The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-01-10
and truly hope that these few, lines
will find you all well.

We have just stopped over in a lit
! tie town after q Is days hike. 1 have
been washing myself and clothes. Yor
Just ought to have seen me before
cleaning up. You would have thought
I locked Like Schump. 1t was some
dirty men, but you couldn't expect
TO better hiking in the rain and mud
l hope / won't have much more hik,
ing to do. The talk is now that we
will set sail about the middle of next
month. / hope it is true. If it were
left to me surely would start before
that time. Tell papa to keep both of
his mules, for if no hard luck, and
the Lord is willing, I will be there to
plow one of them before plowing time.
l don't know whether you got my last
letter or not, and if you did I don't
know whether you could read it Or
not, for was in the trenches and had
nothing to write on but my knee;
but l don't think there will be any
more Germans to fight. l think they
have enough fighting, but they were
about finished before giving up. Chaps
can't fight men. / hope it is over to
stay forever. / won't know how to
act when 1 land back in the States.
l will be so proud; they can't muster
me out any too fast to suit me.
This is too cold climate for me.
South Carolina is the best in the
world.
Tell Lula that 1 ran across Collie
and Hayne Morris about a week ago.
They had just got out of the hos
pital from having the mumps. They
were both fat and slick. Tell Bessie
Morris I think the mumps helped Col
lie; looks it; or hiking one. l don't
know whether to tell Carrie the boys
can cook or do anything worth talk
ing about, and also they won't need
any bed; they learned to do without
any cover.
Ma, the first thing when 1 get home
is to get me chair and put it right
back of the stove and keep the fire
burning while you and Lula both cook,
for l will be able to eat about as fast
as two can cook for about week l
get enough to eat, but haven't got
Ma to cook it and flavor it up. They
don't have milk nor chicken, cake nor
pie in the army l get few molasses
to eat as desert every once in a
while. I have eaten beef every day
since the 9th of June It don't smell
good any more, besides eating the
stuff. Irish potatoes is my living now.
l don't think l ever would get tired
of them.
Well, Ma, I got my first letter since
have been In France from olin. 1t
was written the 26th Of August and
! got it the 18th of November. Tell
Papa I was setting in the trenches on
his birthday, cold, with an overcoat
on and a big fire on each side. Tell
Forest to keep the old gun balanced
I'D so me and him can give the rab-
bits trouble when | come home; and
tell Rufus to attend to the stock. You
can tell Asa and Knots the boys won't
let a rife sta. close where sleep,
for whatever 1 do in the daytime /
will make a pass at it in my sleep,
until somebody wakes me up. Tell
Carrie and Bertha not to get scared
if they happen to look out and see me
coming, but to call Hud and tell him
to bring in the washpot for Jim is
coming, and put Eva to cooking right
away; for I can hide the rations; 1t
will be so different from what 1 am
used to won't know when to stop.
You can tell Dill to go ahead and
get his Ford, for I can learn him how
to run it when I get home. And Anna,
guess she is to fat, she couldn't get
under the steering wheel. Tell George
be might have it on me in weight, but
not on manhood, for if they don't Kill
you they will make a man out of you.
Tell Lawrence to keep enough gaso-
line to take me for ride, for | have
walked so much l don't hardly know
how to sit in an automobile. | used
to walk with about Is pounds on my
back and not to worry about seeing
France. I have seen enough OF it to
do us all. There is nothing over here
enticing for anybody to see.
Tell Fred's folks hello for me. l
will have to quite writing and repair
for inspection, after 80 days hiking