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My Dear Mother and Family:-
While my lard can full of water is heating I thought I would drop you a
line & just as I started to get ready the orderly came in and handed me
your letter of the 11th of Feb. I'm sorry you haven't heard from me since
last year but everything is on the blink in "this mans army" now. We are
making a few maps each day and going to school in the P.M. In our spare
moments, between showers, we amuse ourselves with a ball, bat, and
football which Keller stole at Div. Hdq. and smuggled over to me.
We are still in the woodshed and Sgts. Meredith and Lindner are back. Both
are greatly desirous of returning home soon and I wouldn't be surprised to
see them leave any day. Meredith is anxious to return to his law and
Lindner has been elected President of The Lindner Shoe Co. in his fathers
place and is rear’in to go.
[This is where Walter went to work when he
returned home].
As for me I am amusing myself as
best I can and to pass the time Sgt. Aldinger & I play like two kids. For
instance we made a raft out of two gasoline barrels and spent the
afternoon on the river which is very high at this point. There was some
method in our madness, however, because the battalion camped further up
has been fishing by the aid of hand grenades and we collected quite a few
that escaped them and floated down. We ate them for supper. During the
cold weather we skated. Not on skates but on the hobnails in our shoes. We
could go sailing by taking a run on the shore then hitting the ice. It's
childs play but at the same time when a guy feels like a kid he feels
good. Then it kills time.
This bunch figures me for some cook and I do have success most of the
time. I am especially good on the spuds. We get a few eggs now and then
for ten francs per dozen (two dollars) & a dozen apiece is two meals each.
They taste fine when we can secure them. Can't understand about the
fellows not getting their pay. Our first one was delayed but since then we
have been receiving it regularly. I haven't saved any but don't owe any.
When I get a chance to eat I am like dad I never ask the price and as
Aldinger say: "We rate it, lets have it.”
Surely is a crime the way they soak us so but our fault at the same time.
When we came here wine was six francs a bottle. Somebody gets about half
soaked and goes around after hours. The madame says “Finis.” In order to
get it he gives her ten francs. The next day wine is ten francs for
everyone.
Most of the fellows have been laid up with colds on the chest and bad
coughs. I fixed Meredith up with some of grandmothers old remedy of
vinegar and butter. It worked as ever. Well, mother dear, it won't be long
till May now & then we'll stage a real party. Looks like I was outa
luck for buckwheat cakes and mush this season.
I've all my clothes scrubbed and after this bath I’ll be a new man
tomorrow. We have the “cootie" whipped now and the only way to rid oneself
of him is to bathe and wash clothes and iron blankets constantly. So you
see with our drill in the A.M. school for N.C.O.‘s in the P.M. sport in
between, and keeping clean time from 6:00 A.M. till 9:00 P.M. goes fairly
fast.
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