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SERGT. LES PUTT
Here I sit in a hotel in Paris.
Who would have dreamed of such a thiing? (sic) It is the hotel du
Pavillon, which is managed by the American Y. M. C. A., and is
very comfortable indeed, not just like our hotels at home or in
the United States as a whole, but modern, with running water, good
baths, good rooms, and good café.
I had an eleven-hour trip here.
It should have taken seven hours, and I should have arrived in
Paris at 10 P. M., but arrived at 2:30 A. M. I didn't mind the
trip, because I was on a good train (for France), with diner,
etc., but I was rather uncomfortable most of the time because I
wasn't certain I was on the right train when we were going on this
roundabout way. My mouth just about dried up on the train, for
there was no water to be found. I had eaten some salt fish for
dinner and I craved water. I finally quenched my thirst with a
handful of snow, and when I got into the diner all was 0 K--a good
meal for eight francs.
When I arrived at the Paris depot
a United States marine grabbed me and asked for my pass and then I
walked out into the street to get a taxi, as instructed, but there
were no taxis for blocks around at that hour of the night and no
subways or street cars. A policeman finally told me to walk to the
Y. M. C. A. hotel, about eight blocks, which I did, only to find
it closed, so I returned to the depot and sat around in the cold
until 5 o'clock. I felt like the only American in France.
I returned to the hotel at 5:30,
got a room (four francs a day), and slept for a few hours. After I
cleaned up, a Y. man took me to where I was to report, and then to
the college Union--a University club-and I registered there. Then
we came back to the hotel on the Metro subway, and after a good
luncheon I felt better. I met a fellow at lunch who worked where I
had to report for examination and we walked down together. He had
passed his examination for flying and was waiting to be called for
service.
I was given my mental examination
that afternoon and got by fine. Charles Whedon works there in the
photast department, and Frank Proudfit works in the
transportation. They are both from Lincoln. We had supper
together, and then went to see Gaby Deslys at the Casino de Paris,
and it seems fine to see a good show again. It was a wonderful
orchestra, and about half the show in English, wonderful chorus
and dancing, with real American jazz band. Everybody smokes in the
theater and a lot wear their hats. You have to tip every time you
turn around.
You can get anywhere in the city
for 25 centimes (5 cents), on the metro and the taxis are cheap
also (little two-cylinder cars that remind you of our 1908
models).
The next day, Friday, I didn't
have to report for medical examination until 5 o'clock, so I went
shopping, got some shoes (50 francs), gloves (32 francs), and
looked in the windows the rest of the time. There is nothing here
that you cannot buy at home, and cheaper, so I won't attempt to
send anything home. I'll bring some souvenirs when I return. Paris
has beautiful buildings of all kinds, statues, and parks, etc.,
but Omaha would look pretty fine to me. There are few, if any,
pleasure cars running because of the necessity of saving
gasoline.
At 5 o'clock I had my medical
examination and passed all right, and now I must return to the
squadron, and wait to be called, which may be in a short time,
maybe months, and
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maybe not at all, but I have been to Paris, anyway, and
had a good vacation.
That night I met my two friends,
Whedon and Proudfit (I am very lucky in having them) and we had
supper and spent the evening before a fireplace talking over old
times and what we had heard from home. I stayed with Whedon that
night. He had some candy from home which tasted mighty fine.
Tobacco is very scarce here.
Yesterday Whedon and I had all
our meals together and took the metro out to the Invalides. There
we saw Napoleon's tomb and relics of the many wars, including this
one--all kinds of armor, guns and aeroplanes. We saw the aeroplane
used by Guyenemer, the late famous French aviator, and several
Boche aeroplanes that were brought down.
I forgot to tell you that we went
to an American movie, that is, American actors. It seemed fine,
I'll tell you.
I met Lawrence McCague, of Omaha,
and we visited a few minutes. He has been here six months and is
driving an ambulance. Was in Paris on a ten-day pass.
