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My Dear Mother and Family:-
Just a line before supper to tell you I received your letter of 1/20/19.
It came over in record time. In fact all our mail is making good time. We
hear from home regularly every third day. We are still having fine winter
weather. It sifts a little snow each day and the temperature remains near
the freezing point.
My mouth is healing up fine and I feel much better since I had the old
snags out. I am in better health now than ever before and by the time I
again clasp you all in my arms again the traces of weariness and hunger
will have disapeared. {sic) I was kind of gaunt and worn with our long
hikes, sleepless nights and constant fighting. I never felt better and am
enduring our cramped quarters and the wait for the boat with patience.
I am enclosing a clipping from the N.Y. Herald and from it you can easily
see who was in the thick of it. It holds another meaning aside from the
facts printed and that is that we should be on our way home soon. That is
if any thing like fair play and decency enter into the demobilization
plans.
We have stood the brunt of the fighting and are not in the Army of
Occupation so it looks like our record should stand for something toward
an early return. We are still in at the same town and are busy with
reviews and maneuvers. We have reviews twice a week and are inspected by
the Gen. each time. Getting ready for that parade in Phila.
So Grace met Mr. Anderson. I guess he is satisfied now that he is far from
the flying scrap iron. He was absolutely no good. We never saw him while
we were in the Argonne. He found a good hole when we jumped off and stayed
there. I think he made a mistake when he said he knew me. I never saw him
but once or twice. Like all the other Y.M.C.A. men he was good at the
fade-a-way stuff.
When they gave a show it was "first ten rows for officers" .When they sold
cigarettes it was a package for the doughboy and a carton for the
officers. They are all right in the S.O.S. but not there on the lines.
Last night we had a show and one fellow played a part as a "Y" man. He
came on and said to the sentry, 'Did you see my dog"? "What dog?” asked
the doughboy. "The one that carries the basket of chocolates to you
fellows in the trenches" he replied. "No, I didn't," said the sentry, "but
your other one just passed." "What other one'? he asked. "The one with the
cash register" he ans. It brought down the house because every one knew
they had paid for what they got from the "Y". The Salvation Army had them
all topped. I was in one sector where they made hot cakes for us right on
the line and their women baked doughnuts a few kilos back under heavy
shell fire. Anytime I don't drop a nickel in the tambourine or two bits in
the drum it will be because I'm broke.
In their canteen lines the officers fell in line and took their turn. In
the "Y" lines they went up and bought the store while we went without. The
opinion of every man on the line of the Red Cross and the Salvation Army
is good, but if you want to hear of the work of the "Y" ask anyone of
them. They’re
[illegible]
are all the same!
We are feeding good, my woodshed is warm, and by bathing in kitchen soap
and putting Creolin on my clothes I am making life miserable for the
cooties. I have tried all sorts of experiments on the pest. "Where do all
these cooties come from"? The other answered, "Search me"!
I told you about letting the guys off to hunt wild boar. They not only
made good their promise to get one, but got five. They ran one out in the
field and shot him in plain view of the whole company. They are wild pigs,
you know, and are some dirty brutes. All the boys took were the tusks but
the Frenchies said they were good to eat and the weather being favorable
the butchering started.
What has happened to Bert Reynolds! The booze or the "Wild, Wild Women".
I'll have to remind him of his parting remarks to me. That when the Kaiser
had killed all of us wicked ones the chosen would live for a thousand
years in peace.
This is a great age we are living in!
Well, Mother I must close and grab the mess. It is some chilly getting out
at 6:00 A.M. these fine days.
I am looking forward to that return voyage and I hope we run into a storm
I'd like to be on the high seas in a storm just to see what it looks like.
Love and kisses for you all.
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