[Illustration: "THEY TAKE OFF THERE HATS TO US"]

The Captin said Tag was just Fritz for Howdy. Then I ast him if I
could clean up half a dozen of them anyway just to get them started on
the right lines. He says "Smith, if you try any of your back alley
sanitashun around here youll be cleanin up around the gard house as
quick as we get one." He thinks hes awful funny. Thats the way it
goes, tho, Mable. One day your a quitter if you dont throw everything
but the kitchin stove at a fello and the next day they want you to
kiss him.

Im sendin you a lot of post cards I paid eighty two fennigs for. I
dont know wether that was a bargin or a fortune. I never seen any
places like these but they give you a good idear of the country. I got
to quit now cause there linin up for mess. If I ever get out of this
army I wont stand in line agen if they was handin out five dollar
bills. If you want to go to the movies with me you got to go early an
avoid the rush.

Tell Archie Wainwright I wish him a merry Crismus cause its liable to
be his last. His only chance for a happy New Year is if the war breaks
out agen.

Until it does yours
_Bill_

_Dere Mable:_

Weve quit hikin at last. Not because we get anyplace tho. Why they
stopped here when there is a road goin right thru is more than I can
figger. Theres about fifty houses in this place. I guess most of them
was built as soon as the flood was dried out enuff sos they could lay
the foundashuns. I havnt seen a new house since I been in Germany. A
place that wed be puttin bronze tablets on they think has just been
built.

They seem to be short on everything over here. From what I seen they
live mostly on potadoes. The only thing they get enuff of is mud. Our
guns is parked in a field an if we stay here much longer well have to
blast to get them out.

The Captin says the rules on letter ritin is off an we can say where
we are. The only thing we cant do is criticize the army. I dont know
where we are an I couldnt spell it anyhow so theres not much to rite
about.

We sleep in rooms now insted of barns. The Dutch dont seem to care
much. I can hear your mother if four tramps came walkin into her front
parlor an went to sleep on the floor. The old fello that owns the room
thinks were crazy because we have to open our windos every night. He
told Joe Bush there wasnt any use makin a fire for us cause when he
spent the whole evenin gettin the room full of heat wed op