SAMMY BOY
_In the Trenchs, May 6._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I haven't wrote you no letter for a long wile and I
suppose maybe you think something might of happened to me or something.
Well old pal they hasn't nothing happened and I only wished they would
because anything would be better than laying around here and I would rather
stop a shell and get spread all over Europe then lay around here and die a
day at a time you might say.
Well I would of wrote you before only we was on the march and by the time
night come around my dogs fret me so bad I couldn't think of nothing else
and when they told us we was comeing up here I thought of course they would
send us up in motor Lauras or something and not wear us all out before we
got here but no it was drill every ft. of the way and I said to Johnny
Alcock the night we got here that when they was sending us up here to die
they might at lease give us a ride and he says no because when they send
a man to the electric chair they don't push him up there in a go cart but
they make him get there on his own dogs. So I said "Yes but he travels
light and he don't half to go far and when he gets there they's a chair
waiting for him to set down in it but they load us up like a troop ship and
walk us 1/2 way to Sweden and when we finely get here we can either remain
standing or lay down in a mud puddle and tuck ourself in."
And another thing Al I thought they meant we was going right in the front
line trenchs where a man has got a chance to see some fun but where we are
at is what they call the reserve trenchs and we been here 3 days all ready
and have got to stay here 7 days more that is unless they should something
happen to the regt. that's up ahead of us in the front line and if they get
smashed up or something and half to be sent back to the factory then we
will jump right in and take their place and I don't wish them no bad luck
but I wished they would get messed up tonight at lease enough so as they
would half to come out for repairs but it don't look like they was much
chance of that as we are on a quite section where they hasn't been nothing
doing since the war begin you might say but of course Jerry is raising
he--ll all over the front now and here is where he will probably pick on
next and believe me Al we will give him a welcome.
But the way things is mapped out now we will be here another wk. yet and
then up in the front row for 10 days and then back to the rest billets for
a rest but they say the only thing that gets a rest back there is your
stomach but believe me your stomach gets a holiday right here without going
to no rest billets.
Well I thought they would be some excitement up here but its like church
but everybody says just wait till we get up in front and then we will have
plenty of excitement well I hope they are telling the truth because its
sure motonus here and about all as we do is have inspections and scratch.
As Johnny Alcock says France may of lose a whole lot of men in this war but
they don't seem to of been no casualitys amist the cuties.
Well Al they's plenty of other bugs here as well as the kinds that itchs
and I mean some of the boys themselfs and here is where it comes out on
them is where they haven't nothing to do only lay around and they's 1 bird
that his name is Harry Friend but the boys calls him the chicken hawk and
its not only on acct. of him loveing the ladys but he is all the wile
writeing letters to them and he is 1 of these fancy writers that has to
wind up before he comes down on the paper with a word and between every
word he sores up and swoops down again like he was over a barn yard and
sometimes the boys set around and bets on how many wirls he will take
before he will get within writeing distants of the paper.
Well any way he must get a whole lot of letters wrote if he answers all
the ones that comes for him because every time you bump into him he pulls
one on you that he just got from some gal that's nuts about him somewheres
in the U. S. and its always a different 1 and I bet the stores that sells
service stars kept open evenings the wk. this bird enlisted in the draft.
But today it was a French gal that he had a letter from her some dame in
Chalons and he showed me her picture and she's some queen Al and he is
pulling for us to be sent there on our leave after we serve our turn up
here and I don't blame him for wanting to be where she's at and I wished
they was some baby doll that I could pal around with in what ever burg they
ship us to. But I don't know nobody Al and besides I'm a married man so no
flirting with the parley vous for me and I suppose I will spend most of my
time with the 2 Vin sisters and a headache.
Your pal, JACK.
[Illustration: Every time you bump into him he pulls a letter on you.]
