Letter 102 ~ November 21, 1918

Minnie writes me that she hopes to see me over Thanksgiving.

Addressed to Pvt. Ward C. Griffing, Co. E 20th Infantry, Camp Funston, Kansas

Stockdale, Kansas
Thursday Evening, [November 21, 1918]

Dear Ward:

Had a letter from you today and I take it that you won’t be home this weekend. But if you get four days Thanksgiving, why that will be better. I sure hope you will now since I’m not going to teacher’s meeting.

You said we were about square on the letter deal. “Nix on it” Mr. Man. I wrote four at least last week and this is my third this week, and I didn’t get any letters last week and two this week. You’re about four behind. If you don’t want me to feel rather forgotten, you had better make up for lost time. Maybe that’s what you wanted. If you did, it had the desired effect alright.

This week has sure gone fast. Tomorrow is Friday already. I tried to call the folks this evening to tell them to come for me tomorrow evening. I didn’t get them but am going to try again in the morning. If they don’t come tomorrow, I’m going home Saturday.

Mama sent two of those pictures up that we took the 2nd Sunday you were home. If I don’t get to see you this weekend, I’ll send them to you. I think the [the first] one of you and Eben [Scholer] is just fine.

The school board is holding a meeting tonight. They have to borrow money to pay me and I told them I wanted my money tomorrow sure. I would like to be there at their meeting. [Then] I’d know what they thought of their teacher and whether there was a chance of her getting the same school next year. School is sure going fine from all appearances.

My, but I’m glad this horrible old war is as good as over. Ward, you can never imagine how I felt when the good news kept coming. I used to just love to think and think of you, and yet it just hurt because I never knew what would happen. But now I’m reasonably sure you will get back home someday not so very far off. Now I can just dream and dream of you and feel perfectly happy. God has sure been good to me. Just think how awful it’s been for some girls. The uncertainty of it all – and some few – my, but my heart sure goes out to them. I ought to be very grateful and believe me, I am.

Your Lieutenant didn’t know what he was talking about did he? You said the 20th [Infantry] may go to Utah for the winter. Don’t let the Mormons get you if you go. But you would see something worth while I imagine if you go near Salt Lake City, it must be awfully nice.

Some of the kids knocked my watch off the desk today and broke the face. I don’t see how it ever happened without breaking the crystal, but it didn’t. When I asked them who did it, everyone was perfectly innocent, of course. But it happened just the same. I saved the pieces that broke out. I suspect Smith can fix it up alright. The watch runs yet so it didn’t hurt the works.

I sure hope you get your four days off Thanksgiving. That sure sounds good to me. Did you see anything of the folks when you were home?

Folks up here that have seen you think you are a “husky big fellow.” I was up to [William and Pearl] Hoffman’s one evening for supper and Mr. Hoffman said, “Say, that fellow that was up here to get you the afternoon I was dragging roads is sure a big fellow. I’ll bet he will make a fighter. He looked like he could lick about three of me.”

I hope I can see Stella [Munger] this weekend. I don’t know how it will be, but I don’t want the “flu.”

I’m sure anxious to find out what they really will do with you. For a very selfish motive, I wish they would keep you at Camp Funston until you’re discharged. But I know you would like to go somewhere else where you’ve never been before and I sure can’t blame you for it either. I rather wish they would let you too if they don’t let you out fairly soon. Just so it’s as good as Camp Funston and they treat you good. You might just as well see some “sights” off of ‘Uncle Sam.’

Well I must go to bed. Goodnight dear boy, -- Minnie G. Frey

P.S. Have you forgotten how to write your name? One would think so from the way you sign your name or is it lack of time?

Picture Left. In addition to the picture above, Mrs. Frey sent Minnie this badly focused picture. I believe the family members, from left are: John C. Frey, holding his granddaughter Ruth Scholer, Eben Scholer, Hattie (Clarke) Griffing, Eliza (Brewer) Frey, Ward Griffing, Carol Cunningham, Minnie Frey, Bertha (Frey) Scholer, and Willis Griffing.