“Dear Mother:-

“Had my first States mail in two weeks,” he reports on January 15, 1919. It included a December 11 letter from sister Kate and a Christmas card from the Methodist church in Marion. He also got a package from “Wannamaker’s London Store containing, chocolate, bonbons and chewing gum….”

His description of work suggests that the AEF is throttling back. He is “busy” as he has claimed since arriving in Paris, “although am leasing practically nothing new.” His office is apparently occupied with “claims and adjustments.” He’s thinking about what might have been if he’d been an aide to his superior:

General Harts, my “boss”, returned from Italy with the President. Was talking to his aide about the trip and he said the president had a wonderful reception in both England and Italy. That’s one time I would have liked to have been the General’s aide instead of one of his staff as both trips were great under such circumstances. Would like to get a look at Italy while I am over here if they ever remove the ban on leaves outside of France. The railroad fare with the “tariff militaire” is very small and think I’ll run down if ever there’s a chance. Drove right up to the Italian border and looked over into Italy when I was at Nice in November of 1917 but at that time one could not cross.

He notes in closing that he is “glad to find from Kate’s letter that my mention of having seen Rabbit Mullins relieved Mr. Mullins’ mind.”

[full letter in process]