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My Dearest Mother:-
You can't imagine how pleased I was the other day when right after I had
written to you I received two letters from you. They sounded as tho you
were missing your boy alright. I suppose Grace is reconciled a little by
this time and hope you are all feeling better. It was tough to walk up the
gangplank knowing that you were not going to see the folks at home for a
good while but then the excitement is so intense all about you that you
don't get time to think of yourself much. The evening following your
letters I had one from Florence. It had beaten yours across but
Flora-Belle had mailed it to F Co. and Hump brought it over to me. Hope
you are all staying well in our absence and will stay that way until our
return. I was sorry to hear of Frances B's misfortune. It was too bad. I
had a letter from "Tus" Hockenberg and he said things were surely dead. He
said he had counted three hundred fifty days out of town already. You can
imagine what it will be like when we all get back and start swapping lies.
I saw in the paper where Mitchell had been killed while flying at the
field where J.D. is instructor. You can figure how good that boy is when
you think how much longer he has been at it than the rest. We had a new
fellow come into our section today and on our way back from dinner I began
to question him as to what part of the states he was from. I was surprised
to find that he is from Myersdale, Pa and was a brother to Fred Rowe who
used to be my teacher in H.S.
We are good friends already. (It's raining, I'll finish tomorrow.) The
rain turned out to be a sun shower and as it is still daylight I will try
to finish this tonight. We are still busy and the time goes fast. We were
promised the Fourth off. We were all set to take a good sleep, and the a
bath and wash and mend clothes. Instead about one thirty A.M. we were
roused by the call to arms, and were ordered to roll our packs and move.
We marched ten miles, coming into our new camp at daybreak of that day.
Stayed there all day and that night moved again. Stayed in this place all
that day and the next night found us on the move again. So here we are.
You can see how we pass the time. Altho we can't write you we think lots
of home and the fellows talk among themselves of their mothers often. It
is not unusual to hear one fellow confessing to a dozen more of what a
great monkey he had been at home and how he was going to be when he gets
there again. I have not heard from Ben since his first letter. I guess you
have heard from him by this time. How is Dad standing the hot weather?
Hope he gets lots of 24 and 26 gauge. Tell Joe Randall I'll not ask off
for any picnics this summer.
I found a Gazette Times this morning. It was of June 1st and had some
little news of home which looked good. I'm glad to hear that you are
writing to me every day and will feel satisfied if I ever receive as much
mail as I have been in the past. There isn't much to write anymore except
to tell you that I am still well altho I had a bealed tooth for two days
that puffed my face out in front. The one I told you about breaking on the
hard tack. I thot I could save it and have a new one put on the root when
I came home but it is "finish" as the French say. Hump and I were together
at the last camp and spent the time chatting and comparing mail. He has a
letter from Goog that was a dandy. How is his grandmother these days? You
can tell her I sent my love. Have the sheet workers had any raise since I
left? It sure must be funny not to see any boys around these days. That's
all we do see over here. A good-looking girl would be a sight for sore
eyes. They are here alright, but we don't see them. You should see how the
women work in this country. All kinds of farm work and heavy work it is
too. It seems queer to be lying along the road along with a thousand more
huskies and see an old woman and several girls pitching hay in the field
or wheeling heavy loads along in front of you. They go about it in a firm
determined manner, however and seem to take everything cool and as a
matter of fact. From the newspaper reports you must all be hard at work
back home with Red Cross and other big things. It looks good to us when we
read about the launching of so many ships. That make things better from us
you know. Now everyone here is surely feeding. Uncle Sam gives the solid
stuff and the Y. M.C.A. furnishes the dainties. Don't lack a thing. In
fact I eat all the time and therefore I'm happy all the time. I'll have
Vini Smith lashed to the mast for that sort of thing when I get back,
unless he is getting the same opportunities. I've been trying to get Hump
in this section and am going to succeed doing so I think. He is fine where
he is but the work is too hard for him, I know. I'd surely like to meet
Ben over here. I bet this life will agree with him at that. He liked
outdoors and we don't have anything else but that here. Then, I suppose,
he gets to ride on the bikes. I have a bicycle now but would just as soon
walk right as sit down to it. Thot we would get motorcycles, but when they
came they lacked the motors. Well anyway we are going to win the war.
Everyone is sure of it now and then we'll “All come marching home." Give
my love to everyone and this letter contains bushels of the same to you.
Tell Florence to keep writing and also to do as she pleases about
enlisting. She'll make out anyplace and I'll bet my last franc on her
making good. If Uncle Sam did not need them he would not ask for them you
know. It is so dark now that I can't see to finish this out so will close.
Give my love to Dad and tell him I said to take easy as he could. Any news
you get of the other boys let me have it because we like to hear what each
other are doing. Best love mother, and just wait till we get together
again. You'll see some changes that'll do you good.
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