Oxford Democrat., 1918-11-26
Lsttera irom- Arth.. .n.::..-

Lsttses ifam Afthnf Dow {
rns following letters were written by
nSor Dow OF South Paris to hi
In.x September Is, 1918.
Inis VIII DO my first letter from for.
elgn waters. We are nearly through our
safely. '''
nave learned quite . few of the cus.
toms and traits Of the English. A asso.
ciating with them for two veeks IN,
ALen 20 me. They seem to be q very
sooaaoie lot, and have put themselves ont
20 great extent for our comfort. But
their meals I like not at all.
fnis letter 10 censored by the chaplain
sooard mere, and ! am sure it was very
Hlno OF MIN, TOR otherwise you might
NOT get letter for two weeks more.
| Wnen ! arrive ct my destination
snaii send you my address % that you
ters.
The weather has not been good at all.
for either tho wind has blown q gale or
1t has been foggy aud rainy. The men
say that 10 the usual thing In these
waters. Any way don't like 1t at all.
intend to send you money when get
paid a / shall receive q month and
halfs pay all at once, and can spare .
good part of It. Everything is cheap
here. For instance, the boys pay Q
pence a osnts) for shave, and pence
for hair cut. Can you imagine itp
Their money 10 very funny and heavy.
i was seasick during the first heavy
wind, but the day IL blew hard wasn't
sick at all, and enjoyed telling the pork
and string story to other poor sick fel-
lows.
There isn't much that 1 can tell you.
as you probably realize, but let's hope
this will be just word OF cheer to my
dear mother and father.
Tell Ella that / have been to church
every day for two weeks, as that 10 com.
pulsory In the English Navy.
Love to oil,
ARTHUR.
r. s. II this letter 10 Q bit scrawly,
just remember this table 10 rocking back
and forth and up and down. ts-
US. Naval Aviation Forces,
Foreign Service,
U. s. Naval Aviation Repair Base,
Eastleigh, England.
September "a, 1918.
Dear Mother:
am about as far from home az my
address is long. have been very busy
this last week and really haven't had
minute to write.
But truly, mother, I was never hap
pier than when ! arrived in camp under
the control OF the Stars and Stripes.
You remember the saying, One never
misses q thing until he has TO 20 without
1t. l never missed our flag until / bad
to 60 days without seeing it. And
whenever I did see 1t, q little culver
would 20 up my back. / tell you, moth
or, I am glad am an A American.
I am perfectly happy and healthy.
The clouds around here have got into Q
very bad habit, and 1t happens daily.
Rain descsnds upon this fair land In
varying abundance, but without fail
once per day.
This Is the morning after the night
before.
"It rained." .ss
Last night I met through business q
very nice English girl. She was the
head of large number of girls, and
would be an officer II she were q man.
In talking, the conversation turned to
coins and she showed me q very small
coin. 1t was q farthing (1.2 cent?.
These are now In circulation here. She
gave it to me. It is some pocket piece.
/ shall probably have a number of curios
when / come back.
Will you give my address to any one
who wishes to write me?
Ever since arrived have been max.
ing q perfect fool of myself In eating.
Food never tasted 40 good 40 IL did the
night arrived. Twas every bit Amer
ican.
Also, mother, am perfectly happy to
stay on land. The fellows jokingly ask
me II sm going back home after the
war. Well, there was time when /
didn't care about returning or anything
else. Ny great desire was land.
didn't care whether 1t was mud or sand,
just enough to stand on.
The first storm upset me most terri
bly,, but my stomach had become stable,
and the second storm affected me not ut
all. / could pull the "sslt pork and
string story" without danger to myself.
Ask father about that.
This letter will be censored, and II I
have said anything which I should have
left out, you will find It crossed out.
But have tried at least not to say any
thing which would help these Germans.
They don't look as II they we're being
starved.
This address will reach me:
Arthur G. Dow, Ch. Elec.
u. S. Naval Aviation Repair Base,
Eastleigh, England.
Oct, "a, 1918.