The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-08
LETTER FROM
SERGEANT McCRACkEN

i The following letter was received
from Sergeant Russell s. McCracken.
who enlisted in Uncle Sans Service,
April 10th, 1917, and after serving
six months over seas has now re-
ceived his gold service stripes:
Dear Mama, Papa and ALL
Well received the smoking to-
bacco yesterday and your letter to-
day. Seems funny that | should re-
ceiye the package first but | did.
Now every thing was there. There
were thirty cans Of tobacco and a
pipe and four packages Of cigarette
papers And let me tell you that l
sure appreciate it, and received 1t
just at the right time. did not have
any tobacco and was in need of
1t. So you see 1t came just in time
And know that you folks back home
cant understand and realize how us
boys over here appreciate American
tobacco. can't tell you how much
We do for 1t is beyond words to tell.
But | can say this that appreciate
it more than anything else that you
could have sent me. So | sure thank
all OF you for it.
| Now you have asked me on several
occasions II attended the Y. M, G, A.
and thought that | had answered
1t. Yes | attend the Y. NJ c. A.
quite often. 1t is a very nice place
and we sure are thankful to have it.
As we pass many lonesome hours at
the Y.
| Now we sure are having fine
weather Of late, OF course 1t Is very
changeable in this country and the
air is most always damp. 1t is be-
cause we are near the sea, You know
this country is not very large, so no
matter where you are, you always
get the breezes from the sea. But
nevertheless the weather is most gem
orally nice.
Well as wrote you in my last let
ter and told OF my being sick. ! am
now well and feeling fine again, have
been working for some time. But of
course | did have nice rest while
in the hospital. But one sure gets
tired of staying there, and | don't
care to go back again. | had the
Spanish Influenza and was 'ill' for
week. 1t is Just the same as the
old v, S. A.. Grippe, only worse.
| Now Mama you asked me why | did
not write longer letters Well let me
tell you this, there is absolutely moth
ing to write about except the war
and | know nothing OF IT, So you
see that it is very hard for me to
write long letters. So you will just
have to excuse me and when | come
home will tell you all about IT, and
believe me | will sure have some tales
to tell you. But at present we will
let them go untold. OF course this
is lovely war and 1t can't last for
ever, So cheer up, the worst is yet
to come.
Now Mama how is every one at
home. | hope you are well and your
all getting along fine, enjoying life
and having good time. And be sure
not to worry over your boy for he is
all right. And am trying every day
to get ahead and to correct my mis-
takes and there are number of them
that | have mastered, but you know
there are none OF us perfect that are
perfect, SO we just have to do the
best We can and keep on trying. In
other words, try. try, again" and
that is what / am doing, and think
! shall win, at least hope so.
| Now you spoke about your mail
being censored. Well your mail is
not censored, 1t is only the mail GO
ing into the States that Is censored,
not the mail that leaves the States.
| will close for this time. viii
write again soon. Lots Of love and
kisses TO all from
Your loving son,
Russell.
Address my mail.
Sergt. Russell S. McCracken,