TRANSCRIBED FROM THE POCAHONTAS STAR HERALD OCTOBER 18, 1918 P. 3
In France, Sunday, Sept. 8.
Dear Brother:
For fear you haven’t received all my letters, will keep on writing ’till I hear from you. Hope you are doing well in the training school.
I am faring splendidly so far. Haven’t been sick at all except a touch of sea sickness coming over.
Am now located in a nice little town, about 150 miles from Paris. I like France fine in some respects but it bears no comparison to the U. S. along lines of modern improvements. The country is very beautiful and is all in cultivation. The buildings and roads are stone. Some roads for autos, but the only cars around here are the U. S. government cars. Bicycles are commonly used by wealthy people, and there are practically no four wheel vehicles in use in this part of the country. Also the railroad cars and locomotives look like toys.
Have learned to speak a little French, but don’t think I’ll ever need much of it. The large size towns here have no more attraction than the country. There is practically nothing in the way of amusement, and nothing can be bought except local products such as grapes and wine. Every ounce of food and tobacco we get comes from “the States.”
It certainly is a most desirable climate here. We have just had our first rain and it has never been uncomfortably warm. We are quite comfortably billeted, too, in a large stone building with a beautiful lawn and large shade trees. We get drinking water from open dug wells, and a small river near by affords a place for bathing and washing.
Everything is as well as could be expected. The worst thing is the inconvenience in getting mail and any reading matter. Have not had a single letter yet. Now and then one can get an English print news paper from Paris, otherwise our news comes through an interpreter from the French people.
Well, I have told you about all there is to tell just now. Don’t know when I will leave here for the front or elsewhere. Trust I shall get through O. K. and that you will make good and that we’ll meet again, in the grand old U. S. A. Write when you have time, and don’t fail to write mamma often. Tell her not to worry about either of us. Best of luck.
Your loving Bud,
Waldo Johnston,
Cpl M. G. Co. 154th Reg.
A.P. O. 740, American Ex. Forces
NOTES: Waldo Emerson Johnston is writing to his brother Bryan, who is serving the military in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born on December 8, 1895 in Middlebrook, Arkansas and died on July 1, 1951 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Pinecrest Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum in Alexander, Arkansas. An obituary states that he was a body guard for President Woodrow Wilson.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
In France, Sunday, Sept. 8.
Dear Brother:
For fear you haven’t received all my letters, will keep on writing ’till I hear from you. Hope you are doing well in the training school.
I am faring splendidly so far. Haven’t been sick at all except a touch of sea sickness coming over.
Am now located in a nice little town, about 150 miles from Paris. I like France fine in some respects but it bears no comparison to the U. S. along lines of modern improvements. The country is very beautiful and is all in cultivation. The buildings and roads are stone. Some roads for autos, but the only cars around here are the U. S. government cars. Bicycles are commonly used by wealthy people, and there are practically no four wheel vehicles in use in this part of the country. Also the railroad cars and locomotives look like toys.
Have learned to speak a little French, but don’t think I’ll ever need much of it. The large size towns here have no more attraction than the country. There is practically nothing in the way of amusement, and nothing can be bought except local products such as grapes and wine. Every ounce of food and tobacco we get comes from “the States.”
It certainly is a most desirable climate here. We have just had our first rain and it has never been uncomfortably warm. We are quite comfortably billeted, too, in a large stone building with a beautiful lawn and large shade trees. We get drinking water from open dug wells, and a small river near by affords a place for bathing and washing.
Everything is as well as could be expected. The worst thing is the inconvenience in getting mail and any reading matter. Have not had a single letter yet. Now and then one can get an English print news paper from Paris, otherwise our news comes through an interpreter from the French people.
Well, I have told you about all there is to tell just now. Don’t know when I will leave here for the front or elsewhere. Trust I shall get through O. K. and that you will make good and that we’ll meet again, in the grand old U. S. A. Write when you have time, and don’t fail to write mamma often. Tell her not to worry about either of us. Best of luck.
Your loving Bud,
Waldo Johnston,
Cpl M. G. Co. 154th Reg.
A.P. O. 740, American Ex. Forces
NOTES: Waldo Emerson Johnston is writing to his brother Bryan, who is serving the military in Atlanta, Georgia. He was born on December 8, 1895 in Middlebrook, Arkansas and died on July 1, 1951 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is buried in the Pinecrest Memorial Park and Garden Mausoleum in Alexander, Arkansas. An obituary states that he was a body guard for President Woodrow Wilson.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS