TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DAILY ARKANSAS GAZETTE DECEMBER 15, 1918 P. 25
Tis so cold a fellow has to be on the move all the time to keep from freezing. When it rains 'tis really warmer than when Ole Sol smiles on us. We’ve had a whole week of sunshine. I’ve had my boots off long enough to clean them and my raincoat has hung in the corner long enough to become dusty. I sometimes doubt our being in France, entirely too much sunshine. We are wondering now where we will go from here. Some units are being sent back to the states to do cantonment work and some are going to remain in Europe for a while longer. We haven’t any idea yet what will fall to our lot. I do hope if we are not sent back to America we will be sent to Southern France. I’d like to stay till spring before I have to cross the briny deep.
I wish I could describe some of the scenery of this country. Tis wonderful. Not long ago I visited what used to be Napoleon’s hunting ground. Tis near an old chateau and is encased by a high, wide stone wall. The ground is covered with a beautiful shade of green moss and over that now lies autumn leaves of all colors. The streams are clear as crystal with long green fern and moss growing from the bottom and along the sides. There are little fish that very much resemble gold fish in all the streams. In the grounds is a pine forest that is itself worth walking miles to see.
I am eating a real apple, brought from America, of course. Real apples don’t grow in France. The ones here are small, very hard and have a bitter teste. One think is good that is their grapes and wine.
NOTES: Nurse Valeria E. Gothard was writing to a friend, Miss Ora M. Harkey of Perry, Arkansas. She was born on October 9, 1890 in Tennessee and died on April 28, 1958 in Alameda, California. She worked in the hospital at Camp Pike before going to France. She sailed with Base Hospital No. 52 onboard the Saxon leaving New York on September 24, 1918. She listed her mother Mrs. Eva Gothard of Perryville, Perry County, Arkansas, as her contact. She married Clarence C Brown on October 9, 1922. She is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. Her military headstone identifies her as a Tennessee, Nurse ANC serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Tis so cold a fellow has to be on the move all the time to keep from freezing. When it rains 'tis really warmer than when Ole Sol smiles on us. We’ve had a whole week of sunshine. I’ve had my boots off long enough to clean them and my raincoat has hung in the corner long enough to become dusty. I sometimes doubt our being in France, entirely too much sunshine. We are wondering now where we will go from here. Some units are being sent back to the states to do cantonment work and some are going to remain in Europe for a while longer. We haven’t any idea yet what will fall to our lot. I do hope if we are not sent back to America we will be sent to Southern France. I’d like to stay till spring before I have to cross the briny deep.
I wish I could describe some of the scenery of this country. Tis wonderful. Not long ago I visited what used to be Napoleon’s hunting ground. Tis near an old chateau and is encased by a high, wide stone wall. The ground is covered with a beautiful shade of green moss and over that now lies autumn leaves of all colors. The streams are clear as crystal with long green fern and moss growing from the bottom and along the sides. There are little fish that very much resemble gold fish in all the streams. In the grounds is a pine forest that is itself worth walking miles to see.
I am eating a real apple, brought from America, of course. Real apples don’t grow in France. The ones here are small, very hard and have a bitter teste. One think is good that is their grapes and wine.
NOTES: Nurse Valeria E. Gothard was writing to a friend, Miss Ora M. Harkey of Perry, Arkansas. She was born on October 9, 1890 in Tennessee and died on April 28, 1958 in Alameda, California. She worked in the hospital at Camp Pike before going to France. She sailed with Base Hospital No. 52 onboard the Saxon leaving New York on September 24, 1918. She listed her mother Mrs. Eva Gothard of Perryville, Perry County, Arkansas, as her contact. She married Clarence C Brown on October 9, 1922. She is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California. Her military headstone identifies her as a Tennessee, Nurse ANC serving in World War I.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT