Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1919 — LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS [ARTICLE]

LETTERS FROM OUR SOLDIERS

Hillard Pefley Writes Interestingly of Trip to Brest. Mr. and Mirs. Charles Pefley received a nice long letter Wednesday from their son Hilliard, who is a yeoman on the U. S. battleship New Jersey, now engaged in transport work, in which he gives an interesting account of his trip to Brest, France, from which he had just returned to Newport News, Virginia. Following is his account of their trip iproper: On February 11 we pulled out of Hampton Roads with the Nebraska for Brest, France. We went the northern route, or up by Newfoundland off the coast of Labrador, somewhere along there. The first two or three days out it was pretty rough and, of course, as salt water was new to me and- also the way the ship rolled made me rather delicate as to what I was supposed to eat Che first day and a half. The first day out I never will forget. We sailed at about 10 o'clock and at 6 that night Willie was one of the most seasick boys there was. I fed the fish, too. Well, that only lasted a day and a half, and now let her roll; It don’t affect me. Nothing of any consequence happened all the way over. The Neble followed us at about half a mile distance. We ’had a very good trip over, taking all Into consideration. Several ships were passed, including some transports. We passed a large transport just a few hours out of Brest. We pulled into the harbor at

Brest about 11 o’clock on the morning of the 22d. The French coast along this part of the country rises up in cliffs probably to a height in some places of 150 feet, and as the waves broke along their bases it made a pretty sight, the farms and the houses looked very nice, also. They seem to be careful about their farms, as every one looked so clean and neat. From a distance they looked more like large checkerboards than. anything else. We anchored about threequarters of a mile off the town. 1 got ashore a day or so after we had been there. As we went in there was an old fortress on the beach that thev said had been built by Julius Caesar, with additions put on by later emperors. Napoleon .used it for his headquarters at one time, but now the Americans are using it and call it Carolla barracks. It was worth seeing, I’ll tell you. When we got up to the landing they had a lot of German prisoners working around the docks under guard, of course. British Tommies were guarding them. I stopped to talk to one of the Tommies a minute and I had some two or three bars of candy in my little pocket in mv blouse when I stopped. I noticed one of them looking at the candy, so I asked the guard if I could get some souvenirs. It was all right with him, so I asked the Jerry if he had anything to trade. One of them could talk some English and he brought out some stuff and I traded with him my candy and an American quarter for a German dollar. It is a pretty nice

souvenir—got a picture of the kaiser on one side of it and the German eagle on the other side. I had to go on pretty quick, so went on up in the town. The sidewalks are about three or four feet wide, and as it always is raining or looks like it everybody has an umbrella and as the sidewalks are so narrow you run a chance of getting your eyes put out every time you walk —they don’t pay any attention where they are going. They have little bits of street cars with a trolley pole on them about as long as a telegraph pole. Put me in mind of the funny paper that one of “The • Toonervllle Trolley makes all trains.” • They have a line of stuff that an American merchant wouldn’t think ot going in business on. One of the grocery stores put me in mind of John Eger’s after a Saturday night rush. They are great people to deal in souvenirs in Brest, especially, because there are so many big Americans with plenty of money. The buildings are all of stone. Candy is very nearly unknown. Everything is high but booze; you can get all that you want. I got some beer and it was all right, too —just as good as you could get In the States in my estimation. Well, after bumming around awhile I went back to the ship, and in a couple of days we sailed for the Azores, and I wasn’t a bit sorry, either. Had a very nice trip from Brest to the islands. There are nine islands in the group called the Azores. They all have different names but four of these are called the Fayal Isles. We went to one of these. One of the ’prettiest sights I ever saw was when we

