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1 Forrest Folk Writes Iron• XFruce.itie8Thq,r following letter, dated * June 18, was received a few days * Uago by his grand mother, Mrs. 1 Arad Leaf at Tobinsport, from her grand son, Forrest Folk in ' France, which explains itself. *Here it is: IFrance, June 18, 1918. 1My Dear Grandmother: 1It has been a ( long while since I wrote, 1 know, but I have been travelling i pretty much since then. Very y | SOOll aft er being reassigned to t the 315th, 1 was ordered over, i ; The trip across was louger than a 1 had expected, but was not un-i- j pleasant, except that 1 was one i of the “look-outs, ” or watchers and didn’t get much sleep. We had to go up the ship’s masts into what is known as the “crow’s nest.” I didn’t like it much when the ship rolled a bit. On the whole the weather was tine and nothing bothered us. Most things which would be interest ing 1 cannot write about.I have never heard from Ruth and the babies, and am of course anxious to hear how they made the long trip back from i coining to see me before 1 started. 1 imagine it will take a let-I ter about six weeks to reach me.We move about here quite a ^ good bit. The country is quaint, very old-fashioned, thickly settled and the houses built of stone are hundreds of years old.I am quartered with a Frof. in the college here. It is about the same as our high schools. The people are very polite and hospitable. I am picking up a little “French,” but they learn English much faster.Many things cannot be bo’t at all, such as candy, tobacco and the like, others as paper and eatables are scarce, and one has to have a “ticket” to get them. There is not even a “movie” in this place. The streets are narrow, crooked, and serve as alleyand sewer combined. My room is about 5x10 ft. and has a homemade desk and book-case along one wall, so that, when the folding bed is let out, I actually have to crowd in over the foot. The bed is good though.The people cook in an open fire place, and use candles for lights. Very little water is drunk,—wine and cider only. The wine is very cheap, very weak and sour. I don’t care for it, but lifce the cider fairly well.Strawberries are ripe here now, but of cotirse a good old American short cake, was never beard of. Perhaps the people there think they are having a hard time. Well, they are not. If they had to live like here as these people do, then they mighttalk some.It is not warm here. France is all much farther north than even Wisconsin. Hot water and washing seem to be scarce too. Fuel is so high though, that if one stole a stick of wood, itwould be worse than stealing a horse in the states.The bread is very black but the loaf is not higher priced, a loaf is 2 or 3 ft. long, and sells for 15 or 20 cts according to exact weight. We have our own bread and meat.Write often to my wife and little ones. Much love to you all. Where is Orval Leaf stationed?Your loving grandson,Forrest Polk.thine,tojdinofid58,68tohewhen.JWm-he~idi.onthhe i ant.m-on,in
Newspaper Details
Cannelton Telephone
Cannelton, Indiana, US
Thu, Aug 01, 1918
Page 3
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USA 01 Feb 2019
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