Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 56, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 October 1918 — WHEN I’M ACROSS. [ARTICLE]

WHEN I’M ACROSS.

Oh, the maidens of France are certainly fine, And I think every fellow _ will state: That tfaa **what-you-may-calk-it coiffure way That they do up their hair is great; ,And they know how to dress, and wear their clothes In a Frenchy, fetching way; Any yet to me there is just one girl— The girl from the U. S. A. ,

I like to listen when the French girls talk, Though I’m weak on the parleyvous game; But the language of youth in every land Is somehow about the same; And I’ve learned the regular code of shrugs, And they seem to know what I say; But the voice of the girl that goes straight to my heart Is the girl from the U. S. A. I have nothing but words of praise For these dear little girls of France; And I will confess that I’ve felt a thrill As I face their lines in advance; But I haven’t been taken a “prisoner” ygt, ; And I until the day,, I can carry dip colors to lay at the feet j Of the girt from the U. S. A.

Roy Gall Writes Home From France. Chateauroux, France. August 24, 1918. Dear Father, Mother and All. — I am well and am getting along ■ fine. Have not received any mail [ from you for the past week. I think the mail has been delayed a little on account of the supplies coming on the boats, but I receiv--led a letter from Florence a few Idays ago. Don’t know if I will 'get a chance to answer or not. I I am going on my furlough to Aix, Les Bains tomorrow and don’t ‘know if I will get much of a chance ,to write to you as I will want to 'see everything up in the mountains. Andrew’ is. going too and I am sure we will both have a nice time. ( Will write later and let you know how everything looks out herq. I have not been writing very many letters lately as I have lost all am- ' bition to write. I have received an invitation to go up in an airplane, but don t know if I will take a chance to go up or not. How is everything getting along at home? Maybe we’ll be home for Christmas and maybe not. I have not written to those two lads that sent you a letter telling of Paul’s death, but will at the first opportunity. km well. Your son and brother, ROY GALL, Co. E. 23d Eng. Aix, Les-Bains, France. August 30, 1918. Dear Father, Mother and All. — I am spending my vacation here. [They say it is the most beautiful i place in France and I believe they are right for I have not Been any- ' thing more beautiful, but 1 have I only been here one night and this I morning, it is only about 11 a. m. now, so can’t say much about it. The government furnishes me rooms and board but the hotels are run by the French. Both citizens and soldiers are here. Everything is the best. The . hotel accommodations are as good as those back home and I am staying in the best one in town, but they are all good. I am planning on taking a trip up a mountain that is only a few hundred feet of being a mile high this afternoon., I was told the Italian and German Alps can be seen from this peak. The Y. M. C. A. here organizes the trips and takes all the men they can accommodate. They have trips every day for those that wish to go. This city in peace times was the second largest gambling joint in the world, (Monte Carlo is first of course) so you can imagine what accommodations they have -here.' Everything is first class. I’ll bet you imagined I would be in such luxury on my birthday. I didn’t myself, and this is just the beginning of it. We don’t leave until September 6. We saw some very nice places on our trip over here and several large cities. Stopped a day and a night at Lyon, the second largest city in France. It is a very nice town. We all are saying, "We are not in the army now, we are tourists, touring France,” and believe me that is what we are doing. "Three cheers for the government of the U. S. A.,” that allows us to have and see all these nice things. In your last letter Otto said they were going to Dakota. I hope they have as good a time as I am having here. \ As I look out of the window of my hotel I can see the cliffs of the mountains with the green grass growing along the sides and the rocks projecting in several places. Andrew Garry is here alse. We both are having a very lovely time. I am sending you a number of cards of different scenes of this place and also a bunch Millie. Hoping they reach you O. K. AS it is getting late.,-I will not take the trip uj> the mountains but will tomorrow or the next day. We have been having very fine weather here up to the present time. I am well and feeling fine and hope this finds you all the

same and that I will hear from you soon. Your son, ROY GALL, Co. E. 23rd Engineers, A. E. F. in France, via New York. September 9, 1918. Dear Father, Mother and All. —■ I am back from my furlough, -have had a fine time, never expected to have such a nice time while in the army in France. I won’t get another furlough for four months and probably I will be back in the States by that time. I saw several men from Paul’s regiment, but none from his company. They tola me what he went through and what vicinity hiS body could be found. It took me just thirteen days to make the trip, so you know 1 had a pretty Long furlough, seven days at Aix Les Bains and six days traveling. I saw a lot of France on the trip with several of the large towns. I sent a bunch of cards to you fronv Aix Les Bains and also a Star and Ships paper which you should receive when you get this letter. I did not do much writing while there so I have to do a lot now. I climbed a very hard mountain while there and tore the skin off of three toes on each foot, but they ""are about well now. It is the “Cat’s Tooth.” You probably have a picture of it. When on top of it you can see all around on a clear day. They say you can see; 52 villafes with Mount Blave and the Italian alps. You can see the “row” on both of these mountains, it was cloudy when I was up it, though I went up Mt. Revard on a clear day and saw Mt. Blave and the Italian alps. There are many other things of interest in the town and they say it is one of the most beautiful place's in France. All I can say is that I haven’t seen anything prettier, although I haven’t seen all of France but quite a bit of it. It is raining here now; we had one small rain while at Aix which did not amount to much. It is pretty muddy here, though. They have all kinds of sulphur baths at Aix, and believe me they are good. The water is too warm to bathe in when it comes out of the ground, so they have to add cold water to it. It doesn’t seem very nice to come back to the old barracks after sleepi: g in nice beds for twelve days, but I don’t think it will take long to get used to it. I am well and feeling fine. How is everything getting along 1 out there. Are you going to take your vacation to Colorado? I suppose you will have a good time. Pass this letter around to Millie and Edith. Your son and brether, ROY GALL, Co. E. 23rd Eng. P. S.—l spent my birthday touring France; never thought I would, did you?