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 9._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I was talking to 1 of the boys Jack Brady today and we
was talking about Harry Friend and I told Jack about him getting a letter
from this French girlie at Chalons and how he was pulling for us to go
there on our leave so as he could see her so Jack said he didn't think we
would go there but they would probably send us to 1 of the places where we
could get a bath as god knows we will need one and they will probably send
us to Aix les Bains or Nice or O. D. Cologne. So I said I didn't care where
we was sent as they wouldn't be no gal waiting for me in none of them towns
so Jack says it was my own fault if they wasn't as all these places was
full of girlies that was there for us to dance with them and etc. and the
officers had all their names and addresses and the way to do was write to
1 of them and tell her when you was comeing and would she like to show you
around and he said he would see 1 of the lieuts. that he stands pretty good
with him and see what he could do for me. Well Al I told him to go ahead as
I thought it was just a joke but sure enough he showed up after a wile and
he said the lieut. didn't only have 1 name left but she was a queen and he
give me her name and address and its Miss Marie Antoinette 14 rue de Nez
Rouge, O. D. Cologne.
Well Al I didn't have nothing else to do so I set down and wrote her a note
and I will coppy down what I wrote:
"_Dear Miss Antoinette_: I suppose you will be supprised to hear from
me and I hope you won't think I am some fresh bird writeing you this letter
for a joke or something but I am just 1 of Uncle Sam's soldiers from the
U. S. A. and am now in the trenchs fighting for your country. Well Miss
Antoinette we expect to be here about 2 wks. more and then we will have a
leave off for a few days and some of the boys thinks we may spend it in
your city and I thought maybe you might be good enough to show me around
when we get there. I was a baseball pitcher back in the U. S. A. tall and
athletic build and I don't suppose you know what baseball is but thought
maybe you would wonder what I look like. Well if you aren't busy when we
get there I will hope to see you and if you are agreeable drop me a line
here and I will sure look you up when I get there."
* * * * *
So then I give her my name and where to reach me and of course they won't
nothing come out of it Al only a man has got to amuse yourself some way in
a dump like this or they would go crazy. But it would sure be a horse on
me if she was to answer the letter and say she would be glad to see me and
then of course I would half to write and tell her I was a married man or
else not write to her at all but of course they won't nothing come out of
it and its a good bet we won't never see Cologne as that was just a guess
on Brady's part.
Well Al things is going along about like usual with nothing doing only
inspections and etc. and telling us how to behave when we get up there in
the front row and not to stick our head over the top in the day time and
you would think we was the home guards or something and at that I guess the
home guards is seeing as much of the war as we are in this old ditch but
they say it will be different when we get up in front and believe me I hope
so and they can't send us there to soon to suit me.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 11._
FRIEND AL: Well Al here we are up in the front line trenchs and we come
in here 2 days ahead of time but that's the way they run everything in the
army except feed you but they don't never do nothing when they say they are
going to and I suppose they want a man to get use to haveing things come
by supprise so as it won't interfere with your plans if you get killed a
couple days before you was looking for it.
Well Al we are looking for it now most any day and this may be the last
letter you will ever get from your old pal and you may think I am kidding
when I say that but 1 of the boys told me a wile ago that he heard Capt.
Seeley telling 1 of the lieuts. that the reason we come in here ahead of
time was on acct. of them expecting the Dutchmans to make their next drive
on this section and the birds that we are takeing their place was a bunch
of yellow stiffs that was hard of hearing except when they was told to
retreat and Gen. Pershing figured that if they was up here when Jerry made
a attack they would turn around and open up a drive on Africa and the bosh
has been going through the rest of the line like it was held by the ladies
aid and Gen. Foch says they have got to be stopped so we are elected Al and
you know what that means and it means we can't retreat under no conditions
but stay here till we get killed. So you see I wasn't kidding Al and it
looks like it was only a question of a few days or maybe not that long but
at that I guess most of the boys would just as leave stop a Dutch bayonet
as to lay around in this he--ll hole. Believe me Al this is a fine resort
to spend 10 days at what with the mud and the perfume and a whole menajery
useing you for a parade grounds.
