[Letter of Robert Lincoln O'Connell to his sister Ellen, 8/23/1918]

Aug. 23, 18

Dear Ellen,

	Still laying around at # 29. I only had a stack of books and magazines
and my pay, I'd manage to worry along while my eyes lasted. You know how I used 
to read. There are a few books and magazines here and ____ different papers are
delivered daily, besides a French paper. They are the same size as those I sent
home and cost four cents each. My little French dictionary is pretty well used
up, but I can wade through the French paper without much trouble, thanks to 
that dictionary __ grammar and one of the boys who came over in the company.
He was born in Paris and went to the states about twelve years ago and for the
last few years

(2)
he travvelled all over the country as a salesman. We got a good idea of that,
last Jan., one night, when he came in with a talking ___ after a little celebration.
He overheard someone mention a certain big hotel and yelled "That hotel is in
Chicago I know every hotel in the country." We have fellows from every part of
the country and they were only too glad to have a little fun with Sherman, but
while he didn't name the city in every case, he knew so many first class hotels 
that we were all surprised and nobody said a word when he declared that the others
must be in little burgs. He was the colonel's orderly for awhile and also 'dog
robbed' for other officers after we come over, and did considerable interpreting
for them, so when he took the examination for interpreter in June, he was well
recommended. The papers came back about July 10, with his commission as 2nd lieut.
He left on the same day and I don't know where he is now

(3)
A couple of Y.M.C.A. men and a girl go through the wards two or three times a 
week with smokes and a few cookies for sale, also writing paper for those who
want it. There is very little candy to be had back here and they explained that
the Government has charge of that and had ordered eighty percent to be sent to
the front because they need it more than you back there. Back at the other place,
they had a good building where they put on a show (movies) or something else, 
nearly every night and the canteen was a busy shot, cheap, too. They often had
little treats for the boys such as a jam sandwich, two slices for a dime, also
lemonade or cocoa for another ten. The Red

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Cross or the ____ has a wholesale canteen on the grounds where the boys could
buy cigarrettes at cost and the 'y' men used to wait their turns, just like
one of the crowd and busy smokes at nine per and later sell at fifteen until
the man at the commissary heard about it. It takes all kinds of people to make
a world and the millions of dollars raised by the Y.M.C.A. are being spent for
the best advantage of people who know how. The way they gave away a truck load
on the first day of the drive, to Americans, French, and a few Boche prisoners
who were lucky enough to be sent back, made quite a hit with everyone. This
Spring, about the middle of March, the doughboys came into the little town we
were living in to get paid and then crowded into the Y, the S.A. hut and the
only French Store in town, to buy what they could before going in again, after 
dark. At the Y, there must have been forty or fifty in line at all times for
several hours, and the Y secretary certainly did the best he could. They must
have cleaned out his truck of

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candy, cigarrettes and matches. They generally sold the matches by the package
(of twelve) so I asked for "matches", and handed over the dime or rather the
half-franc piece. "You mean ten cents worth?" "Yes." He handed me the last dozen
boxes like a vet. Well, there isn't much news to give. We had been 'sitting in 
the world', as they say, at that sector although we didn't realize it, then, and
need to swear at Mont. every time we looked at it. _____ Peak and Mt. Carmel are
a good illustration if the latter were moved up in line with the first and about
a mile or more to the right, like this
Our trenches were in the lowlands, about where the road come out of

(6) 
the woods about a mile or so beyond the carpet-weavers. Do you remember the way
we celebrated  last Xmas? I've thought about that considerbly lately and I really 
think that the events leading up to it were arranged for the purpose of making
such a deep impression, as it did. The French are mighty clever and know what we
would naturally be thinking  of, at Christmas time. That's only our opinion
after a years experience over here with over five months actually within the third
line. We can see what a man sized job they have been holding down for four years. 
I guess both sides have changed their opinion of the other because we looked so
young besides them and they were certainly foreigners, to us, a year ago. I've
had two birthdays over here now, but am hoping for a real celebration on the next
one. If I get back, it will be worth the cost and I'll certainly make myself at
home for a good many days. I haven't met a single fellow from home or one I had
known. Don't forget to write, or the clippings.
Rob

[Trancribed by W.J. Shepherd on 16 May 2009]