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My Dear Parents: -
Have just received your letter, mother, which you wrote on the eleventh of
last month. Well it just ended in time for us. None of us was particularly
crazy about wintering up there in the front. It is much more comfortable
here by the fire although very monotonous. I am in good health again but
lying around here doing nothing don't leave a fellow much appetite or pep.
We are back to standing all calls again and must arise at 6:00 A.M. That
is one thing never bothered us while the battle was on. We were up all the
time then. We are still in this God forsaken village and there is more
rain and mud every day. This is the stickiest mud you could imagine and
wading through it is enough to give any soldier the "Willies".
All we want to do now is to come home. I've seen all France I care to and
what I need now is a glimpse of Penna. We know the war is won and most of
the fellows don't ever want to talk about it. The main topic is "When do
we go home?” Rumours, Rumours, Rumours! Every day there is a new line
from which some "doughboy" wants to bet his entire pay for everyone is
"straight dope" of course. "Such and such an outfit is already on the
ocean, homeward bound." "Another is leaving tomorrow" and so on.
There are six of us in a room just a trifle larger than mine at home and
you can imagine what arguments take place among us. Politics, military
tactics, football, prohibition, anything at all. They are continuous and
some are of the most ridiculous nature. Last evening we argued for hours
about many things and finally when we were all in the hay and about asleep
one guy says, "Where was Steve Brady when he jumped from the Brooklyn
Bridge"? It wasn't much of a question but the ensuing debate only lasted
about an hour. One said he was on the New York side, where upon the other
answered that from his remarks he was convinced he had never seen N. Y
.and the fight was on. It's a great life! I'm imaging being in jail must
be something like this. If we soon don't move we will all be "nuts".
Just while I am writing this two of them are wrangling over in the corner.
One is trying to convince the other that he woke him up for snoring while
the defendant claims he never snores. I guess our officiers realize what
humor the men are in for they promote shows and are starting a football
league. Last night two "Y" Girls put on a show and one claimed to be a
mind reader. She asked the fellows to write questions fold the paper and
she would tell what was in them and ans. if she could. She was soon in
hard luck for you should have heard the questions. One was, "If three
dimes are thirty cents, how much is a handful?" "How many bubbles in a
cake of soap?" And one fresh guy wrote "How's chances for a date?"
I hope we are soon liberated and start west! I'm glad you all escaped the
Flu and are still well. I knew it would do my old dads heart good to know
I had made good. It was just for that I wanted too. That's some crew of
Ben's that wouldn't let a man write while they moved. We wrote even under
fire. Hope you all had a Merry Xmas and are keeping your resolutions.
Watch the papers and the trains! Love to you all and let the reunion be
prompt. Never mind the turkey, give me buckwheat cakes!
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