Well Capt. Seeley wants us to get all the rest we can now on acct. of
what's comeing off after a wile but believe me I am not going to oversleep
myself in this he--ll hole because suppose Jerry would pick out the time
wile you was asleep to come over and pay us a visit and they's supposed
to be some of the boys on post duty to watch all night and keep their eye
pealed and wake us up if they's something stiring but I have been in hotels
a lot of times and left a call with some gal that didn't have nothing to
do only pair her finger nails and when the time come ring me up but even
at that she forgot it so what chance is they for 1 of these sentrys to
remember and wake everybody up when maybe they's 5 or 6 Dutchmens divideing
him into building lots with their bayonet or something. So as far as I am
conserned I will try and keep awake wile I can because it looks like when
we do go to sleep we will stay asleep several yrs. and even if we are lucky
enough to get back to them rest billets we can sleep till the cows come
home a specially if they give us some more of them entertainments like we
had in camp.
Well Al before we got here I thought they would be so much fireing back and
4th. up here that a man couldn't hear themself think but I guess Jerry is
saveing up for the big show though every little wile they try and locate
our batterys and clean them out and once in so often 1 of our big guns
replys but as Johnny Alcock says you couldn't never accuse our artillrys
from being to gabby and I guess we are lucky they are pretty near
speechless as they might take a notion to fire short but any way a little
wile ago 1 of our guns sent a big shell over and Johnny says what and the
he--ll can that be and I said its a shell from 1 of our guns and he says he
thought they fired 1 yesterday.
Well as I say here we are with 10 days of it stareing us in the eye and the
cuties for company and the only way we can get out of here ahead of time is
on a stretcher and I wouldn't mind that Al but as I say I want to be awake
when my time comes because if I am going to get killed in this war I want
to have some idear who done it.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 14._
FRIEND AL: Well Al I got the supprise of my life today when Jack Brady
handed me a letter that had came for me and that's supprise enough itself
but all the more when I opened it up and seen who it was from. Well it was
from that baby in Cologne and I will coppy it down as it is short and you
can see for yourself what she says. Well here it is:
"_Dear Mr. Keefe_: Your letter just reached me and you can bet I was
glad to get it. I sure will be glad to see you when you come to Cologne
and I will be more than glad to show you the sights. This is some town and
we sure will have a time when you get here. I am just learning to write
English so please excuse mistakes but all I want to say is don't disappoint
me but write when you will come so I can be all dressed up comme un cheval.
Avec l'amour und kussen.
"MARIE ANTOINETTE."
You see Al they's part of it wrote in French and that last part means with
love and kisses. Well I guess that letter I wrote her must have went over
strong and any ways it looks like she didn't exactly hate me eh Al? Well it
looks like I would half to write to her back and tell her I am a married
man and they can't be no flirting between her and I but if she wants to be
a good pal and show me around O. K. and no harm done. Well I hope she takes
it that way because it sure will seem good to talk to a gal again that
can talk a little English and not la la la all the wile but of course its
a good bet that I won't never see her because we are just as libel to go
somewheres else as Cologne though Brady seems to think that's where we are
headed for. Well time will tell and in the mean wile we are libel to get
blowed to he--ll and gone and then of course it would be good by sweet
Marie but I was supprised to hear from her as I only wrote to her in fun
and didn't think nothing would come from it but I guess Harry Friend isn't
the only lady killer in the U. S. army and if I was 1 of the kind that
shows off all their letters I guess I have got 1 now to show.
