The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1918-09-28
INTERESTING LETTER
FROM lover THERE
&. T. Clifford Writes from France That
He Is Well and Happy and Anxious
to Help End the War.
He EXPECTS TO BE HOME SOON

HE EXPECTS TO BE HOME SOON.
K Mr.. and Mrs. Job w. Gift
NM ford have received an inter-
MA esting letter from their son,
IN e. T. Clifford, of Co. c, 104th
INA Field Signal Battalion, A. e.
F., somewhere in France. 1t
is dated August 16, and reads
I<f as follows:
Dear Dad and Mother:
M | received your most well
F~ come letters and you can i'm
agine how l felt. 1t sure
does a fellow a heap of good to know
just how things are back home.
If you could see me now, you would
think that l was on a little pleasure
trip. Where | am at present reminds
one of a camping trip with a few other
fellows for company. There is n
thing that even makes it better than
such a trip, and that is that we do not
have to bother cooking. We take
turns going after our mess and in this
way save very much trouble. If you
remember | have baked bread, cake
and a few other small things back
home. While the boys are willing to
take a chance on %shrapnel and Ger
man bullets, l think they would kick
if | started to do the cooking. You
can see by the way l write that l am
in good spirits. There is really moth
ing to worry about, but of course n
would much rather be home. l do not
think that the wal will last very much
longer.
About our trip across the pond, ev-
erything was fine. l happened to know
very much about the steamer that we
were aboard. This helped to make a
fellow feel better. One could not have
had a better trip. The old ocean sure
was great part of the time, there SEEM
ed to be scarcely a ripple. One night
it seemed to be exactly the same as
when you took the crew off the bottom
of the English schooner. The weather
being so fine allowed us all to enjoy
the trip and only a very few were sick.
| suppose you wonder if l did a trick
in the Galley. Well l did. l was in
the galley three days and of course
while working there had a few extras
to top off on.
| don't know whether you have ever
explained to me much about the port
where we diSembarked. | sure vas
surprised at some of the sights. One
of the first things l noticed was the
railroads. They just seem like toys.
There is very little use of me explain
ing about them as they are exactly as
you have already explained them to
me.
The sanitary conditions are also the
same. 1t seems very strange o
things are Over here.
| have been in a few of the cities or
towns that you so often speak about,
but | nave not yet been in Paris. 1t
would suit me much better to continue
in the way we have already started
and lick the Boche first. Then while
waiting for transports probably pass
in review or parade in some of the
large cities. | have already seen en-
ough of France, and being that | new
er cared for foreign countries or peo-
pie and that the reason for this trip
was to fight, let us fight and then come
home the shortest way and the quick
est.
You ask about me probably needing
a little money. We'll now | do not
need a penny. Uncle Sam is feeding
us very we'll and he also gives us a
little tobacco from time to time. The
U. S. Marine that you sent me while
in the States lasted till about a week
ago. My pipe is just as good a friend
as ever, but | am not smoking my en-
tire life away, DIETER save a little to
smoke in the next WORLDLY. Now about
needing the money to take a trip to
some city if I get a little time off. l
honestly hope that | will not get any
time off to take such trips. 1t would
be different if we were in the States,
Alaska or the West Indies. The
trenches honestly suit me much better
than any town or city in Europe.
One reason is because a fellow is with
Americans there.
The work that l am doing is prac-
tically the same as if l was not in the
army. Things are fine.
Speaking of the car makes me think
of mother saying, Il suppose l should
not tell you these things, as it may
make you feel home-sick." 1t does
make a fellow think of the good times
he has had and will have again after
the wal is over. Instead of feeling
home-sick it makes him want to fight
like - and her come home to
stay. Home at present is only good
for cripples and men past middle age.
Dad o must not go back to sea
again. If you do finally decide to,
wait until | come home and then let
me go with you and learn navigation.
If it happens to be an old wind JAM
mer you may have a job learning me
the ropes. One thing sure | am no
card expert like one of the fellows that
you had before the mast. 1t would be
impossible for you to tag the ropes
with the different cards and then sing
out the name of some care and expect
me to know what one you mean. Then
there is one other thing, no trips ar
ound the Horn for me and not see
land for six months. | have not for
gotten what sky hooks are, even If
one does hear land lubbers joking
about such things. | also think that
| can name the sails on the main
mast. Dad better wait till | come
home, even if you take an old whaler
tbpn