FRANK BROUGH MEETS “BILLY” PINCE IN FRANCE

Hackensack Boys, Both Marines, Chat and Frank Gets Evening Records

Frank Brough, now with the Marines in France, writes to his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Frank T. Brough, of Court street, as follows:

"32nd Co., 6th Regiment,
"U. S. Marines, A. E. F.

"Dear Folks:--Although it sort of 'kinder' looks like rain, until it actually does I'll stay on top of the old dugout No. 6 scribbling something I've almost forgotten to do, while the rest of the 'Triumvirate' in France are pounding 'dem feddlers' below in the 'subway'. What accounts for their apparent laziness? Well, we three stood watch last night and when we heard that we were elected we matched to see how we'd stand the all night vigil, divided into three shifts. I won the 'brown derby' and consequently chose the first watch from 8 p. m. to 11:30 p. m., Harry took the second, relieving me (as a matter of fact he kept me company during my turn) and then stayed right on till 3 a. m. till 6 a. m.

"So you see I got a full night's allotment of sleep whilst the others who were not so fortunate are now making up for lost time. Dave and I went down for breakfast and took Harry's 'mess gear' (as per agreement) along and brought his 'chow' back to him. 'Chow' is a word you haven't been pestered with for some time, at least in my epistles. The censorship being so very rigid, fearing that our comments on the 'fodder' might be anything but complimentary, we weren't allowed to breathe a word as to how we lived and fared, but now that the ban has been raised to a certain extent, at any rate the 'chow' is first class and plenty of it.

"We're no longer billeted, but quartered in 'dugouts' where each man rates a bunk accommodates to men. Harry and I occupy the lower, while Dave resides on the 'superdeck.' Some of our bunk houses have electric lights, others only candles.

"(Later, at the Y. M. C. A.) As I started for the dugout to get some matches, prior to leaving for the 'Y' I ran into Dave headed for the 'washroom' and was finally induced to accompany him as I 'rated' a bath, at least after the breakfast, not having indulged before. Right here I suppose you all throw up your hands in horror at the thought of going to breakfast without previously having washed up. Well, not so many months ago it wouldn't have struck we as being just the thing to do, and even now my only excuse is that of laziness, for if I did arise at 6:15, instead of 6:30, i could get ready for 'chow' in a fashion more becoming to a gentlemen. This, however, will trouble me much less at present then when we become inflicted with the 'cooties' as some of the 'old timers' have been.

"Yesterday the 'trio' did get real ambitious, however, on this cleanliness proposition (so great did we feel the need of a bath and a 'scrubbing party) that we tramped a mile or so down the road to the wash house before 'noon chow' for our bath and a crack at oursoiled satire.

As to how we managed to wile away the time at that that 'rest camp': to sum our routine up in a few words, its work one day and lay off the next, the former, consisting of packing a noon-day ration of sandwiches, then hiking several 'kilos' to the 'job' and then after the fashion of real honest to goodness 'Wops' armed with pick and shovel, we attack the proposition on hand with vigor (Ahem) characteristic of Uncle Sam's Jireens.

"I ran across 'Billy' Pince here the other day, who has been over here some time, and we had a nice little chat, during the course of which he promised to bring me some Evening Records, which though 'historic,' were quite recent enough for me to make enjoyable reading

"Well, I am eagerly looking forward to the time when Ill read my first letter of French Soil, which can't be far off now, and trusting that you are as well as the 'prodigal' is,

"Devotedly,
"FRANK"