France
June 19, 1918
Dear Mother –
Haven’t received only one letter that you sent so far, and that was the one you took a chance in sending. Our mail has been held up on account of traveling so much but expect some today or tomorrow. We just completed another two nights of hiking. We are going in the line very shortly. I wish you would try and write nearly every day as it gets very lonesome without it. We have just hit an American Y.M.C.A., the first American Y.M.C.A. since we hit France. The have a Victrola and a piano and the boys try to murder the songs. Some of the boys from New York that are in our company are sort of a Minstrel Troupe and they stir up some life when they get near a piano and they are at it now. It is almost impossible to sit still. The French soldiers and another division of United Sates troops are crowding in to listen. The other Y. M.C.A. we were in are British. You could see that from the writing paper that I sent you. The other night, U. S. troops passed us going the other way for ten miles. We were going one way and the other troops were going the other, so can imagine how many U. S. troops there are over here, and that was from only one small sector. We received a package of tobacco from Arkansas put out by the “Little Rock Gazette” sent by Mrs. Cochran, Elkins (?), Arkansas. It contained three packages of Bull Durham, one can of Lucky Strikes, one can of Tuxedo tobacco and a corn cob pipe and some pipe cleaners. I am answering the card she sent in the kit. Frank Rowley of this company told me that Charles Giegrich is dead. Did I tell you I sent Aunt Vinnie a letter the other day? I also sent Aunt Bess one. The French people are getting hay. Mostly women, boys and old men. The rest are at the front. Regards to Father, Mayme and children and everybody. My address is the same except leave of(f) the %B.E.F.
Your Son
