The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1918-08-30
LETTERS FROM BOYS
IN THE ARMY CAMPS

Mrs. R. K Williams of Lake Crys-
tai received the following letters from
her son, Clyde:
Somewhere in France, July 81,
1918.-Dear Mother and All: Your
letter of June "a reached me few
days ago. Was glad to hear that you
were all enjoying good health AS it
finds me.
This is Sunday morning, rather
rainy day, but was very welcome as
it was beginning to get quite dry. Nv
erything is just fine at present. Every
enc in fine spirits. Why shouldn't
we be?
l thought / would be able to write
some news when / started but really
there is nothing to Write about. Il
have been planning going on my fur
Tough soon but guess l can't get away
before the first of September, maybe
not then. INthink l shall go to Nice
and Monte Carlo. I would like very
much to go to Wales but at present
they will not permit us. l sent you
package of papers few days ago. In
one of them / circled an item. l
have been at both those places and
am right near there now.
How are all the children? I am
going to write each of them letter
just as soon as / find some news.
Give them all my best love. / hope
it won't be so very long before we
shall be marching back with victory
ours. You make me laugh when you
ask if we ever get ice cream, why we
don't even have ice, say nothing of
the ice cream, but don't care for
such things as that. We get plenty
of good eats, nothing fancy, but it
stays with you. Well, it is nearly
time for dinner and l am rather hum
CRY, in fact l never had such an ap-
petite as l have had since l have
been in the army. The village church
bells are just ringing, for mass l guess
That sounds very pretty this morn
ing. l hope this finds you all in good
health, hoping to be with you soon
Your loving son, Clyde
July 20, 1918-Dear Mother and
All: Your very welcome letters of
June 20 and July reached me the
past week. The one dated July 2
came over in fourteen days, that's get
ting to be service. l received it about
a week before the one of June 20, so
you see how they come, just the same
think, we get most of them, that's
the most important part This is Sun
day evening, my night on duty. Just
now haven't great deal of business
so am trying to catch up in my much
neglected correspondence. The wealth
er here the past week has been rath-
er rainy but / guess it was needed
quite badly as the gardens had all be-
gun to get rather dry. Everything is
just fine with us at present. | am in
the very best of health as are most
of the boys. Tell Evelyn 1 got the
heart candies O. K, they were quite
a treat. Tell all the children hello. ]
would write each one of them but I
haven't any news at all. l sent a
bundle of papers a few days ago in
one of them was an article (the piano
train) this happened on our railroad,
saw it myself. expect you are ali
quite busy right now. No doubt you
are reading every day of the splen-
did work the boys are doing over
here. / guess old Fritz will soon think
the Yanks are quite different than he
expected them to be and what's more
we are just beginning on them. We
have lots in store for them Haven't
great deal of news this time SO ]
think | shall close, hoping this finds
you all in the best of health and hopes
of seeing you all soon. Love to all
Your son, Clyde.
The following are letters received by
Mr.. and Mrs. l.. L. Fillman from their
sons, Lorenz and August Somewhere
in France, August 2, 191S.-Dear Moth
er and Father: Today l received two
letters of July second and eighth and
was very glad to hear from home. II
hope you are all well and getting along
alright as l am getting along fine my
self and like my work very we'll It's
fine aviation camp and I am assemb-
ling planes. We have a fine Y. M. c.
A. here a piano and monograph too
A boy brings the daily paper around
every noon. We have over two hours
to rest at noon. Of course the work
is not heavy at all SO you see we have
it quite comfortable and a new clean
cement floor under our feet.
Well l wrote letter to August last
week hoping that we will be able tc
locate each other pretty soon. Have
been looking for him to pass by here
with his train.
The wheat is mostly all cut here with
American binders. small patches are
cut by hand. The weather is fine, just
had little rain last night and today.
. l was down town to the moving pic
lures twice since we are here They
show them Saturday and Sunday
nights. / am very glad that Alice had
such nice funeral and am thankful
to all that took part in it,
| can't think of very much to write
because they played so much over in
the Y tonight-Lorenz.
August 8, 1913 Dear Mother I re-
ceived your most welcome letter and
also that bcx of candy and it was in
fine shape, but it sure did taste good.
didn't think l would get it so it took
me by surprise.
l am nowhere near where Lorenz is
so / guess we won't meet for some
time. l saw Lloyd but did not have
time to talk to him. l am glad that
Carrie came to see you. know she
will like it. We had drive night be-
fore last and didn't get in til morn
ing. We sure did have picnic. Don't
let the people tell you that it's so bad
over here for it isn't.
| think it will soon be over and the