Letter #68

Letter #68

                                                                                                    Camp Dodge, Iowa

                                                                                                     July 28, 1918

[scribbled in at the top:]   I wish I were a bee.  I would fly home to you, Dear.  It is raining again so we will have some more cool weather tonight. You ought to see the main mode of transportation on Sunday.  Autos, autos, where ever you look.  The roads are cement like those at home.

My Dear Sweetheart,

            Sunday afternoon nothing to do but write to you dear: George came down to the barracks just after noon mess, we walked about a mile south and then went down to the railroad station and then back to one of the ‘Y’s over in the 350th Infantry, can you tell why I went so far away?  I’ll bet you can’t for you know the rules of quarantine don’t you?  Well, anyway I’m here and you mustn’t say anything about it will you dear?  In all the time telling you something not to tell you will soon have to write them all down so you can remember them.

            I suppose you’re out of meeting by now, that is if you went for I’m sure you always do.  If you do, laugh and tell me of your many blessings.  Now don’t forget to tell me all you hear in church, for that is as near to our church as I can get.

            I received your sweet message of love this morning.  I surely was lucky to receive it, for it has been two weeks since I have received one on Sunday.  You may think me rather selfish for wanting everything my way.  Well there is one thing which I have not gotten yet, and that is you.  But listen dear, I have you in such a way, which I can call you mine, but not in reality, but I’m living and praying that the time will soon hasten, when you and I may be as one:  both in mind and heart. For life will not be the same to me until we’re together, for I told you before, actions speak louder than words.  This I found out before leaving, and since leaving, you have put action into every word of your sweet messages.  It makes my heart leap for joy and almost move from its present location.  May God ever grant our desires and give unto us the pleasure and joys of life here on earth.

            Last night just before going to bed, a number of us boys were sitting near my bunk telling of the different places we were from.  I told them I was from Utah, only nine miles from Salt Lake; one of them spoke up and said, “That is that Mormon town, isn’t it?’  I told him, “Yes,” and that I was one of those Mormons, too.   He did not have any more to say.  And so I told him the city was the same as any other city, only it was more beautiful than any I had seen so far.  At that, some of the men left.  The one that stayed asked me what we believed.  I told him the best way I knew, and then he said, “Do you believe in the Bible?”  I just told him, “Yes,” and then said, “That was not all, for we have another book, too, we call The Book of Mormon,” which was translated by Joseph Smith.  He said there was but little difference between our church and any of the others in the world. 

            Well I told him that we claim a big difference.   We have divine inspiration, from God, through Joseph Smith.  At that, we talked upon the value of religion to a soldier when away from home as we are.  From that we shifted to the moral side of life.  He seemed to have the same opinion of manhood, and the real value of living a pure clean life while away, and not going here and there visiting places which are not fit for dogs to enter.  Then he told me of his life since age 21, the time he was married and that he lost his wife 2 ½ year later.  He is now 27 years old. Oh, it must be terrible for such things to happen.  For he said he had hard trials in his day, but nothing seemed to affect him as much as the death of his wife did.   I surely feel sorry for anyone who is placed in such conditions.  It almost makes me sob to think of it.

            One of the fellows who was at Boulder with us got married the night before leaving, and his wife has come here to see him.  She arrived here yesterday.  It was some distance to come. Could that be true love, or love at first sight?   I think it was just for the same reason, as Geo. Said, when he heard the news of Ralph Rampton and Algie Adams.   It was because they had to, just perhaps within the law.  Well dear, nothing like that for my sweetheart.  Oh, how can some people be so daring and break the bonds of decency?

            I hope and pray that God will give me faith and courage to withstand all such temptation, for I have them the same as all other men.  My past experiences have been an eye opener to me, and they will be of great advantage to me.  It will be easy for me to overcome such sin, but one who has not had control of himself in such things has a hard row to hoe.

If you remember dear, I told you I have had to fight hard to overcome some things in my life.  It is only through your help and the good advice I have received from my parent that I have been able to overcome it and control. Now dear, don’t think I’ve been telling you things which should not be talked of, for I have held this part of my life from you just as long as possible. If I have overstepped the bounds of respect, dear, please forgive me. If you were here and saw the conditions some of the men here are in, you would hesitate in telling anyone private things.  But I can I trust you.

I am afraid to move at times, for fear of someone who may be affected with some of these diseases, which are always to be found among men and women of ill repute. When taking my shower, to have anyone rub up against me makes one feel rather funny, because there is no telling who they are and what they carry. Now dear you can see what I have to put up with. Overlook anything, dear, which you may think should not be written here.  I am not trying to lower myself, but trying to show you the value of living a pure clean life.

            I had a dream last night.  I’ll bet you can’t guess what it was about. You dear!  Ah, what a happy time we had back home in Bountiful. You were the only girl in the world for me.  And oh, the big juicy kiss I received and the hug. There was no end to it. Well, dear, I am looking forward to that day.

          It is nearly time for mess so I will say goodnight, so see you later dear. Oh won’t you go to mess with me?  Yes?   May, God grant to us the desires of our hearts and that we may live to be a battlement of humanity is the desires of your lover and sweetheart.              

                                                                Soldier Henry   Xxxxx Thanks

        Give my love to all. We had lemonade and cookies for desert tonight. It surely tasted fine; I wrote this at the ‘Y’.  I must get things ready for the hike tomorrow.