A side from all that Al we was supposed to have our chow a hr. ago but no
chow and some of the boys says its on acct. of our back arears being under
fire and you see the kitchens is way back of the front lines and the boys
on chow detail is supposed to bring our food up here but when the back
arears is under fire they are scared to bring it up or they might maybe run
into some bad luck on the way. How is that for fine dope Al when a whole
regt. starves to death because a few yellow stiffs is afraid that maybe a
shell might light near them and spill a few beans. Brady says maybe they
are trying to starve us so as we will get mad and fight harder when the
time comes like in the old days when they use to have fights between men
and lions in Reno and Rome and for days ahead they wouldn't give the lions
nothing to eat so as they would be pretty near wild when they got in Reno
and would make a rush at the gladaters that was supposed to fight them and
try and eat them up on acct. of being so near starved. Well Al I would half
to be good and hungry before I would want to eat a Dutchman a specially
after they been in the trenchs a wile.
But any way it don't make a whole lot of differents if the chow gets here
or not because when it comes its nothing only a eye dropper full of soup
and coffee and some bread that I would hate to have some of it fall on my
toe and before we left the U. S. everybody was trying to preserve food so
as the boys in France would have plenty to eat but if they sent any of the
preserves over here the boat they come on must of stopped a torpedo and I
hope the young mackerels won't make themselfs sick on sweets.
Jokeing to 1 side this is some climate Al and they don't never a day pass
without it raining and I use to think the weather profits back home had a
snap that all they had to do was write down rain or snow or fair and even
if they was wrong they was way up there where you couldn't get at them but
they have got a tough job when you look at a French weather profit and as
soon as he learns the French for rain he can open up an office and he don't
half to hide from nobody because he can't never go wrong though Alcock says
they have got a dry season here that begins the 14 of July and ends that
night but its a holiday so the weather profit don't half to monkey with
it. Any way its so dark here all the wile that you can't hardly tell day
and night only at night times the Dutchmens over across the way sends up
a flare once in a wile to light things up so as they can see if they's
any of us prowling around Nobody's Land and speaking about Nobody's Land
Brady says its the ground that lays between the German trenchs and the
vermin trenchs but jokeing to 1 side if it wasn't for these here flares we
wouldn't know they was anybody over in them other trenchs and when we come
in here they was a lot of talk about Jerry sending over a patrol to find
out who we was but it looks like he wasn't interested. But all and all Al
its nothing like I expected up here and all we have seen of the war is when
a shell or 2 busts in back of us or once in a wile 1 of their areoplanes
comes over and 1 of ours chases them back and sometimes they have a battle
but they always manage to finish it where we can't see it for the fear we
might enjoy ourselfs.
Well it looks like we would half to go to bed on a empty stomach if you
could call it bed and speaking about stomach Brady says they's a old saying
that a army travels on their stomach but a cutie covers a whole lot more
ground. But as I say when you don't get your chow you don't miss much only
it kills a little time and everybody is sick in tired of doing nothing and
1 of the boys was saying tonight he wished the Dutchmens would attack so as
to break the motley and Alcock said that if they did attack he hoped they
would do it with gas as his nose needed a change of air.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 16._
FRIEND AL: Well old pal I come within a ace you might say of not being
here to write you this letter and you may think that's bunk but wait till
you hear what come off. Well it seems our scout planes brought back word
yesterday that the Dutch regt. over across the way had moved out and
another regt. had took their place and it seems when they make a change
like that our gens. always trys to find out who the new rivals is so the
orders come yesterday that we was to get up a patrol party for last night
and go over and take a few prisoners so as we would know what regt. we
was up vs. Well as soon as the news come out they was some of the boys
volunteered to go in the patrol and they was only a few going so I didn't
feel like noseing myself in and maybe crowding somebody out that was set
on going and besides what and the he--ll do I care what regt. is there as
long as its Germans and its like you lived in a flat and the people across
the hall moved out and some people moved in why as long as you knowed they
wasn't friends of yours you wouldn't rush over and ring their door bell and
say who the he--ll are you but you would wait till they had time to get
some cards printed and stick 1 in the mail box. So its like I told Alcock
that when the boys come back they would tell the Col. that the people opp.
us was Germans and the Col. would be supprised because he probably thought
all the wile that they was the Idaho boy scouts or something. But at that I
pretty near made up my mind at the last minute to volunteer just to break
the motley you might say but it was to late and I lost out.
