Letter 83
Sept.
29, 1918
In France
On Active Service with the merican Expeditionary Forces
Sunday one more, and still the weather is
cold and the clouds hang heavy all around.
We have had one day of sunshine since last Sunday so you can tell what
kind of weather we are having. One could
tell it is a rainy country here for the moss grows on the trees, and roofs of
the houses, and the barns. I am feeling O.K. and enjoying myself greatly. This morning George came down and we went out
on the hillside to write. We stationed
ourselves under a quince tree. I wrote
to Mother, Elna, and Bessie B. From that
you can see I am trying to write to all my friends and loved ones I have at
home. (Excuse the pencil, for ink is nearly gone, if you think as much of getting
mail at home as we do here, you would receive it written with anything.)
There
is not much news to tell this week. I’ve
been doing about the same thing I’ve been doing the last week. One thing that I thought was very amusing to
me happened yesterday at noon, when we were all lined up for our noon
mess. Before this we could hear the
bells ringing in the nearby village.
The reason for this was a marriage.
A French soldier had just gotten married. As we stood in a line, the procession came up
the road. First was the newly married
couple, then came another couple (a soldier or sweetheart arm in arm, for that
is the way they all travel around here, both old and young.) Then came the father and mother of the two
married, I did not know which. Then came
the children (1/2 dozen I think), behind them were about 8 to 10 men dressed in
black with flat fluffy hats and long tail coats. One of the men carried an umbrella over his
back.
I
surely was amused to watch them go up the road.
The bride was dressed in white. I
do not know what kind of cloth her dress was made from, but it looked like
crepe … with very fine lace over it. She
did not wear a veil, but she had something handing low from her hat. Well, so much for that. The groom has had his time. Our time is coming soon, I hope, dear.
I
received a letter from you last Friday, the one of Aug. 18th. I surely was filled with love, for it just
touched my sore place; in other words, I was ready to do anything reasonable
for one to do, for I was so happy, I could hardly keep it in. I saw George, for he enjoys it just as much
as I do. He received a letter from his
little love, so we were both the happiest kids you ever saw.
Do you
know where I was on the 18th of August? Well, I was on the ocean. George and I were together. I was our first Sunday together. We were both feeling a little blue. We were thinking and relating to each other.
What we would be doing if we were at home, but of course we could be there in
mind. Well dear heart, it s just one month since I arrived overseas. The time surely has passed fast. By this time you are nearly prepared for
winter, I bet.
I hope
you are attending school, for the time will go fast and you will be doing
something for the both of us. I have
received my winter clothing and two more O.D. blankets (3 now) so I have plenty
to keep warm. The socks you sent are
going to come in handy. Several of the fellows want to buy them, but no, not
for love nor money, for you, dear, knitted them, and they are all I have to
remember you by.
Well dear,
I must close, sending you my love and God’s blessings.
As
ever, Your loving sweetheart,
Private
Henry D. Call X X X
Co.
A 313th Engineer
American
E.F. France
A.R.O. 795
(censored by Geo. H. Hult, 1st Lieut.
Engineers, U.S. Army)
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