The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-05-03
FROM THE
BOYS IN ARMY CAMPS
From Saturdays Daily.

from saturdays OatIy.
Mrs. E. M. Shook received the fol :
lowing letters from her son Howard
who is overseas. Howard enlisted a
year ago on April 26.
Somewhere in France, March 26,
1918. Dearest Mother: Received two
letters from you today and package
containing money belt and war maps.
Thanks very much for same. Also
had a letter from Alice. AS l said
before in my letters, don't think that
any of your letters have missed me.
/ think that | get them all. Have you
got my letter asking for new gold
pen point for my fountain pen? We
have our tin hats now, they sure look
like a wash basin. Have seen some
nice air battles since I've been here.
Out side of that there is no news so
will close for this time. With love,
Howard
March 80, 1918. Dear Mother: |
received two letters from you this
A. M. including the one from Janice
and one from Henry Ness. We
signed the pay roll this noon.
Tell Janice that l was glad to get
her letter and tell Starr to pick UP
on his work. Got letter from
Beatrice yesterday with a picture en-
closed, received the map of the
western front and gave it the once
over and found where we are located
Was over to an Camp few
days ago and they have fine little
Y. M. C A. where we bought some
tobacco ard Camel cIgarets. Will
close for this time. With love to all,
Howard
April 4, 1918. Z p. m.-Dearest
Mother: l received your letter of
March this a. m and the package
containing the fruit cake, candy, etc.,
this p. m. Everything in first class
shape and it sure was welcome, es-
pecially the pudding and candy. Candy
is very scarce and when it can be
bought it costs like the dickens and
there is very small per cent of sugar
in it, A bar of sweet chocolate that
would cost 10 cents in America costs
rs centimes over here, equal to about
so cents in United States money.
| suppose / can expect the wrist
watch any time now. You can send
me a box of candy any old time you
care to and l sure won't send it back.
You can send me the Cosmopolitan
for three months if it isn't asking too
much. The further we go in this
life the harder it is to find something
to amuse ourselves. We haven't any
Y. M. C. A. as yet. It's getting dark
I'd oil iobf y,o11cf no ont
will close for this time. With much
love and best wishes to all, Howard
Robert Swanson is in receipt of the
following letter from his brother
Walter.
April %, 1918. Dear Bob We have
all settled down here in our detention
barracks and sleep in the same kind
of beds as at Dunwoody.
This is sure some town and believe
me it's going to be an education
worth while when we've seen all OF
the art galleries, museums, etc.
We are going to have dinner in
the mess hall at 1920 so you can
understand that l am writing this
letter in the morning about 1870. We
took an operating test this morning
and hope that l pass in it 0. K.
The street cars are like the ones
in Mankato and don't have any gates
on the doors like in Minneapolis. We
have liberty every night and our
uniform is fiat hats without leggings
In the daytime our uniform is white
hats with leggings.
watch and all
the letters to Walter j. Swanson
General Delivery, Cambridge, Mass
I'll close now hoping to get a letter
and the watch this week. Your low
ing brother, Walter Swanson.