The streets of Paris are lined
with little stands out on the edge of the sidewalks where people
sell all kinds of wares. In fact, the stores have most of their
stock out on the streets or in the show windows, even in the cold
weather.
The styles in women's shoes are
different than they are at home--square toes, high heels, and
laced nearly to the end of the toe--not very good looking, I
thought.
I spent New Year's day in Paris,
after all. New Year's eve wasn't like it is at home--no whistles,
bells or anything. I had a wonderful dinner New Year's day with
Whedon and Proudfit in a classy restaurant. It cost lots of money,
but it was worth it (83 francs for the three of us)--a wonderful
omelet, broiled chicken, French fried potatoes, ice cream, cake,
etc. The restaurant had cushioned lounges all around the room and
down the center, and the tables were along these seats. Very few
chairs are used.
This morning Whedon, Proudfit and
I had breakfast together and will dine together this noon and
tonight, and I leave for my station at 8:25.
LES PUTT, Sgt. 88th Aero Squadron.
LIEUT. KIRK FOWLER, '16
I don't know whether Dean Stout
will still be in Lincoln when this arrives or not. I only want to
say that I am well and happy and enjoying very much the work in
this branch of the service, together with the opportunity it
offers to hobnob with British and French officers and get their
points of view, which are quite different from my own.
In New York City and again in
Southampton I accidentally ran into Capt. Fred C. Albert of the
Engineers. Lieut. C. C. Towne is here with me and Lieut. Walter
Hall in the same camp. Lieut. Hiller is the only other Nebraska
man I have seen here. Hiller used to lecture to Pot. Econ.
classes, I believe. He was with the Bankers Life, I believe. I saw
him the first day, since when he has been up closer to the front.
Hall is a pretty busy man here, having qualified for a job
requiring more civil engineering than anything else. But Hall is a
mighty good man.
Towne, Hall and myself would
enjoy any
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word at all from Nebraska. My Nebraskans which came
spasmodically at Fort Monroe are a thing of the past.
KIRK FOWLER, E. E. '16.
William K. Fowler, Jr., Prov. 2nd Lt.
C. A. C., Unassigned.
Army Heavy Artillery School,
American Expeditionary Force.
* * * * *
ON BOARD: Am enclosing last
evening's menu and program. It is the regular thing on these trips
to give such an entertainment the last night on board. Who would
have thought that I would have been getting into old England this
Christmas morning?
The trip has been very smooth and
uneventful. The eats were wonderful, staterooms roomy, good baths,
a dandy music room and a smoking room. Have taken only what
evenings I wanted to and done lots of reading and considerable
writing.
LIVERPOOL (the American Army and
Navy Club, Midland Adelphi Hotel), Dec. 26, 1917. Dear Folks: Tho
we were in yesterday afternoon we didn't come ashore until
morning. We expect to be in Winchester, just out of London,
tomorrow forenoon and for about a week. Have spent the day looking
over the town. Sure and I didn't expect such a treat. Expect to be
able to get into London a time or two next week.
I won't be able to even give you
an idea of my impressions. There are no young able-bodied men in
England, if Liverpool is a fair sample, with the exception of a
few who are in uniform. The trams are driven by old men, and women
are conductresses. The hotel clerks are all girls. Tho all the
girls you pass smile at you, there is a certain sadness that you
cannot help feeling.
Our wonderful treatment coming
over still continues here, fares paid, etc. My dinner tonight at 6
o'clock, about $1.50, will be paid for when I turn in the receipt,
and so it goes.
Winchester is a rest camp, I
guess. I think we are awaiting transportation there. In the harbor
here, where we waited for and missed high tide last night, and
just made it this forenoon, a (censored) and sang out, "Hello,
Yanks, you're going the wrong way."
* * * * *
SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE, Dec. 31,
1917.--Of course I haven't had a word from home, for we have been
on the jump from one place to another, only staying a day or two
at
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