The Redwood gazette., 1918-02-13
THE REDWOOD GAZETTE REDWOOD FALLS, MINNESOTA

when you were made General, for
you must be at least Brigadier to
draw a place like this"
The people here are of the very
best guess. They've got pictures
of men Of the family back to don't
known how far. One was a Colonel
under Napoleon. You should see me
trying To make them believe that I've
been used to this all Of my life. So
far, to my knowledge, | haven't made
"a mistake and feel right at home
My sojourn ii France is teaching me
to adapt myself to all sorts of condi-
tions. take The bitter when / have
to, and use my lucky stones to try
and draw great deal of the sweet.
This life is like big game of Poker.
You can't always win, but when you
have the cards bet them for what
they are worth. And believe me Pm
betting my cards, as it were, right
now. For one can never tell when
the orders will come to change one
around.
l frosted my ear today and didn't
know it until it began to thaw out
after l got into the house. It is a
great looking thing now and feels
about twice as bad as it looks. One
of our doctors messes with US, and
tonight he put something on it to
take the soreness out. Pm beginning
to think that he merely played a joke
on me, for so far it hasn't worked
and has caused me more discomfort
than anything else. 1t has an in
fernal odor to it. | imagine that
"Doc" will be telling the fellows to-
morrow about the trick he played on
Steele. If he does TIL get even with
him if have to sneak up behind him
with a club.
Do you notice how small my writ
ing is becoming. I'm learning to save
my stationery, for we can't buy this
kind every day and every place. If
ruin your eyesight you will prob
ably say that the family hasn't gained
much, but please think Of all the pa
per | will have saved.
We haven't gotten November's pay
yet and | have hardly franc to
jingle against my key-ring, let alone
against a like coin. We were lucky
enough to get in some of this free
American tobacco, and if we hadn't
I'd be smokeless.
/ wonder what Neil Stevens ad-
dress is. I'd like to get in touch with
him and try to see him. There are a
lot of fellows over here that I know
but so far | haven't run into any.
I've heard of them and they'd always
be gone if l went to their regiment
or else l couldn't go.
January 6, 1918.
When I wrote you last l raved
fallen heir to. For few days l en-
joyed it all and then was forced to
change, R. H. I. P. which translated
means, Crank has its privileges" is
the reason for my change of habita-
tion. I tried to keep my comfortable
quarters a secret, but the Major blum
dered in one day and l had to move
out at once. My "bunkie" Herb
Barnard had just gotten back from
school and we were fixing to be COM
Portable for sometime. Then when
we were ousted we were split again.
| am now sharing quarters with the
medical officer of the Battalion, a DR..
Christopher and mighty fine fell
low. We have an open fire and it is
altogether very comfortable. A fire
is luxury enough and SO long as we
have that we won't kick if they put
us in barns.
No mail has come in as yet so I'm
still looking forward to that Christ
mas box. If it doesn't get thru in
good shape Pm going to do some
talking. We've heard vague rumors
of them being held up on the way and
some of them lost while we were
moving.
Pm taking lessons in French from
little 8-year-old girl that lives here.
She is some teacher. Doesn't hesi-
tate to tell me when my pronuncia-
tion is rotten as it always is, and she
laughs at me in very heartless man
ner Her ladyship is now in our room
and insists that Pm writing to my
fancee I've told her that it was only
tc the best mother in the world, but
she won't believe me. I've told her
that I had no fiancee and further
more didn't need one. She called me
something that, as nearly as I can
make out, means one - liar.
Well mother it is time for even
ing mess. 1 must go or it will cost
me money. We have installed a rule
at the company officers mess, that
anyone late for meal will be fined
franc (about 20c). We have an
other rule that anyone who "cusses"
at the table will be fined 25 centimes
(about 5c). We have all paid in a
little. Until today one of the fell
lows hadn't slipped once. We were
kidding him about it and he said that
he'd never swear. The words had
hardly left his mouth when he upset
cup of hot coffee in his lap. AS
nearly as we can figure out he owes
tire fund over dollar.
With love to all,