Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1918-05-16
Letter From Earl Mason
April 8, 1918.

Letter From Earl Mason
April 8, 1918.
Dear Friend Pokey:
AS you asked me to write YOU a
letter, will see what-I can do. Ex-
pect it will be on the installment
plan, but as long az you receive il
we should worry. In fact most OF
my letters arc written that way.
just get started and am called out
so you e how it goes. We have
been having dark and rainy YEA
Their for about two weeks now, the
sun will come out for a few min
utes and before you know it it is
raining again. I saw D. Douglas,
once or twice while out on some
OF my trips, but have seen none of
the other boys since | left, but |
think them all o. X. so far, at the
least they were the last l heard.
The little paper l have been send
ing Roy each week gives more
news than | a write, and there
is some good old dope in it too.
The paper is printed here in our
camp. If you get to see April 5th.,
number read closely on the first
page what it says about Secre-
tary of War and the chauffer's,
that happened in our garage. l
wish | could write you just what
want to and tell you all about
the places | have been. Have seen
the second oldest town in France,
and | also think it is the best for
titled town in France. 1t is located
on a high hill and sure is beauti-
full.
The Colonel and / have made
three attempts to get to Paris, but
something always happens to stop
us, but think | will get to go soon.
Have never been there since 1
came over, but have seen most
everything else. Things look good
over here at present | think. 1t
looks like it will soon be over. I
think Fritzel has about all that
he wants, in fact | think he is get
ting more than he can handle. l
saw Lawrence Hearn OF twice
saw Geo. Hcarn once or twice
while out on some of my trips, al
so Ralph Johnson from Logan and
DR.. Hcuber a dentist from Logan,
he is a Lieutenant. We had a big
talk for he has not been over in
this country as long as | have.
Lots of the fellows are wearing
their service stripe for their six
months in the zone oof advance.
Well, am almost ready for my
second one. The boys in the s. O..
r.. don't seem to feel just right
about it and I guess you can't
blame them for they n sure S. O..
l.. hope TO G Ollie Watson soon
and if | do l will try and see that
he makes a good soldier. And he
could tell me lots of news for he is
fresh from home. We have one of
the finest Y. M. C. A. here that is
i'm France. There arc two large
rooms; one is used for entertain
ments and the other for reading
and writing. Elsie Janis was here,
and gave us an hour or two Of
real pleasure, and we have had
several more of the really clever
actresses here.
You know when people write to
us they ask so many questions we
can't answer, but | suppose they
don't realize how it is. Roy asked
me if my work took me in the
trenches. | wrote and told him
they didn't dig them deep enough
and wide enough to hide the car.
But that is not saying l have not
been there. You know | always did
like to see all there is to be seen.
And think have just about seen
enough, it has got to where it
does not seem exciting anymore.
Seems mor like real work now.
Believe me we have all been work.
ing too. | have been out driving
every night until ~ O'Clock for
the last 20 days, and up early in
the morning, but we know it has
to be done SO we don't kick. No,
the chauffers life is not all sun
shine, but at that we have it lots
better than some Of the boys at
the front, for we are not in it all
the time, just there for a short
time, and then beat it down the
road with the Hun sending a mes
sage after you that makes you
grin and step on it all the faster.
You know with a good pair of field
glasses on a clear day you can see
a big a a long way. Especially
when n is up in the air. / have
been getting the paper right along
of course it does not come every
week, but I get them at some time