Dear Folks:
Just returned from one of these beastly little French towns where we played a concert. The supply company, machine gun company and Co. M are billeted there. I ate dinner with my old home - the machine gun company, and had an excellent dinner - beefsteak, spuds, good gravy, a pudding of some sort and those breaded tomatoes or what ever they are and good coffee and bread.
We played our concert inside of course as it is raining. That is all it does in this country - rain. It has rained every day this month but two and it was cloudy most of those two days.
Am enclosing a little clipping which I took from the Record News - the Nov. 20th issue. Guess you must have overlooked it's presence - since you evidently didn't see fit to advance me this fact. Leo Ballard told me some time ago that our Ford had been stolen. I rather disbelieved him as you hadn't said a word about it and of course you had had time to write me about it. Know you must have decided to keep quiet about it so I wouldn't worry over it.
Well, I am going to worry over it now until I hear from you that you have found it. Tell me all about it and just how it happened. Did you leave the car out in the yard or how did they get hold of it? It is no small loss and I know how you must feel about it. Now be sure and tell me all about it in your next letter, as I surely am anxious to know all about it. It seems strange that they got away with it but surely in this day and age they should be able to find it again. Be sure and let me know all about it just as soon as you get this. I wish that I were home and more so every day that I live in this Frog country.
We rode over to the supply company in covered wagons and it was a rough ride too. The woods are full of holes made by the heavy trucks that are going over them all day and all night. It is just pouring now. Wonder where all this water comes from. I wear the little helmet most of the time as I can put my steel helmet over it and it makes the steel helmet ride easier. Then with my rain coat I manage to keep pretty much dry.
We are playing down at the Salvation Army tonight for services. That is, the orchestra plays. The Salvation Army women are surely good to us. Last night when we got in from a long ride they had some eats for us - good hot coffee, doughnuts, canned pears and you may be sure we were hungry and fully appreciated it too. We put on our show for the 350th Inf. last night. It was raining as usual but we had a big covered three-ton truck and didn't get at all wet. The men surely like the show.
There is absolutely nothing doing in the way of entertainment over here except what the men make. We are showing at four different towns next week. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights we show in YMCA's Salvation Army huts or barracks - anywhere that there is a place.
One of the men had a letter from one of his friends in the 337th artillery. They were at Bordeaux (a large port town) then and had just been paid in American money so they are going home right away and no doubt they are on their way now.
We are just waiting for our moving orders. There was a bulletin out last night about the de-mobilization. We will be sent to Camp Dodge and from there home in the charge of a non-commissioned officer. I hope I don't get that job as the men will be rather hard to handle. I'll be a happy youngster when I get my honorable discharge and get home and get my feet under the table with Dad at his usual place, mother next to the coffee pot and Miss Deva Maxine Butler somewhere a little nearer than close. That will be life. Well we think we are leaving next month and perhaps will be in Camp Dodge by the last of the month. All it needs is time. I am taking the best of care of myself and haven't even a cold - that's the gospel truth too and if any one gets home I hope to be among them.
You sent me some gum once in a letter. Would rather like to have you repeat the stunt every once in a while - a stick is a letter once in a while will help to keep things going.
Haven't seen Asa Huggins for some time but guess he is all right. Saw Carl Rush today. He is still in the machine gun company and looks fine.
It is rather hard to know what to write as you say you and Deva read each others letters and I don't want to repeat any more than possible in any of the letters home.
Hope your dinner party went along in good shape. Dad wrote me another letter for a wonder. Tell me who those people are who have been helping the local board.
Is Frank Wilson across yet or did he get to come over? Doubt if he has seen as much service as I have. I haven't heard from Don and would like to know where he is as we are traveling around quite a bit in this show business and I may land in his town or near there and I would like to see him. Haven't heard from Merritt Seward either and haven't had a letter from Bess for quite a while.
Guess I have written about all I can think of. Now don't forget to tell me about the Ford. I am anxious to know.
Grant
