The Bismarck Tribune Newspaper, June 26, 1918, Page 6

licen .. hour's -watk * an hour’s Walk from quite a sizeable FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS By Blosser BY EZRYY HAD A GOOD TIME, ALL RIGHT IN WE o-sTW FOLKS AUL WEAT TH CHAUTAUQUA ~ BUT. dia DUCKIE 3 GOSH, UNCLE AN’ T TOWN To Go To SHOULD WORRY, Well EZRY, You BACK FROM TowN ALREADY. DID YA SEE TH’ CHAUTAUQUA, i> HUH? ~ SQUIRREL FOOD ' By:Ahern BENNY GIVES A HELPING HAND BLEHH — moo cow | waw Bren-e | \ KNOW TH’ MATTA wim HIM ~ HIS FRRMER PAW SENDED HIM: TO BRING HOME "TH COWS! 1 BETCHA- AN'THENS Too Heavy For HIM “To ced SIT DOWN SONNY ILL ESHORE Dipjai JEST CONE FROM THERE NOW — PULL EM HOME FOR You men oop! No WONDER You WAS CRYIN ~ THEY 1S SOME How'n VA é Uwe-173 ‘em! THEY musT BE A WHOLE STOCK L\ YARD FULL OF OW FINERT 2S RODE ON ‘TH DURA == THING TEN 2 TIMES) | MOTHERS’ DAY ON FIELDS OF FRANCE +——_. NOTE.—The following letter from Sergt. Fred R. Moffat, nephew of George D. Mann, publisher of The Tribune, originally published In the Dubuque Tribune, is reprinted | est in the subjects with which it de That Mother is not forgotten -by the, Sammies amid the terrors of the sheli-torn trenches, in the crash and smash of the fight, nor in the strife and stress of daily life “over there,” is evidenced in a letter written by Sergeant Fred R. Moffat, to his moth- er, Mrs. R. B. Moffat. It was penned on ‘Mothers’ day,” and from .the author's statement, it is to be inferred-that nearly all made the occasion memorable by sending a message’ to a lonely lady, bravely withholding the well of tears gushing to her eyesas she thinks of “her boy.” og Sergeant Moffat has been in France for’ some time’:and consequently is well acquainted with the country, its ‘customs and people. Of these he speaks: interestingly. Queer, and cam- ical are a few tales he relates. French women, many of them old, and decrepit, show a splendid spirit of self-sacrifice. They forgo pleas- urés, .Performing the customary du- ties’ of men, ‘stopped and bent under the burdens of war, they. could.be classed as nothing else than heroines. ‘When Uncle Sam's soldiers are around however, their/load is lightened. Appended to,,Sergeant Moftat’s let- ter, which follows, is a second mis- sive, that of Lieutenant H. N. Nory, censor of Co. B, 7th: bat., 20th engi- neers. He is a brother of Mrs. A. and M. Urbach of Dubuque. He con- gratulates Mrs. Moffat on the char- acter of her son. , ‘Transcribing below are the letters: #F May 12, 1918. ‘Dear Mamma: How many of ‘the boys “over here” are writing Mothers letters today, thousands I'm sure. We had a Mothers’ day service at the “y” tent this morning. The speaker, a’"Y" man, gave us a fine talk. He sutely made us all realize what a satrifice the mothers of the country are undergoing and the duty we owe them and the women’of our country, in’ living a: clean life “over here.” His little talk; struck very<close to our hearts, and I'm sire. there were very few dry ‘eyes among the boys at the end. .I only wiéh he could come to us more often with such mes- sages. It would surely encourage us th keeping the life; which I am sure the majority of us have decided within a,-to lead. * i nase vThe: company has at last settled in a@ permanent camp; .We expect to be here for at least a few months. The “y" tent is: an innovation. Only ar- rived a few days ago and isn’t yet in running order, When it does get go- ing it will surely be a big help. It's been quite a spell since I heard from home. Haven't heard whether you have reecived-any of my lettérs. But we can’t expect regular letter. periods. over here. Beantiful Country. We are surely located in a pretty dectlon: of the country, gently rolling with beautiful estates and farms, and the forest in the midst of it. We're just towa, and from half an hour to an from. several villages. The people and their costumes seem funny, so altogether different from the states. To all appearances they stop- ped improving their methods of work- ing and living where we began. They do all their: traveling from place to place in high, two wheeled carts drawn by.a sitigle horse. The only way‘to distinguish between the poor and rich is the difference in the carts, horses and harness. The rich have fancy horses and harness, and rigs. The poorer people just common ordi- nary rigs, often drawn by one poor little jackass not mitch larger than a Newfoundland dog. Talking of dogs they are also used to pull two wheeled carts. We have one cart which we always like to see pass by, a buxom French lasstes perched atop of it, and three large dogs haul it, and how they ramble. On “high” all the time, such willing workers, and they truly seem to enjoy it. You would be surprised at the’ loads some of th€mi pull. , Women Work