Sincerely, Joel C. Swisher

Dear Folks,

Well well have moved again. This time only for a few miles. We are in a sparsely settled district on the top of a hill. Can look for several miles in any direction and see only one house and two church steeples. It would be a fine place for a small-pox camp. It is wonderfully pretty however. We get the full benefits of the sunsets up in these hills. We are to put up barracks and things for a tank school. Of course, nothing is very certain in the army, but I think we will be here for some time. I am very well satisfied with the place.

The site of the camp is in oats and barley patches but I do not think it is very fertile ground. In some respects it resembles the barrens at home, but near here is some very fertile country. I must say that the French around here certainly have fine cows. Mostly Guernseys. They pasture them at large, a girl or old woman watching them with the help of a dog. These cow dogs know their business very well.

They also have fine horses. Today I went to town to the dentist and saw a horse sale. The French government buying horses from the people. Or to put it more correctly, the government had requisitioned them and paid a certain price for them. Some people did not seemed pleased to part with their horses.

I had one filling put in. A front tooth only a small cavity. They put enamel in for me. The dentist said the rest of my teeth were all in good shape.

The French have not started to cut wheat, barley or oats yet. The wheat is beginning to turn. There are peaches and cantaloupes on sale in town but the price is extremely out of sight.

Must close and write to Aunt Mary as I have not written to her for some time.

Lovingly,
Joel

J.C. Swisher
Co. B. 25 Engrs