rchard an put some branches
over the guns to cover up the camooflage paint. I thought after bein
up all nite on account of his foolishness the Captin would at least
take pity on the horses an let them alone. That would have given us
some chance to sleep. Nothin would do tho but that we spend about half
the day smoothin them out. He says it makes them feel good. Of course
the way we feel hasnt got nothin to do with it.

After wed scoured the horses till they must have been sorer than we
were they gave us some monkey meat an let us turn in. Back to the hay
barns agen. That Bilitin oficer ought to make good on some board of
health when we get home. He can pick out all the worst places in a
town ten minites after he gets there.

Sleepin in the daytime is a kind of a joke anyway in the army. Every
time you get to sleep the horses has to be fed. And when your not
feedin them you got to get up an feed yourself. In the army a fellos
hungry when they tell him to eat an no other time.

After theyd blown a horn at me about eight different times I figgered
I might as well stay up an rite you a letter. Now that were gettin up
near the front Im goin to rite just as much as I can. Thats partly sos
you wont worry an partly so that if I get knocked off you will have
something to amuse you in case you go into a convent.

I had to leave all those sweters an caps an everything that you nitted
me last winter. You dont need to feel bad about that tho cause they
wouldnt let us wear them anyway. If everybody wore all the stuff
thats been nitted for them since the war started this would look more
like an ice carnival than an army. Its sentiment that counts, tho, not
wool.

In the meantime still
_Bill_

_Dere Mable:_

After travelin for three nites we dont seem to be any nearer the front
than we ever was. Ether the Fritzes are retreatin in trucks or were
goin the wrong way. The only reason were not marchin tonite is because
when we got into this town the Captin found a chatto for his P.C. P.C.
is military, Mable. It means a place for the Captin. Mike Whozis, the
Captins orderly, says hes got one of those limosine beds with a roof
an sides on it. Its so big it dont make any difference how you lie on
it. If all he says about it is true we may stick around for the rest
of the war.

[Illustration: "MIKE WHOZIS, THE CAPTINS ORDERLY"]

Well, never mind. Sailor Gare as the French say. Thats some old pirate
they blame every