TRANSCRIBED FROM ARKANSAS GAZETTE AUGUST 30, 1918 p 8
Dear Brothers:
Your letter of July 1 just received and was sure glad to hear from you. Well, I’m having quite a time over here. Army life over here is quite different as it was on the border, but most every one is getting pretty well satisfied now. We had quite a trip coming across the big pond. Some of the fellows (at times) didn’t care whether the ship floated or sank, neither did they care what the price of cotton was, but I did not get the least bit sick. For about three or four days we had some pretty rough water, but the rest of the time we had smooth sailing.
We thought it awful to have to wear the life preservers around our necks all the time coming over, but, say that was nice—you ought to see us now, with our little tin hats and gas masks. We are surely dolled up for war.
It is sure hard for us to get used to the French people and their ways. They just jabber, jabber, jabber, and you can’t tell head nor tails of what they are trying to say. And this money! Oh my! When we go to buy anything, we just pull everything out of our pockets and lay it before them, and let them pick out what they want.
The barn, store and living room are all in the same house, so when you enter a door you don’t know whether you are going to be looking a cow in the face or walk into somebody’s bedroom. I have seen many wonderful sights leaving the good old U. S. I can’t give the names of any places, but hope to get to tell you my experiences when I get back.
Well it is dinner time, and you know it would never do for me to miss a meal.
Write soon.
Lots of love to all.
Homer.
Co. H, 353rd Inf., A. E. F.
NOTES: J. H. “Homer” James was born near Benton in Saline County. He is writing to his brother Frank L. James, general secretary of the Arkansas Sunday School Association.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Dear Brothers:
Your letter of July 1 just received and was sure glad to hear from you. Well, I’m having quite a time over here. Army life over here is quite different as it was on the border, but most every one is getting pretty well satisfied now. We had quite a trip coming across the big pond. Some of the fellows (at times) didn’t care whether the ship floated or sank, neither did they care what the price of cotton was, but I did not get the least bit sick. For about three or four days we had some pretty rough water, but the rest of the time we had smooth sailing.
We thought it awful to have to wear the life preservers around our necks all the time coming over, but, say that was nice—you ought to see us now, with our little tin hats and gas masks. We are surely dolled up for war.
It is sure hard for us to get used to the French people and their ways. They just jabber, jabber, jabber, and you can’t tell head nor tails of what they are trying to say. And this money! Oh my! When we go to buy anything, we just pull everything out of our pockets and lay it before them, and let them pick out what they want.
The barn, store and living room are all in the same house, so when you enter a door you don’t know whether you are going to be looking a cow in the face or walk into somebody’s bedroom. I have seen many wonderful sights leaving the good old U. S. I can’t give the names of any places, but hope to get to tell you my experiences when I get back.
Well it is dinner time, and you know it would never do for me to miss a meal.
Write soon.
Lots of love to all.
Homer.
Co. H, 353rd Inf., A. E. F.
NOTES: J. H. “Homer” James was born near Benton in Saline County. He is writing to his brother Frank L. James, general secretary of the Arkansas Sunday School Association.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT