The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-10-15
7 remain.
MAX F. KLEE.
From Peter Raiplinger.
Naval Base Hospital. Ward 3.
Hampton Roads. va

Somewhere in France. Sep i, 1918.
Dear Sis:
Your most welcome letter dated All
gust 6 on hand and We certainly were
glad to hear from home. for that was
the first letter we received since we came
here. We are very glad TO hear that
you are all well and happy and we hope
you Will remain so until our return.
You said you never received the cards
and letter for 50 long a time. We
dropped three at New York as we got
on the boat. one for home. one for Joe
and Frank. and three when we landed:
also a few from England, but the letters
which we wrote at England came back
about a week ago. We never heard from
zoe and Frank.
we got several letters from Joe Aust
gen and he said in the last one that he
received a letter from Billie ana that the
folks were all we'll. so we feel a little
better.
We hear from Joe quite often. but We
do not know where he is at and he does
not know where we are. so you might
imagine how much we are allowed to
write.
You said it was so hot at dear old
Indiana. but It is altogether different out
here. The hottest day we had since
arriving was about 20 in the shade and
the nights are very coos.
This is not a very nice country az
least not as nice as we expected. It
rains most Of the time. II started TO
rain last week and It is still pouring.
We would have liked to remain in Eng
land for some time, but we are not our
own bosses" as we used to be. We are
seeing quite a bit Of France now. but we
do not like it at all. We are getting all
kinds Of excitement. We hear the gun
popping and the cannons roaring ut 10
burst your ear drums. But there's one
consolation. the Fritzies are running like
Wild rabbits and at this rate we'll soon
be in Berlin. Then God help the old
D.. for we will repay all the outrages
committed against the Belgians and
French. BY the time YOU get this letter
we will have driven him over the Rhine.
on all sides you can see large num-
bers Of German prisoners. They act just
like frightened cattle and don't offer any
resistance at all. I think it won't he
very long till we have them all where
We want them. 1 expect you know where
that is.
We are still in good health and are
getting plenty to eat. so you need not
worry. We do not have to q v or meat,
wheat and sugar like you do in the
States, for we always get the best OF
everything. We have all kinds Of fruit
out here. except apples, and they cant
be had for love nor money. I've never
before seen such big plums as they have
out here. We get so many of them that
we ate ourselves sick. 1t is just about
grape time now. and you know 1 was
always very fond of them so you needn't
be surprised if I get my share Of them.
Maybe this letter sounds disconnected,
but 1 can't help it because I started it
four different. times before I could finish
1t.
Tell mother and dad not TO worry IF
| they do not hear from US regularly. be-
cause more thai half of them go astray.
You'll be lucky If you hear from US once
every month or six weeks. We are better
able to get your letters than you are 20
get ours, so you'll write often. won't
you?
Say. Mayme, tell mother and dad we
granted them an allotment. so you may
expect TO receive SIS a month from mo
and the same from Allie We can easily
get along on SIS a month after paying
our insurance. for there is nothing we
can buy except beer and wine and
that isn't hrst-c1ass. This allotment will
be gin August 1.
Give my love and best regards to
mother and all.
From your loving brother,
pITTT