Letter 75 ~ October 29, 1918

Minnie writes me that she will be paid in spite of not teaching during the quarantine.

Addressed to Ward C. Griffing, 164th Depot Brigade, 25th Company, Camp Funston, Kansas
Manhattan, Kansas

October 29, 1918

My Dearest Boy:

Well I suppose you are back at the D[etention] Camp again.

Nathan Gish is here today trying to get me to take a $1000 life insurance [policy]. He was here this morning and I told him I wanted him to talk it over with Papa so he came back this afternoon. He’s here now. I’ll have to go out there pretty soon I guess. I felt like I might be having arrangements made for my own funeral to hear him talk. He said “it costs something to get out of this world these days” etc. It’s sure funny.

Mr. Gish left. I didn’t take any insurance now. I’m going to wait till spring. Ethel [Arnold] took some out today.

There was a lot of peace talk yesterday in town and the best Bulletin up there ever has been. But it seems to have died down today, Papa said.

Miss Carey said she was sure we County teachers would get our money for this time lost and not have to pay. I’m sure glad. Teacher’s meeting has been postponed till three weeks from Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It seems funny they would have it then as that is Thanksgiving. It won’t be any extra vacation. I guess the authorities like that part of it.

I hope the sun shines the next time you come home. I want to take a picture of you in your uniform. Be sure to let me see that picture of you in your helmet and gas mask. I want to see it sure if I can.

Mrs. Signor is certainly a busy woman. She didn’t think [the chairman of the Riley County Draft Board, Mr.] Yenawine, would do her son justice. So she went down to Wichita to see the [Draft] Board [there]. She told them that there were boys here that ought to be in tho; they said she squealed on several of the boys around him – some of them young married men – a lot of the people she got sore at her.

Papa got some rubber boots for the boys. He couldn’t get any black ones. He had to get a pair of white ones and a pair of red ones. They are the craziest looking things.

Today is [my brother] Wayne’s birthday. I must get busy and make him a birthday cake for supper.

Did you get to see any of the College Hill folks Sunday besides your folks?

I suppose I will leave [for] school next week. I haven’t heard anything different. I hope it’s real nice this week and so if you should get to come over next Sunday, I wouldn’t have to leave till late. I hope it will be so I can go up in the car, then don’t have to start early. Mail man here. With love, -- Minnie

Footnotes:

• Nathan A. Gish was only 18 years old at the time.

• Mrs. Kitty Signor was the 47 year-old mother of 22 year-old David L. Signor. She and her husband Harvey lived only a couple of households away from the Charles Frey family in 1918.