I found this letter this morning in the Plattsburgh Sentinel, dated 1918. The Favro’s were neighbors of ours in New York.
Plattsburgh Sentinel
Publ. Tuesday, Nov. 12, 1918
LETTER FROM FRANCE (from Leland to mother)
The following letter was received by Mrs. Benjamin Favro of Saranac from her son, Corp. Leland B. Favro, who is serving in France:
France, Sept. 21st, 1918
Dear Mother: -
Just a few line to let you know I am well and happy and hope this will find every one well at home.
Last Sunday four of my friends and I got passes and went to St. Armand. It is quite a good sized city and is very old. I visited the ruins of an old palace., also two caves. They say they were built hundreds of years ago, and at the time of the Fracno-Prussian war in 1870, the caves were used as prisons. We enjoyed the trip very much. The weather here in Central France is nice and sunny most of the time.
Well, Mother, it is just a year tomorrow that I have been in the army. There are twelve or fifteen of the boys that have been in the same time here in my company and we are going to have a big time tomorrow, the 22nd. We are going to have a goose dinner. What do you think of that? The Sergeant and I have just been to the next farm and got the geese. Ten nice big ones. I tell you we are living find, have good eats all the time, but tomorrow is going to be one big day. We have a new priest in our Reg. now, Fr. Lobin. He is just fine. He was at the church in town last Sunday and I think he will be here again tomorrow. I have been going to Mass every Sunday at the French church, but of course, I can’t understand the sermons, but since Fr. Lobin is here it seems just like home. We have a new Y.M.C.A. tent in town now, so it make us a fine place to spend our evenings. There was an entertainment there last nigh, and there were quite a lot of the town people there, they seemed to enjoy it as much as the soldiers. There is to be another Friday night given by one of our neighboring Co.’s. The Headquartes Co. There are two boys in this Co. from up home, one from Clayburgh, and the other from Ellenburgh. I see them most every day. I hear that Harry is on this side now. I hope I can run across him some time. I got weighed last night and I weigh 136 pounds-so I am in pretty good shape to “go over the top”, when my turn comes.
Must close with much love to all at home. I am as ever,
Your loving son
LEE
CORP. LELAND B. FAVRO,
Co. H. 303rd Inf.,
American E.F.
A.P.W. 773