Hard. T can’t get used to the way the poor old women have. to work, The chief occupation: seems to be gathering wood. They gather dead limbs from the forest, put them in small two wheeled carts and pull them home. And such loads. They often look large |Frenech people's life. em, Ry here because’ of the general inter- als. enough to .have a*horse dragging them. But instead of a horse you will find a woman between the shatts, with another pushing the cart, and sometimes a dog hitched to the axle pulling for all he is worth. You will often see two soldier boys, who have overtaken a couple of the old women pulling the cart for them. How such }tion, a stunt does tickJe the old girls. Can't seem to savey why we should do it. The Frenchmen don’t do it. ,I sup- pose they are so used to seeing it, that it doesn’t strike them as it does us. To most of the fellows the thought comes, “Lord I'd hate to think of my mother having to do that , I’ll give her a lift.” Vintages Replace Water. We have some great times trying to talk to the French. The fellows who took French: in school are certainly in luck here. .It was especially hard at first to order a meal at the villages but. now they are coming’ to under- stand a little-English, and we also have learned the names of the edibles we usually wish. But many is the laugh I’ve had at. the attempts three or four of us have made to get some old Frenchman and his wife to under- stand‘ our order, We often ended up by taking:the bottle of wine they put in front of us, and then moving on to seek one of more understanding. Mon Dieu! All Drink It! Talking ‘of wine, they.seem to live on it over here. I honestly believe they don't drink water. In fact a French women who speaks a little English, told me that they drink: very little water. Water is as one of the Frenchmen in camp told us “par bon” (no good). They believe as does one of the lumber jacks working with me, “It is good stuff to put under bridges.” I suppose it~is mostly a matter of being brought up to it. From the wee toddlers up wine is the drink at meals and between meals. They have all kinds of wine but the kind drunk most .widely is a white or red wine, and sour almost to the vinegary stage. 1. can't say that like it ai-all, but at that it-is better than the coffee they serve. Such: stuff, just a syruppy. sort of stuff with: np resemblance to true coffee. The restaurant is always con- nected with the: wine-shop, cafe, you know...'Never are the two separated. The. cafe forms a big part of the It is there they meet on a: Sunday and with a loaf of bread, some: butter and wine while away the day or good part of it talk- ing. While families, parties, fiancees, gather aroufd a table and the talk fest is on. . Epicures, Attention! Another sergeant and I (By the way I¢nave been promoted to a sergeant; now it’s Sergeant :Moffat,; if you please) have quite a stand in with a woman who.runs a cafe in one of the villages. She invited us to dinner the other night, and we surely had some meal and some time. The military po- lice have*made a ruling that all cafes shall close at 9 o'clock, and she af course couldn't eat until after then. So after that hour she put the meal on the table, and four of us: started to feed up (her daughter made the fourth) especially my companion and myself., We started in with veal breaded, that surely was great, toast. ed to a golden brown; then we had jchicken with French fried potatoes and gravy, next asparagus, then salad and finally cherry preserVes and cook- ies with a bottle of wine,—all served in course. The French people are great on the course.dope. We had an awful time at first getting them to un- derstand that we wanted our meals served not by courses. We used to, when we ordered omelette, potatoes, ‘bread and jam, get each thing sepa- rate, in a bunch. About midway throngh the meal a machine drove up, stepped at the door, and someone knocked. What a scurry there was! Madame grabbed us by the arm, whispered po- lice and hustled us down through a door and down a stairs which evident- ly led to the wine cellar, atid left us there with the girl. She had turned out the lights in the dining room when the machine came up, and so with just’ the light in the kitchen burning ‘she: went to the door and let the M. P. in.! They took a look around but seeing nething turned around and went out. You see they close a place to soldiers But now they give it to us all!