How are you? I got your letter al-rite and what I wood like to no is
what in thunder is that goat stuff you are drivin at? I didnt call you
no names excep dere godchild and kid and you are both, and a godchild
is a godchild and sometimes a kid is a goat and sometimes a goat is a
kid and if you dont stop your kiddin you'll get my goat see? Mebbe you
didn't mene to be fresh and if you didnt will call it square and say
no more about it, ennyway I guess you use that bloomin dickshunary two
much. Dickshunaries is like girls and is al-rite in there line, but
I aint got much use fer them and you had best chuck yours out the
window. I guess 85lbs. is a good ole wait but 39 is something feerce,
why even Heloise aged 5 ways 45 and she dont eat enny of that codfish
liver, and say what does it test like ennyway? I bet it tests like ole
get out. I told Mother you wade only 39 and she sed, my goodness he
must have tuberculosees, and dad sed, no, he has not had enuf meat,
but I sed no but he is going to have some now I am suporting him. What
do you think? I got enuf money to suport you fer too weaks, and if you
will cross your heart not to tell because I promist I woodnt and you
must do the same, I will tell you how it hapened, well it was this
way, I was readin the Motor Boys Under the Sea beehind the portyares
and its great, when in walk Carl Odell the young feller across the
way and Amanda aged 16, and they set down and didnt say much and bimby
Carl he takes Amandas hand and sez, Amanda you no how tis with me? and
she sez, why no how is it Carl? and he sez I love you, and she sez to
Carl, this is so suddin, and he sez, little girl will you be my wife?
and she sez, o Carl I dunno, and he sez, I demand an answer yes or no,
and she sez well I dunno but as I will, and he sed, sweatheart what
day shall it be? And I stept out and sed, Hold on, dont go and make it
Tuesday becaus Amandas promist to go fishin and dad wont let me go
to Frost Lake without her, caus its 16 feet deep, and you should have
seen them jump. They was scart plump out of there wits, and Amanda she
sez, If he tells dad I shall dye, and Carl he grabd me by one ear and
sed, Jim, I give you the choyce of keepin quiet and gettin $1.50 or
squealin and being skinned alive, and I sed, Well I am suporting a
kid, I mean a boy, in France so I will take the coin, so I crost my
heart and sed hope to dye if I squeal and you must do the same, caus
bimby if the Yanks come runnin over there you mite mete a frend of
Carl Odells and hed tell a nuther frend, and bimby all the Yanks wood
no it and it wood get back to Carl Odells ears. I bet that Jean is
some brother, say hes al-rite, all excep his name, coodnt you make it
Buster? Say what you want to go wearin a shawl fer, fust thing you
no all the boys will call you girly, and I dont intend to have no
godchild of mine cald that, no siree, not if I have to skin them alive
fer it. I no its hard when things are give to you not to wear them,
last yere the Sunday-school teacher give me a baby-blew tie and darn
if I didn't have to wear it every Sunday till Lady Evelin Jack Burtons
fathers best bull dog found it and et it. But you go eezy on that
shawl. Never you mind about Sunday-school, just you be glad you dont
have to go to it, though I dont no but goin to see that balancin stunt
of Jeans is just as bad. And dont you be askin two many questions
about me, mebbe Im an officer and mebbe Im not, and mebbe I no
something about submareens and mebbe I don't but I woodnt let it
sprize you if I come ridin in in one of those busses one of these
days, and if I do and I like you I mite even take you back with me
to New York, and then goodnite--you'll see some sites. Say whats that
dope on sage? Hoping you are well and will rite to me soon I will now
close hoping you are well.
Your affeckshunate godfather,
James P. Jackson Jr.
P.S. I made Carl Odell give me the money rite off becaus he is a Red
Indian fer cheatin. Did you get the Christmas presents I sent you?
18 rue d'Autancourt, Paris.
4 Jan. 1917.
Dear Godfather:
The big paquet from Amerique come late but I receive it to-day and I
thank you very much. You are very good to think so much of me and it
is very pretty, dear benefactor, There is one glove only, and I am
fearful that the other rested on the road[7]. But it makes nothing[8];
I have not business[9] of two, because one is enough big for my two
hands, and it is a muff very warm; but veritably, dear godfather, you
are big like giants, in Amerique! The little cage is very commodious
also, and very pretty. Jean believe it is a muzzle for dog, but no,
I comprehend it Is for suspend on the ceiling for to make pretty the
house, with plants green, climbing.