Well Al the boys that went didn't come back and I hope the Col. is
satisfied now because he has lost that many men and he knows just as much
as he did before namely that they's some Germans across the way and either
they killed our whole bunch or took them a prisoner and instead of us
learning who they are they found out who we are because the boys that's
gone is all from our regt. and its just like as if we went over and give
them the information they wanted to save them the trouble of comeing over
here and getting it.
Well it don't make a man feel any happier to think about them poor boys and
god only knows what happened to them if they are prisoners or dead and some
of them was pals of mine to but the worst part of it is that the word will
be sent home that they are missing in actions and their wifes won't know
what become of them if they got any and I can't help from thinking I might
of been with them only for not wanting to crowd somebody out and if I had
of went my name would be in the casuality list as missing in actions but I
guess at that if Florrie picked up the paper and seen it she wouldn't know
it was her husband its so long since she wrote it on a envelop.
Well Al they's other gals in the world besides Florrie and of course its to
late to get serious with them when a man has got a wife and kid but believe
me I am going to enjoy myself if they happen to pick out Cologne to send us
to and if the little gal down there is 1 of the kind that can be good pals
with a man without looseing her head over me I will sure have a good time
but I suppose when she sees me she will want to begin flirting or something
and then I will half to pass her up before anybody gets hurt. Well any way
I wrote her a friendly letter today and just told her to keep me in mind
and I stuck a few French words in it for a gag but I will coppy down what I
wrote the best I can remember it so you will know what I wrote. Here it is:
_Mon cher Marie_: Your note recd. and you can bet I was mighty glad to
hear from you and learn you would show me around Cologne. That is if they
send us there and if we get out of here alive. Well you said you was just
learning English well I will maybe be able to help you along and you can
maybe help me with the French so you see it will be 50 50. Well I sure hope
they send us to Cologne and I will let you know the minute I find out where
they are going to send us and maybe even if its somewheres else couldn't
you visit there at the same time and maybe I could see you. Well girlie we
will be out of here in less then a wk. now if we don't have no bad luck and
you can bet I won't waist no time getting to where ever they send us and I
hope its Cologne. So in the mean wile don't take no wood nickles and don't
get impatient but be a good girlie and save up your loving for me. Tres
beaucoup from
Your Sammy Boy, JACK KEEFE.
That's what I wrote her Al and I bet she can't hardly wait to hear if I'm
comeing or not but I don't suppose they's any chance of them sending us
there and a specially if they find out that anybody wants to go there but
maybe she can fix it to meet me somewheres else and any ways they won't be
no lifes lost if I never see her and maybe it would be better that way. But
a man has got to write letters or do something to keep your mind off what
happened to them poor birds that went in the patrol and a specially when I
come so near being 1 of them.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 18._
FRIEND AL: Well Al if I am still alive yet its not because I laid back and
didn't take no chances and I wished some of the baseball boys that use to
call me yellow when I was in there pitching had of seen me last night and
I guess they would of sang a different song only in the 1st. place I was
where they couldn't nobody see me and secondly they would of been so scared
they would of choked to death if they tried to talk let alone sing. But
wait till you hear about it.
Well yesterday P. M. Sargent Crane asked me how I liked life in the trenchs
and I said O. K. only I got tired on acct. of they not being no excitement
or nothing to do and he says oh they's plenty to do and I could go out and
help the boys fix up the bob wire in front of the trenchs like we done
back in the training camp. So I said I didn't see how they could be any
fixing needed as they hadn't nothing happened on this section since the
war started you might say and the birds that was here before us had plenty
of time to fix it if it needed fixing. So he says "Well any ways they's
no excitement to fixing the wire but if you was looking for excitement
why didn't you go with that patrol the other night?" So I said "Because I
didn't see no sence to trying to find out who was in the other trenchs when
we know they are Germans and that's all we need to know. Wait till they's a
real job and you won't see me hideing behind nobody." So he says "I've got
a real job for you tonight and you can go along with Ted Phillips to the
listening post."
Well Al a listening post is what they call a little place they got dug out
way over near the German trenchs and its so close you can hear them talk
sometimes and you are supposed to hear if they are getting ready to pull
something and report back here so as they won't catch us asleep. Well I was
wild to go just for something to do but I been haveing trouble with my ears
lately probably on acct. of the noise from so much shell fire or something
but any ways I have thought a couple times that I was getting a little deef
so I thought I better tell him the truth so I said "I would be tickled to
death to go only I don't know if I ought to or not because I don't hear
very good even in English and of course Jerry would be telling their plans
in German and suppose I didn't catch on to it and I would feel like a
murder if they started a big drive and I hadn't gave my pals no warning."
So he says "Don't worry about that as Phillips has got good ears and
understands German and he has been there before only in a job like that a
man wants company and you are going along for company."
Well before we snuck out there Sargent Crane called us to 1 side and says
"You boys is takeing a big chance and Phillips knows what to do but you
want to remember Keefe to keep quite and not make no noise or talk to each
other because if Jerry finds out you are there we probably won't see you
again."
Well Al it finely come time for us to go and we went and if anybody asks
you how to spend a pleasant evening don't steer them up against a listening
post with a crazy man. Well I suppose you think its pretty quite there
at home nights and I use to think so to but believe me Al, Bedford at 2
o'clock in the A. M. is a bowling alley along the side of 1 of these here
listening posts. It may sound funny but I would of gave a month's pay if
somebody would of shot off a fire cracker or anything to make a noise.
There was the bosh trench about 20 yds. from us but not a sound out of
them and a man couldn't help from thinking what if they had of heard us
out there and they was getting ready to snoop up on us and that's why they
was keeping so still and it got so as I could feel 1 of their bayonets
burrowing into me and I am no quitter Al when it comes to fighting somebody
you can see but when you have got a idear that somebody is cralling up on
you and you haven't no chance to fight back I would like to see the bird
that could enjoy themself and besides suppose my ears had went back on me
worse then I thought and the Dutchmens was realy makeing a he--ll of a
racket but I couldn't hear them and maybe they was getting ready to come
over the top and I wouldn't know the differents and all of a sudden they
would lay a garage and dash out behind it and if they didn't kill us we
would be up in front of the court's marshal for not warning our pals.
Well as I say I would of gave anything for some one to of fired off a gun
or made some noise of some kind but when this here Phillips finely opened
up his clam and spoke I would of jumped a mile if they had of been any room
to jump anywheres. Well the sargent had told us not to say nothing but all
of a sudden right out loud this bird says this is a he--ll of a war. Well
I motioned back at him to shut up but of course he couldn't see me and he
thought I hadn't heard what he said so he said it over again so then I
thought maybe he hadn't heard the sargent's orders so I whispered to him
that he wasn't supposed to talk. Well Al they wasn't no way of keeping
him quite and he says "That's all bunk because I been out here before and
talked my head off and nothing happened." So I says well if you have got
to talk you don't half to yell it. So then he tried to whisper Al but his
whisper sounded like a jazz record with a crack in it so he says I'm not
yelling I am whispering so I said yes I have heard Hughey Jennings whisper
like that out on the lines.
So he shut up for a wile but pretty soon he busted out again and this
time he was louder then ever and he asked me could I sing and I said no I
couldn't so then he says well you can holler can't you so I said I suppose
I could so he says "Well I know how we could play a big joke on them square
heads. Lets the both of us begin yelling like a Indian and they will hear
us and they will think they's a whole crowd of us here and they will begin
bombing us or something and think they are going to kill a whole crowd
of Americans but it will only be us 2 and we can give them the laugh for
waisting their ammunitions."
