TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT DECEMBER 10, 1918 P. 5
I have been away from the United States nine weeks today, and have never had a line so far from home. We have been here at the hospital six weeks and three weeks on the trip over. I certainly wish you could see this place. It looks quaint and is so old. Three hundred years ago it was built as a monastery, and 100 years ago Napoleon took charge of it for his prison camp.
I went into the city last week. Every one wears black. The stores are small and poorly lighted. I bought four pears and paid 80 cents for them. Grapes are not so high. All cloth goods of every description is very high. I went to a French cemetery today, and was just in time for a French funeral. They took the casket to the grave and lowered it, then everyone in the family put a pinch of dirt into the grave, stood for a few minutes in prayer and then departed. It was about 3 P.M. and the grave will not be filled until tonight.
After looking over this cemetery we went to where the American boys who died here are buried, and on all graves were flowers, white sand shells and plants. The little French children and old people all try to take beautiful care of the American soldiers’ graves.
I want to go to the city tomorrow to see the jail and prison that was built in Caesar’s time. It was built over the water so that when the prisoners were beheaded, both body and head would fall in the water. There is also an old bridge made of ropes that I am anxious to see.
If I make it home I will certainly have some great things to tell you. This is a landing place for soldiers but we did not land here, we had a much longer journey. Am glad that when we return we can take a shorter route across.
I picked a rose from a French grave that I am going to bring back with me. We have not received a cent of pay since we arrived, as our party got separated, and the head nurse has all the papers, so we must wait until matters can be straightened out with Washington.
Write me as soon as you get this, and write the same thing again every few days. Out of several letters I will get one of them. They say it is about time for us to get some mail. I should think so myself—nine weeks.
I hear every day that the war is over and yet they fight. I am so anxious for it to be over, so we can stop sending our boys over here. The trip is too hard on them at this time of year.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Nurse Myra C. Meeks to her sister, Mrs. M. G. Bowles. She was born about 1869 in Little Rock, Arkansas and died on December 20, 1950 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She is buried in the Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, Arkansas. She was working as a nurse in Little Rock when she volunteered for overseas duty. She sailed from New York on September 9, 1918 onboard the S. S. Walman Castle.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
I have been away from the United States nine weeks today, and have never had a line so far from home. We have been here at the hospital six weeks and three weeks on the trip over. I certainly wish you could see this place. It looks quaint and is so old. Three hundred years ago it was built as a monastery, and 100 years ago Napoleon took charge of it for his prison camp.
I went into the city last week. Every one wears black. The stores are small and poorly lighted. I bought four pears and paid 80 cents for them. Grapes are not so high. All cloth goods of every description is very high. I went to a French cemetery today, and was just in time for a French funeral. They took the casket to the grave and lowered it, then everyone in the family put a pinch of dirt into the grave, stood for a few minutes in prayer and then departed. It was about 3 P.M. and the grave will not be filled until tonight.
After looking over this cemetery we went to where the American boys who died here are buried, and on all graves were flowers, white sand shells and plants. The little French children and old people all try to take beautiful care of the American soldiers’ graves.
I want to go to the city tomorrow to see the jail and prison that was built in Caesar’s time. It was built over the water so that when the prisoners were beheaded, both body and head would fall in the water. There is also an old bridge made of ropes that I am anxious to see.
If I make it home I will certainly have some great things to tell you. This is a landing place for soldiers but we did not land here, we had a much longer journey. Am glad that when we return we can take a shorter route across.
I picked a rose from a French grave that I am going to bring back with me. We have not received a cent of pay since we arrived, as our party got separated, and the head nurse has all the papers, so we must wait until matters can be straightened out with Washington.
Write me as soon as you get this, and write the same thing again every few days. Out of several letters I will get one of them. They say it is about time for us to get some mail. I should think so myself—nine weeks.
I hear every day that the war is over and yet they fight. I am so anxious for it to be over, so we can stop sending our boys over here. The trip is too hard on them at this time of year.
NOTES: This partial letter was written by Nurse Myra C. Meeks to her sister, Mrs. M. G. Bowles. She was born about 1869 in Little Rock, Arkansas and died on December 20, 1950 in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. She is buried in the Pinecrest Memorial Park in Alexander, Arkansas. She was working as a nurse in Little Rock when she volunteered for overseas duty. She sailed from New York on September 9, 1918 onboard the S. S. Walman Castle.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT