Letter to Mother from Somewhere in France

#782373
Some where France
19-5-18

Dear Mother:– 

I just received your letter of the 26th, last night I received three others,

We enjoyed our supper but I gave away two of my three eggs. I an't doing enough to have an appetite for any more food than my rations. I feel better and brighter wider awake, sleep better and a good many other things prove to me that eating between meals is no use to any one, Of coarse I can eat these other things and enjoy them in place of my rations but then my rations are wasted so what is the use, I am willing to live untill duration, with out any thing to eat but my rations and fruit, just cut out all eggs, chips, chocolates, and candy, I will live better, come thru better, stand any strain longer and etc. just be a better soldier all around.

I am going to say something to night that I have often thot about but with held for the one reason that the future looks realy uncertain as to possibly the length of life of a soldier over here. but it is this. I would sooner that you would not send me any more parcels. I would far prefer that you would give two dollars a week or month to the red cross than to send me a parcel, I feel sure that the amount whatever it is would do good, real necessary good, and on the other hand I would appreciate the parcel but it is surely a luxury all thru. because I am never better than when I am ten day away from a parcel and the same broak so I can not get dope at the Y. but I havent been broak for a long time now.

You see I have felt that if you should quit sending me parcels and shortly any thing would happen, you would be sorry that you had not sent me parcels right along, now just never think of that no matter what the future brings it is my request that you devote the time to red cross work and the money be spent the same way. Now look there are millions of Imperial troops abroad and there folks can't send them boxes they can't afford to and they an't alowed to, they live just as good as I do just as healthy or more so.

You can see what I mean If Teddy has to enlist why it suits me we can only give our services and life if need be, the only thing is that it is up to every one of us to live manly christian live separate from the man that will not profess to live right. Confess Christ at all times, and devote our lives to the study of the word of God, that we may growe in our christian character. set the right example and ever have a good influence on those around us,

I am not afraid that Teddy will fall away from his Christian life I have faith in him, I can't tell you to what extent for it was him that drew me to my saviour and I can't ever loose faith and think that he would go down, "Kept in the power of God" is the text that I pray will be fullfilled in his life,

I am surely tickled to know that Stanley could come to see you, and tell you about see me back here close to the battle line last summer that was my greatest desire that he could come and stay long enough, that he might talk over those trips he had and tell you a lot of the truth about this life. He realy had a harder winter than I had ten times harder, I have never been played out like he was one time carrying rations, maby he told you.

I am a hole lot more content out here to stay and finish this than I could be just enlisting I am so glad that Teddy has had these two years to grow and strengthen his phiseaque and character for the strain of army life. The rough side will be hard on him for a while but thank God man can triumph over that, and then the war must be two years closer to an end than it was when I came. I won't say any thing about what branch he should enter of the work, but he can do any of them. The infantry is realy the last of the list, he has had a good gass engine experience the flying corpse I would sooner have than this, As far as danger there is no more one place than an other. God sees men thru all kinds of scrapes men have stayed in Eng that came across with me and they are beneath the sod, so you don't know whether individualy you are as lucky here as at home. I am satisfied that God rules supreme, and life at home or in france is sweet but the pure side of life is the valuable part, if Teddy could only have had one of my experiences I would like it, but it would not be any of my rougher experiences it would be the realisations of the joy, the pure simple life of service gives. The ambition it creates to climb up the ladder to higher nobler standing in the sight of God, not man,

To prove to men that you are right and thorough christian. you have first to prove to him that you utterly ignore his oppinion of you but that you mean to do right by both God and man regardless of his oppinion, Then he sees how manly you are and how thorough you have pledged your life and service to God,

Well Mother dear I think I will have to break off here. I want to see a cupple of boys tonight and it is 5.50 P.M.

I am sitting with my back against a tree my shoes off, a big bee is buisy gathering honey off of the flowers around me he has been around other nights I have been here to, The blue bell season is about over there is just a few withered ones left,

As ever you loving son, Laurie,