Well Al I seen then that I was parked there with a crazy man and for a wile
I didn't say nothing because I was scared that I might say something that
would encourage him some way so I just shut up and finely he says what is
the matter ain't you going to join me? So I said I will join you in the jaw
in a minute if you don't shut your mouth and then he quited down a little,
but every few minutes he would have another swell idear and once he asked
me could I imitate animals and I said no so he says he could mew like a cow
and he had heard the boshs was so hard up for food and they would rush out
here thinking they was going to find a cow but it wouldn't be no cow but it
would be a horse on them.
Well you can imagine what I went through out there with a bird like that
and I thought more then once I would catch it from him and go nuts myself
but I managed to keep a hold of myself and the happiest minute of my life
was when it was time for us to crall back in our dug outs but at that I
can't remember how we got back here.
This A. M. Sargent Crane asked me what kind of a time did we have and I
told him and I told him this here Phillips was squirrel meat and he says
Phillips is just as sane as anybody usualy only everybody that went out on
the listening post was effected that way by the quite and its a wonder I
didn't go nuts to.
Well its a wonder I didn't Al and its a good thing I kept my head and kept
him from playing 1 of those tricks as god knows what would of happened and
the entire regt. might of been wipped out. But I hope they don't wish no
more listening post on me but if they do you can bet I will pick my own
pardner and it won't be no nut and no matter what Sargent Crane says if
this here Phillips is sane we're stopping at Palm Beach.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 19._
FRIEND AL: Well old pal don't say nothing about this not even to Bertha
what I am going to tell you about as some people might not understand and
a specially a woman and might maybe think I wasn't acting right towards
Florrie or something though when a man is married to a woman that he has
been in France pretty near 4 mos. and she has wrote him 3 letters I don't
see where she would have a sqawk comeing at whatever I done but of course I
am not going to do nothing that I wouldn't just as leave tell her about it
only I want to tell her myself and when I get a good ready.
Well I guess I told you we was only supposed to stay here in the front line
10 days and then they will somebody come and releive us and take our place
and then we go to the rest billets somewheres and lay around till its our
turn to come up here again. Well Al we been in the front line now eight
days and that means we won't only be here 2 days more so probably we will
get out of here the day after tomorrow night. Well up to today we didn't
have no idear where we was going to get sent as they's several places where
the boys can go on leave like Aix le Bains and Nice and etc. and we didn't
know which 1 it would be. So today we was talking about it and I said I
wished I knew for sure and Jack Brady stands pretty good with 1 of the
lieuts. so he says he would ask him right out. So he went and asked him and
the lieut. told him Cologne.
Well Al I hadn't no sooner found out when 1 of the boys hands me a letter
that just come and it was a letter from this baby doll that I told you
about that's in Cologne and I will coppy down the letter so you can see for
yourself what she says and here it is Al:
_Dear Sammy Boy_:
I was tres beaucoup to get your letter and will sure be glad to see you and
can hardly wait till you get here. Don't let them send you anywhere else
as Cologne is the prettiest town in France and the liveliest and we will
sure have some time going to shows etc. and I hope you bring along beaucoup
francs. Well I haven't time to write you much of a letter as I have got to
spend the afternoon at the dressmaker's. You see I am getting all dolled
up for my Sammy Boy. But be sure and let me know when you are going to get
here and when you reach Cologne jump right in a Noir et Blanc taxi and come
up to the house. You know the number so come along Sammy and make it toot
sweet.
Yours with tres beaucoup,
MARIE.
