hen
the relief goes out I take all their blankets an go right to sleep
instead of standin outside an watchin them freeze. Men hate to be
watched while they are freezin.

[Illustration: "MEN HATE TO BE WATCHED WHILE THEY ARE FREEZIN"]

But I happened to be outside for some reason, goin to dinner I guess, an
I saw the Colonel coming. I says "Turn out the guard." (No one really
turns em out, Mable. They come out themselves.) The Colonel sees who it
is an waves an says "Never mind the guard, Corperal." So I thanks him an
goes back to the company an goes to bed.

As soon as the Captin sees that the Colonel is savin me up for over
there he gets sore. His plan has been to kill me before we left here. He
said he was goin to reduce me. Thats not the same way your father
reduces when he cuts out beer with his meals an sits in a Turkish all
day. I never said you will or you wont. Just waited till he got outside
an thumbed my nose at him. High spirited. Thats me all over.

An English officer came over the other day an told us all about the war.
He didnt quite finish it cause he only had three quarters of an hour.
They was quite a few things I didnt kno even at that. He said that the
heavy artillery was commanded by the C.C.O.D.A. an the light artillery
by the C.O.A. An theres a special N.C.O. who has nothin to do but look
after the S.A.A. Just imagine, Mable. I wish Id studied chemistree more
when I was in school. It would make things a lot easier for me now.
Then he said that a man always got into his O.O. to observe the action
of the 75s. These English are always great for dress an that
formal stuff.

Im glad there tellin us this before we go over. It would have been awful
embarassing to have tried to observe the action of the 75s in my B.V.Ds.
I asked him if they had any trouble with the B.P.O.Es. When he left he
said "Cheero." Without winkin a hair I says "Beevo." Same old Bill,
eh Mable?

They said the other day that my name was on a list to go to school an
learn all about liason. I said there wasnt much use in there doin that
cause I was pretty well up on that stuff. At home, I says, I had a
reputashun for a devil with the wimen. Nobody knows better than you, eh
Mable? I guess thats a little over your head though, Mable. I try to be
as simple as I can. If Im not just tell me.

Im ritin this letter with my shoes off. I hope youll excuse my bein so
informal but Im havin the old trouble with my feet. They never been
rig