spend a good many evening in the water.
I will write at least once a week from now on, that is if I am located permanently, and you can let the letters come along. It will be something like two and a half months since I have heard from home by the time I get your letter. I am feeling as well as ever and in good shape to work. We have plenty of exercise here.
NOTES: T.M. Kinney Crawford who is serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe is writing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Crawford of Nashville, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY ISAAC WOLTER
Dear Folks:
I hope you received my other letter O.K., stating I had arrived. I have been moving around considerably since I arrived and have seen quite a bit of France. This country has been a pleasant surprise to me, as it appears to be the land of milk and honey so far. The land is rolling and you see very few level tracks of land. All the ground is covered with grass and the trees and hedges are green. The undergrowth makes the country look like a tropical climate. The land is separated by hedges instead of fences, like we have back home, and the trees are planted on a line in many places. You can see old chateaus scattered all through the country. You know, I spoke about the railroads being behind. Since travelling over them I find that the road bed is rock ballast and the trains make good time, and the cars appear to be the only thing behind the standard. The sleepers and the second class cars afford sufficient comfort. However, I have not tried the sleepers yet.
I am now working in the office of quartermaster, and so far it is just like working in a big office back in the States. I like the work O.K. I am located in a good town, about 76,000 population. Of course it does not appear as up-to-date as our towns back home, but it is a great place to see, and we have two beautiful rivers near by. If Uncle Sam had this country back in the States, he would make it a paradise. Of course we have some country that loks as good as this, but this looks good in all parts. Every day I have been here has been fine, with plenty of sunshine and warm. The nights are a little cool, but not enough to bother you. Good sleeping quarters and plenty of water.
I have been separated from over half of my company. There are 25 of the old bunch with me: not any of us working in the same office. I left one of my very best friends behind; I certainly would like to have him with me, but have a splendid bunch along.
We can get a daily paper, published by the New York Herald in Paris. It is a pretty good paper, but not so newsy as the papers back home.
This French is pretty hard to learn, but I am sure I can learn it if I try hard enough, but that’s the question. Now about these French dames: They will pass: there is no way of denying the fact that they are attractive, but it will take them a long time to look as good to me as American girls, and I won’t have any trouble playing the game safe. I sampled their wine and beer, and it won’t be any difficulty to abstain from the use of both. You see very few young men not in uniform, women are seen in fields, but they are as calm and cool as if there was no war at all. There is no question about their country, like my own, being worth fighting for. A Frenchman can afford to die to leave so fair a land to those who follow him.
We have a good Y.M.C.A. here; also an enlisted men’s club. The “Y” has arranged for a place to swim in the river, and I think I will spend a good many evening in the water.
I will write at least once a week from now on, that is if I am located permanently, and you can let the letters come along. It will be something like two and a half months since I have heard from home by the time I get your letter. I am feeling as well as ever and in good shape to work. We have plenty of exercise here.
NOTES: T.M. Kinney Crawford who is serving with the American Expeditionary Forces in Europe is writing to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. D. A. Crawford of Nashville, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY ISAAC WOLTER