came up to these islands. Remember, It was just like our wam*r—leaves out, fields green, fruit on the trees. We had to sail around several of them to get to the port we were supposed to land at and as they are all mountainous and hilly, it is a sight I never will forget. We anchored in the Bay or Horta, right off the city of Horta. Imagine now, right in front of us, about a quarter of a mile, a town bdilt more on the Oriental type of architecture * than Occidental —• buildings with minerets, spires, white, green and blue, etc., and behind us across the blue water an inactive volcano rising to a height of 7,500 feet, with its sides green and dotted with white houses and farms with their tilled spots, vineyards and orchards until probably within 2,000 feet of the top, where the snow lin>e began, and the white clouds floating around in the blue sky around the peak. I’ll tell you it certainly was a picture. I have some 'pictures that one of the boys took, and when I get home Fl! explain it a whole lot better than I can write. Uniforms were changed to whites. On the second day of our stay I got to go ashore. I don’t know as I ever saw a cleaner place. Everything so clean. Same of 'the buildings were ot wood, but the majority were of stone with different colored enameled bricks on the fronts. The streets were fairly wide. The people looked queer in the way they dressed —capes, sashes, one thing and another. A good many dressea like Europeans or Americans. They are Portugese, I guess. We walked out to the edge of the town. On the way out we picked all the oranges we wanted right off the trees. That’s the first time I ever did that. Nothing eventful hapIroned* We went back to the ship and sailed in a day or so. After we left the isles the uniform went back to blues again, but I put on my summer underwear down there and am going to leave it on even if it is a little cold in Virginia here. I have some stuff I’ll send home later —souvenirs. Arrived at Hampton Roads this morning. Went up to Newport News and let the soldiers off. Dropped back out here in Chesapeake bay, and this is the story. Got a letter from Culley. Think I will go to Norfolk tomorrow and throw a little civilized feed into me. Well, good-bye for this time. Write soon. Youts, HIL.

This Soldier Likes Camp Life at Brest The Lafayette Journal publishes the following letter from a Lafayette boy who is with the A. E. F. in France:. _——. Vere Ransdell, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Ransdell of route A, writes his mother from France, where he is with Company C; 309th U. S. Engineers. He saw President Wilson on his tour during his first trip to France, and tells of several other interesting things connected with overseas service. He states that he would far rather be in Brest, France, than be back in the camps of the U. S. drilling in the hot sun, as the weather is practically the same where he is located as April weatfier here. /He repoirts that he is able to buy good condies and other sweetmeats at a branch commissary which has been opened in his camp, for about 40 cents a pound, and he state's that it is real American produce. While at Douges, Lieut. Olin Clark, formerly an instructor at Jefferson high school, was in command of a company which worked with RansdeJJ’s comipany, and although they are friends, neither of them saw the other. He writes, “Just to show you how absolutely destitute we are for clothing, here is a list of our equipment: one overcoat, two full wool uniforms, one suit of oilskins, three suits of woolen underwear, one overseas cap, one rain hat, innumerable socks, one pair of gauntlet gloves, one pair woolen gloves, one suit of blue denims, two wool shirts, one fatigue hat, one pair wrap leggings, five blankets, two pairs of (shoes, two bed sacks, one pair of hip boots, two Red Ckoss sweaters and one >raincoat. This does, not include the rifle, tent and other miscellaneous articles. And today we also turned in our sizes for mackinaws. Helmets, scarfs and other knitted articles can be obtained for asking of the Red Cross.” He states that most of the *men in his company are well satisfied, with the exception of those who are married and many of them would rather be home to take care of their families. According to bis letter he is uncertain when he will return to this country, because of the fact that engineers are badly needed for reconstruction work. — Lafayette Journal. i

State of Ohio, City of •£ oledo, Lucas County, cs. Frank J. Cheney makes oath that he is senior partner of the firm of F. J. Cheney & Co., doing business in the City of Toledo, County and State aforesaid, and that said flrm will pay the sum of ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS for each and every case of Catarrh that cannot be cured by the use of HALL’S CATARRH MEDICINE. FRANK J. CHENEY. Sworn to before me and subscribed in mty presence, this 6th day Of December. A. D. 1886. A. W. GLEASON, (Seal) Notary Public. Hall’s Catarrh Medicine is taken internally and acts through the Blood on the Mucous Surfaces of the System. Send for testimonials, free. F. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, O. Sold by all druggists, 75c. Hall’s Family Pills for constipation.