Letter to Kate & Little Folks from Somewhere in France
[upside-down in upper margin]
I read the new testament all the time now and it surely helps me to correct my life to live as I would like to before me and God,
Wed noon
6-13-17 [sic]
Somewhere in France
Dear Kate Otto and little folks:–
This is a dandy day. we drilled all four noon with out our tunics or hats of any kind on often we were under shade trees so high and thick that it was the coolest shade you could ever get under a tree often fifty men can ly under one of these trees and be absolutely in the shade, The parade ground is fine lots of green grass and it is sod instead of sand or gravel. this is the nicest layed out parade ground we have ever had, the grass the huge trees no sand etc. we get about till the 23rd on this coarse
We are about 20 miles from the canons red glare, but the roar sounds like a huge thunder storm approaching 24 hours around of coarse some times it resembles rapid fire other times big belch after belch time to take a breath between.
This France is a nice country very nice it cheers a man to think he is fighting for partly a country like this, some times when you go thru a big couley or forest the fragrant air you breath just makes you feel that you could carry 700 lbs instead of the 100 you have. I don’t think, te he. The pack don’t bother me at all I can follow the bunch and maby beat some of them I never have sore feet when I am tired in one part I am ready to quit all over and the next day ready for the job all over. where the poor boys that get blisters and etc are up against I surely pity some of them. But we have duck soup in billets like these, just enough work to keep you in trim for hard work at the brop[sic] of a hat. We see lots of air ships each day we like to watch them form fours thousands of feet in the air te, he
Seven 15 P.M.
Brown and I are in a house waiting on a second supper of eggs and potato chips fried which we feel to be going to be good for a change, the people talk a little English enough so we asked the girl a few questions about things for fun. well bye bye sister and all, I wish I could step in for a few minuits to tell you folks all about these places as I see them it would interest Otto
give my love to the little folks as ever Laurie
[margin] call the calf Daisy I like that name and you won’t get it mixed with Clive’s cow.