Ft. Edward
March 17, 1918

(Postmarked March 18th, 1918)

My dear Brother:-

According to Ed’s last letter, you had to go on guard duty a week ago tonight for 24 hours. I wonder how you stood it. Seems as though that’s quite a long stretch of it. Well, it must be over now so there’s no use worrying.

Ransom saw Gay at Hudson Falls yesterday and he told him that Warren and Sums were in town — wish you could have been along too. Gay has his hand in a plaster of paris cast now — he said the Drs. thought it might be all right in four or five months — but of course it may NOT be.

I had quite a picnic at dinner today — all of Bert’s family and the two Robertson children. I had the R children come over so as to give their mother a chance to go to church and Bert and Grace went to make Lena a visit but didn’t find her at home (Lena Story was Grace’s sister) so I got them to stop here on their way back. Grace was SO disappointed not to find Lena but I told her it served her right for not planning to come here in the first place. We had a good visit and Bert brought me a splendid birthday present — a service pin. My you don’t know how proud I’ll be to wear it. I tell you we’re all pretty proud of our soldier brother. There is one thing that your being in this war had done — and this is to bring our family all closer together. Of course you couldn’t help knowing that Bert and Ed’s families WERE not on the best of terms at one time. But since you have been gone and even before you went, when we thought you would have to go. I haven’t heard of a hitch any where — we’re all one when it comes to thinking of you. Please don’t think I’m “mushy” but I want you to know how much we ALL think of you.

Well, Ransom, Florence, Louise and I went to see Mildred Fowler married and it was really a VERY pretty wedding. Millie was a beautiful bride — she isn’t so remarkable pretty and some times looks quite commonplace but as a bride she was at her best. Ben McGann was best man and after the wedding the boys and girls decorated their sleigh in great style. White and red streamers, old shoes, tin pails and last of all the a little three wheeled cart tied on behind. I don’t know how long the things stayed on but they were still there when they went through Adamsville.

Grace and Lena have been having cards from Milton. He is in the Bermuda Islands but they are not supposed to know that. He and Myrtle had a way planned so he could let her know where he was. I think his last card was written about March 5 and his leg was better but he was still in bed. You know he has had blood poisoning and had it lanced three times — twice below the knee and once above.

I’ve just got a birthday present for Ed. I got a writing portfolio — instead of box of writing paper it is like a tablet with two folding covers — one with a pocket to hold the envelopes and the other folds over it all. Guess I’ll get John one too — he must need paper to write to you.

We have all sorts of weather nowadays — the first of the week it was real winter again, then Thursday, the day of the wedding, we had a thunder shower and O! how it rained when the wedding party left. Friday and yesterday it was colder but today it’s thawing again and the ground is showing up bare in places. Well, Spring has GOT to come some time and I guess we’ll all be glad to see it when it does arrive.

Has any one told you that George had Helen McKernon are going to be neighbors of Ed’s this summer? They are going to work the Sam Graham place — where Hiney’s lived last year. You know the first big white farm house this way from Ed’s.

James R. and Mollie Ingalsbe have a new little son — arrived last Thursday morning. So now Ruth has a brother: I suppose they are all very much pleased. Ruth OUGHT to be for brothers are nice things to have.

The children are very much interested in Junior Red Cross work. They have between thirty and forty squares knit for an afghan — boys and girls both knit.

You must remember that I’m still waiting for some mending to do. I’d like to have reseated your trousers if it had been possible but I suppose that’s up to the government. Don’t SEEM as though a soldier’s trousers ought to wear out THERE.

Ransom is a full-fledged Mason now — took the third degree last Monday night. I hear that Ed’s name has been presented at Argyle so suppose he will be riding the goat some of these times. Well, they seem to like it.

The papers say that the calling of the next draft is going to begin the last of March and the first bunch will be hustled over to France as fast as ships can be had to carry them. Don’t you let them send you over till you have been home once at least. I’d hate to have to go to France to see you and we’ve really GOT to see you soon.

Well I guess I’ve written trash enough for this time and you’ll be glad to know there’s an end to it some where.

With lots of love
Minnie