TRANSCRIBED FROM THE SPRINGDALE NEWS JULY 12, 1918 P. 8
Somewhere in France
My dear cousin:
I received your more than welcome letter the other day and was very delighted in doing so. The letter must have got lost for it took almost two months to get here. Well, I tell you it was sure some boat ride we took when we came over here but we arrived safely without any excitement on the way. It was very nice yesterday, but it is only nice once in a while as it rains most of the time. I have been feeling very good ever since I have been here. Some of the boys have had the blues but got over it. I was working in a blacksmith shop, but am now in the trenches; will live in them for a few days. There wasn’t much excitement here the first few days we were here but the last few days they have been shelling quite frequently. They have been flying all around us, but we all have been lucky so far. My brother Charley is on this side of the water, but I do not know where.
You ought to see the difference there is between this country and the dear old U.S.A. There is hardly anyone that lives in the country. They have small towns and they live in them and go out to do their farming. Their houses and barns are made of rocks. I haven’t seen a house or barn made of wood. We cannot hardly get any cigarettes at all and it almost kills some of the boys when they can not get a smoke and I am one of the bunch for I do love to smoke.
As ever your
Cousin Clarence
NOTES: Clarence Mishler is writing to his cousin Miss Almeda Catt.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS
Somewhere in France
My dear cousin:
I received your more than welcome letter the other day and was very delighted in doing so. The letter must have got lost for it took almost two months to get here. Well, I tell you it was sure some boat ride we took when we came over here but we arrived safely without any excitement on the way. It was very nice yesterday, but it is only nice once in a while as it rains most of the time. I have been feeling very good ever since I have been here. Some of the boys have had the blues but got over it. I was working in a blacksmith shop, but am now in the trenches; will live in them for a few days. There wasn’t much excitement here the first few days we were here but the last few days they have been shelling quite frequently. They have been flying all around us, but we all have been lucky so far. My brother Charley is on this side of the water, but I do not know where.
You ought to see the difference there is between this country and the dear old U.S.A. There is hardly anyone that lives in the country. They have small towns and they live in them and go out to do their farming. Their houses and barns are made of rocks. I haven’t seen a house or barn made of wood. We cannot hardly get any cigarettes at all and it almost kills some of the boys when they can not get a smoke and I am one of the bunch for I do love to smoke.
As ever your
Cousin Clarence
NOTES: Clarence Mishler is writing to his cousin Miss Almeda Catt.
TRANSCRIBED BY LINDA MATTHEWS