Same old Bill, eh Mable! | Page 5

how
tiresome those broken-winded fellos must be. Id go around with them

tho once in a while in case they should ask you. Democratic. Thats me
all over, Mable. Its the only thing your father an me has got in common.
Besides it will make it seem all the better when I get home.
Yours in spite of these things Bill
_Dere Mable:_
I guess your last letter must have been sensored to death cause I never
got it. I been over here three weeks now an the only letter I got was a
bill for some flowers I sent you a year ago. That fello would make more
money as a detective then a flowerist. I bet hed have found Charlie
Ross if Charlied owed him any money. I expect to be sittin propped up
agenst the wall some day in the Old Soldiers Home an about six
postmen will come staggerin in the gate with my mail. Keep on ritin
tho. I can always turn it over to some historical society.
Saturday an Sunday was the end of the week so the Captin let a few of
us go in to a big town near here to take a bath. Hes always tryin to stick
a little extra duty like that into a mans private time.
Me an Angus an Marv Motel went down together in a truck. I dont
suppose you ever road in a truck with only two other fellos in it. I bet it
goes farther up an down then straight ahead. Angus was all for seein
the town as soon as we got there, that bein about the only thing that
didnt involve spendin money. We compromized by seem the
restawrants first.
Its interesting to lissen to the French eat, they enjoy things so.
Everyone tucks there napkins under there chins like your father used to
before he had a hired girl insted of your mother.
[Illustration: "EVERYONE TUCKS THERE NAPKINS UNDER
THERE CHINS"]
The French is awful optimistic eaters. By takin everything separate
they can work themselves into believin theyve had a course dinner. If
they had such a thing as oatmeal an cream I bet theyd make you eat the
oatmeal first an drink the cream afterwards.
Every time you look away you get a clean plate. All you need to start a
restawrant in France is a thousand plates an a dozen eggs. The rest of
the food doesnt matter much. About everything you ask for is
"Defended." That seems to be the same as "Just out" in American. In
most places its just a question of how long you can think of things to
ask for before you end up with an omlet. The only place you can get

real French cookin Mable is in the States.
Theres a bunch of French soldiers in town. Most of them have beards
an little bags hangin all over them. I wish theyd let us wear beards. You
wouldnt have to go round with your collar buttoned all the time then.
When I first got into town I thought it must be a holiday or something
cause the saloons was overflowin right out on the sidewalks.
Everybody was sittin round at little tables drinkin beer. I went in one
tho an there wasnt a soul inside but flies. It certinly is mixin. In one
place a fello wont take a drink unless he can go behind a screen. Over
here he wont have it anywhere but in the middle of the street. I can see
your father sittin out on Main street in a wicker chair with a stein of
beer in his hands.
Well Mable at the rate Im not receivin mail I wont be able to tell wether
its last winter or next winter that your talkin about when I finally get
your letters. Im going to keep on ritin tho just to annoy the sensor.
Yours in haste Bill
_Dere Mable:_
In a training camp once more beginin all over agen. If we had a school
system like this in civil life a fello would never live to finish high
school.
Were not livin in stables any more. They got us now in long stone
buildins with wood cots in them. I suppose somebody back at
headquarters heard of soft pine an thought it would be a good thing for
makin beds. I feel as full of bones as an old herrin.
We didnt have to pull the guns over after all. They tied them on behind
trucks. I was makin up a nice bed for myself in the back of a truck
when the Captin stuck his head in. He certinly believes in exercisin his
neck. As soon as he saw I was comfortable he says "Smith, you ride on
the