So that's her letter Al and it looks like I was going to be in right in
old O. D. Cologne and it sure does look like fate was takeing a hand in
the game when things breaks this way and when I wrote to this gal the
first time I didn't have no idear of ever seeing her but the way things is
turning out it almost seems like we was meant to meet each other. Well Al
I only hope she has got some sence and won't get to likeing me to well or
of course all bets is off but if we can just be good pals and go around to
shows etc. together I don't see where I will be doing anything out of the
way. Only as I say don't say nothing about it to Bertha or nobody else as
people is libel to not understand and I guess most of them women back in
the U. S. thinks that when a man has been up at the front as long as we
have and then when he gets a few days leave he ought to take a running hop
step and jump to the nearest phonograph and put on a Rodeheaver record.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 20._
FRIEND AL: Well Al just a line and it will probably be the last time I will
write you from the trenchs for a wile as our time is up tomorrow night and
the next time I write you it will probably be from Cologne and I will tell
you what kind of a time they show us there and all about it. I just got
through writeing a note to the little gal there telling her I would get
there as soon as possible but I couldn't tell her when that would be as I
don't know how far it is or how we get there but Brady said he thought it
was about 180 miles so I suppose they will make us walk.
Well talk about a quite section and they hasn't even been a gun went off
all day or no areoplanes or nothing and here we thought we was going to see
a whole lot of excitement and we haven't fired a shot or throwed a grenade
or even saw a German all the wile we was here and we are just like when
we come only for those poor birds that went on that wild goose chase and
didn't come back and they's been some talk about sending another patrol
over to get revenge for those poor boys but I guess they won't nothing come
of it. It would be like sending good money after bad is the way I look
at it.
Several of the boys has been calling me Sammy Boy today and I signed my
name that way in 1 of the notes I wrote that little gal and I suppose who
ever censored it told some of the boys about it and now they are trying to
kid me. Well Al I don't see where a censor has got any license to spill
stuff like that but they's no harm done and they can laugh at me all they
want to wile we are here as I will be the 1 that does the laughing when we
get to Cologne. And I guess a whole lot of them will wish they was this
same Sammy Boy when they see me paradeing up and down the blvd. with the
bell of the ball. O you sweet Marie.
Your pal, JACK.
* * * * *
_In the Trenchs, May 22._
FRIEND AL: Well Al its all off and we are here yet and what is more we
are libel to be here till the duration of the war if we don't get killed
and believe me I would welcome death rather then stay in this he--ll hole
another 10 days and from now on I am going to take all the chances they is
to take and the sooner they finish me I will be glad of it and it looks
like it might come tonight Al as I have volunteered to go along with the
patrol that's going over and try and get even for what they done to our
pals.
Well old pal it was understood when we come up here that we would be here
10 days and yesterday was the 10th day we was here. Well I happened to say
something yesterday to Sargent Crane about what time was we going and he
says where to and I said I thought our time was up and we was going to get
releived. So he says "Who is going to releive us and what and the he--ll do
you want to be releived of?" So I said I understood they didn't only keep a
regt. in the front line 10 days and then took them out and sent them to a
rest billet somewheres. So he says what do you call this but a rest billet?
So then I asked him how long we had to stay here and he said "Well it may
be a day or it may be all summer. But if we get ordered out in a hurry it
won't be to go to no rest billet but it will be to go up to where they are
fighting the war."
So I made the remark that I wished somebody had of tipped me off as I had
fixed up a kind of a date thinking we would be through here in 10 days. So
he asked me where my date was at and I said Cologne. So then he kind of
smiled and said "O and when was you planing to start?" So I said "I was
figureing on starting tonight." So he waited a minute and then he said
"Well I don't know if I can fix it for you tonight or tomorrow night, but
they's some of the boys going to start in that direction one of them times
and I guess you can go along."
Well Al I suppose Alcock and Brady and them has been playing another 1 of
their gags on me and I hope they enjoyed it and as far as I am conserned
they's no harm done. Cologne Al is way back of the German lines and when
Sargent Crane said they was some of the boys starting in that direction he
meant this here patrol. So I'm in on it Al and they didn't go last night
but tonight's the big night. And some of the boys is calling me Sammy Boy
and trying to make a monkey out of me but the smart Alex that's doing it
isn't none of them going along on this raid and that's just what a man
would expect from them. Because they's a few of us Al that come across
the old puddle to fight and the rest of them thinks they are at the Young
Peoples picnic.
Your pal, JACK.