}* for a month or so if they’ find them open. atter time, and although we were her guests, to be on the safe side she hid us away. I surely had a good laugh. I was afraid the M. P. would hear me snickering. Another Bathing Beach, Two of us had a funny conversation. with a French soldier in town last Sunday: The soldier had been among English. at. the front: long enough to understand a little English, and he also saveyed a little German. Well the fellow with me had a smattering of French, and out of my school course I have retained enough German to get a line now and then of the conversa- Well between the three lan- guages all of us were able to get,a line on each other’s dope. It was cer- tainly good. I also had.a bath in a French bath tub last Sunday. Some bath tub, be- lieve me,—bigy high affair. They fill the tub: with water, then tell you to go to it. I was afraid. I would, be in danger of drowning if I got into it, but. I took a chance and submerged. Makes a fellow feel like holding up two fingers and saying “so deep” when you hit the bottom. The water just came up to thé top of my shoulders, only my head and neck sticking out. It sure felt good to soak up, though. Sunday Great Day. Sunday is a-great day in camp. We are still somawhat in: the curiosity line, and they gather from all over the country to give us the once-over Sunday. They are very inquisitive as.to our tents and arrangements in them, also the kitchen and meals. White bread is all same cake to them; I rather like their war bread though —a brown bread made.mostly of whole wheat «and bran,I imagine. An old French women stuck her /head in our tent just.a moment ago and laughed all over upon seeing me _ writing. “Fiancee,” she said and pointed to her ring finger. I.couldn’t make her be- Neve it was my mother I was writ- ing. to. Appetites xGood. a The French think we are great eat- ers, “Bon appeti,” one of: them said to me ong night. When you go in and order beef steak, a six egg omel- lette, fried potatoes, bread and jam or cheese and a bottle of wine their eyes: pop out. ‘Does seem rather a. large order when I read it, but we do enjoy a change now and, then. We ordered water one day just to see; what they would do, but nothing do- ing, They must have thought we were kidding them. They wouldn't serve it. Can you beat it? Mebbe So! Mebbe So! There are lots of girls over here. But, sbelieve ‘me, they can't hold a candle to our ‘American girls, None just like them. Seems to me I’ve written a scan- dalously long letter. Just:hope most ‘of it passes the censor. Hope you find something ‘of ‘interest in this}. mother. It’s a rather difficult task finding things to write~about; cen- sorship is. so strict. : vr Am feeling. fit as a fiddle, and as well satisfied as it ts.possble to, ‘this side of the Atlantic. “Do hope this war end soon, though from all signs:), that is too much to expect. Give my love,to all the folks, from your loving son, FRED. - P, S.—Don’t send any packages, as | every package must be accompanied ——SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS v tenet § Rewareofcounterfe MAIN STREET A. BEER MALT BEVERAGES Cigars, Tobaccos Candies Phone 312R Fifth St., Opp. McKenzie Hotel, Bismarck, N. D. captain, to get by. quest later on. pass this letter dn to the rest of the “fambly.” May 12, 1918. Allow me aving such a Mrs. R. ‘B. ‘Moffat: congratulate you for aml tT Z to ; letter. “book-length” letters, but F. R: holds L It is sold “just pressure. have. a mother back wrote | ion. not Yr thought I A a \, FOR SALE BY ° ; “UT SELLS SO. BECAUSE IT ENCE. C 2 Trade Mark Reg. U. S. Pat, Off. mes o around the corner” and it's’ | kept on ice, too. EXELSO helps you tackle your work with a, smile-and “stick it out” all day under “Go to it® and you'll “come back.” It’s made by “HAMM OF ST. PAUL” and his 50 years of experience asa beverage maker stands back of every. bottle. T must admit. ‘by a request from me, o. k.’d by the{son as FR, His mother’s letter was | all records. However, his ‘mother Will send a re-}the prize winner, but as yet we have You might kind of | not decided what the reward is to be. You see, ! home, and we sure are “strong for’ the chap who thinks enough of his mother to write her a fourteen-page always miust be mother and “‘fiancee” com- bined—a very rare combination, but ideal, | “I trust you will forgive my intrud- ing ‘upon’ such sacred ground as a letter to our mother is, in my opin- But believe me, I simply cquld it the temptation of wri! “A Real Drink % for Real Americans _EXELSO will knock a Sahara Desert =. thirst in. 30.seconds. It bubbles and foams _ | ‘with the deliciousness and goodness which come from __- the golden juices of American cereals and tonic hops. - There is nothing. “just like it for ahd insist-on getting % v DEALERS EVERYWHERE is 50” ing ‘ or—"just as good." Ask just a few lines offering my congrat- ulations. 3 Mrs. A. and M. Urbach of Dubuque, Iowa, .are my sisters, Would it’ be asking too much of you to send them my love. ~ , ° ? Sincerely yours, LT. H. N. NORY, DR. Cy Censor Co. B, 7th Bat., 20th Engrs. 4 : Pe tb e Ye.