Somewhere in France (Thompson)

Somewhere In France
Jan. 20, 1918.

Dear Uncle and Aunt,

You will no doubt be surprised to hear from me, but guess you will survive the shock.

I received the writing case in good shape, even if it did take sometime for it to come, but it had a good long journey at that. Thanks very much for it. This is the first tablet I have used since we landed in France. Don’t believe they know what they are over here.

Wish you could see some of these French Villages. I am sure that would satisfy you though because a person have no desire whatever to want to live in any of them. Most of the houses are all built one against the other making them look like one big rambling building. Everything is built of stone, barns, houses and even their fences. There are lots of trees here and the country is rough and rocky. We are quartered in the loft of an old stone barn. It is clean, but we don’t have to lower the windows at the top to get ventilation. I found a stone table and a bench so am writing out in the open. I do not know how long their winters are over here but for the last week has been quite warm, but stays cloudy all the time, clears up at night and by morning it is as cloudy as ever again. It is very muddy and wet all the time, rains a good deal. I have heard of sunny France but cannot see where the sunny part of it comes in as the sun is very seldom in sight. The worst part of being over here so far any way is the mail, it takes a month or more for letters to come from home. The latest mail I have received was written Dec. 10.

Will close for this time and try again later on. I hope you folks had a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. I think I could have been Merrier and Happier but was not so bad.

As ever,
Owen

Note: This was a private letter to Ed and Rose Thompson from Owen Thompson and was not published in the Farnam Echo.