fore the horses 60 days is up to save funeral expenses.
Just at the last minit they ishued us a lot of replacement troops as
if we didnt have enuff to carry. The governmint dont need to waste no
tin derbies on that bunch. They certinly looked as if theyd been doin
some hard fast travelin when they struck here. All they had was what
was on them an that was mostly cooties.

I aint allowed to tell you wether were goin to the front from here or
not. I dont see why its such a secret tho cause were so far in the
rear here that its about the only way we could go. If you dont here
from me for a long time I dont want you to worry cause I may not be
killed but just badly wounded or taken prisoner or something. Or there
might be just a chance that it was because I was to busy to rite. This
door tender job is pretty important. When they get to fightin I guess
Ill have to be around most of the time.

Yours till I leave the door unlatched
_Bill_

_Dere Mable:_

Were on our way to the front. I bet the Kiser an that funny lookin kid
of his is gettin there pulmoters out. We traveled three days an two
nights on the train an now we been hikin two nights more. I havnt
heard a gun yet. I dont think the Captin knows where the front is.
Theres a roomer around that we got off at the wrong stashun. I suppose
now we got to walk half way across France just because that fello dont
know how to read a time table.

They landed us in a field outside of a town. Youd have thought we got
off right in front of the Fritz trenches the way the oficers acted.
The new Lootenant bawled everybody out for not wearin there gas masks
at the alert. That means tyin it under your chin like a bib.

[Illustration: "TYIN IT UNDER YOUR CHIN LIKE A BIB"]

We didnt lose much time unloadin. Nobody knew then but what the
Fritzes might want to park a few Berthas right where we were. Then we
just sat around in the rain and waited. After about an hour the Captin
came splashin down the road an says "Harness an hitch. Come on. Hurry
up." He always gives an order as tho hed given it an hour before an
nobodied paid any attenshun to him. It didnt sound reasonable to me
cause it was gettin dark then an it would be time to turn in before we
could get any place. Bein a cannon ear tho an not havin anything to do
with the horses I didnt say anything. Willin. Thats me all over,
Mable.

After wed got hitched up we stood around for an hour more blottin up
rain. Th