Sunday P.M.
(Postmarked June 24th, 1918)
My dear Brother:-
I have always heard and read that “honest confession is good for the soul” so I’m going to ‘fess up’ the first thing and give my conscience a little rest.
After I had received your letter last week and told all the family about your graduation, Bert’s folks called me and said it ought to be put in the paper. I agreed with them but didn’t feel competent to do it so called Edith and turned the business over to her. She felt that she would need to see your letter in order to get the details straight — so I sent it to her and she rewrote the part referring to your graduation and sent it in. The next day a nice long piece appeared in the paper — so if you see or hear of it you will have to lay the blame to me. I know just how you feel about such things but we all felt that there were so many friends interested in your welfare — any Myron, you’ve NO IDEA how many people think and speak of you — that there was no other way to let them all know.
The article didn’t just suit me and guess it didn’t Edith exactly either as the reporter fixed it over to suit himself but most folks seem to think it not a bit too much or too good — and of course I know it COULDN’T be too good. And please don’t get the impression that I’m in the habit of passing your letters around for others to read and BELIEVE ME it will be the last. I hated to let Edith take it this time but felt that I’d be selfish to keep all the good things to myself. There! That’s off my hands and I’ll forget it.
Bessie called me yesterday to tell me Ed had received a letter from you so I know you are probably still at Camp Devens. I’m sorry you have to work so hard but think your health must be pretty good or you couldn’t stand it. Well let’s hope this war won’t last forever. Things look a little brighter over across now I think, don’t you?
Ed’s folks did splendidly at their Red Cross social Tue. night — took in $32.00 We went to a Grange social Thursday eve and Ed and Bessie were there too — went with Marion and her hair. They also went Friday eve to Glens Falls to hear Chauncey Olcott. Isn’t it nice and won’t they rather miss Marion when she goes?
Ransom got me a new Victor catalogue yesterday and I find that I can get “Missouri Waltz” either vocal or instrumental. I haven’t been able to find it yet in sheet music.
We haven’t a man yet but Ransom saw Jack McGinnis yesterday and he said he would be out to help us. I don’t expect him though.
It has been awfully cold here and last week Wednesday night we got a hard freeze. It didn’t do much damage right here but in the swamps I have heard of whole acres of potatoes and beans that were ruined — some corn too. I know of one man that has three acres of beans all hoed that were frozen so he is having to drag it up and put in sowed corn.
Ruth and I papered my bedroom last week — Ruth is getting to be a lot of help. She and Roy help with the milking night and morning — something her mother couldn’t do — and Roy has a lot of errands on the road with the horses.
It rained most of the day yesterday and also today. We have been putting the time today reading and playing Sonora.
I wish I might see you again before you go across but if I don’t we’ll hear from you occasionally any way won’t we? I haven’t got those negatives back yet but will mail them to you as soon as I do — or I’ll have some printed for you if you want me to. How about your comfort bag — don’t you need anything added to it?
Lovingly
Minnie
(Newspaper clipping atached to letter)
First Colored Gent: “I don’t believe it am constitutional fo’ to draf’ a man an’ make him fight.�
Second Colored Gent: “Boy, they don’ make yo’ fight. They jus’ sends yo’ to France an put yo’ in a trench, an’ when the Germans charge at yo’ they jus’ put it up to yo’ judgment, whether yo’ better fight or not.”