September 5, 1918 to Mabel.
“Finally saw your friend, Miss Coker, last night…. She has been in town for nearly a week but had sent me a letter through the mail instead of making inquiry through the Provost Marshall’s Office…. We had quite a talk last night on S.C. and on France and was interested in her news of having seen you all. …. She left Paris this morning for work in the South of France….”
Was shocked to see in the casualty lists this week that Eugene Monroe had been killed in action. …. I had known nothing of it before, my last news of Eugene being from a Captain who had run into him up back of the front in February. Know it must have been quite a shock to Mr. and Mrs. Monroe as Eugene was quite a favorite.
Fall is creeping into Paris. “This country is wonderful from about May 1st to October 1st but, at least around Paris, I can’t say much for the other months.”
“Our apartment life continues to go along nicely though the crowd has changed a bit in the last month, four fellows having been ordered elsewhere and replaced by new ones. Had quite a parlay with Eugenie, the cook, yesterday trying to explain how corn muffins should be made, we having got some corn meal from the commissary. Believe she is going to attempt them for dinner tonight and am anxious to see the results—they may not be corn muffins but bet they will be good.”
Transcribed letter:
September 5, 1918 to Mabel.
Dear Mabel:-
Finally saw your friend, Miss Coker, last night and thought she was quite pleasant. She had been in town for nearly a week but had sent me a letter through the mail instead of making inquiry through the Provost Marshal’s Office where all officers’ addresses are kept. As a matter of fact she had been in the building where my office is several times but it hadn’t occurred to her to inquire for me. If she had she would have located me easily for I’ve been here long enough to be known. We had quite a talk last night on S.C. and on France and was interested in her news of having seen you all. Sorry I didn’t know she was in town before but only received her note by mail yesterday afternoon. She left Paris this morning for work in the South of France but guess she’ll get back here at some of these times and hope to see her then again.
Have been out of luck on the mail proposition in this last batch – everybody seems to get some except myself but suppose it will drift in some of these times. Had rather waited to write until I should have a letter to reply to but will answer them when they come Was shocked to see in the casualty lists this week that Eugene Monroe had been killed in action. We don’t see the lists here until several weeks after you have them at home as the New York Herald carries them when they receive their New York editions. I had known nothing of it before, my last news of Eugene being from a Captain who had run into him up back of the front in February. Know it must have been quite a shock to Mr. and Mrs. Monroe as Eugene was quite a favorite.
The fall weather has commenced with us here but has been fine so far and understand it will probably continue good until about the 1st of October – the time when I arrived last year. It surely was rainy then, my first glimpse of the shores of France being through the rain. This country is wonderful from about May 1st to October 1st but, at least around Paris, I can’t say much for the other months.
No other particular news with myself. Our apartment life continues to go along nicely though the crowd has changed a bit in the last month, four fellows having been ordered elsewhere and replaced by new ones. Had quite a parlay with Eugenie, the cook, yesterday trying to explain how corn muffins should be made, we having got some corn meal from the commissary. Believe she is going to attempt them for dinner tonight and am anxious to see the results—they may not be corn muffins but bet they’ll be good.
Love to all,
Carl
Monty at War 