Letter 109 ~ December 6, 1918

Minnie writes me the news from Sherman Township where she is boarding with the Parkerson's while teaching school.

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

Stockdale, Kansas
[Friday evening] December 6, 1918

Dear Ward:

The mail man sailed right by the school house today and didn’t give us a chance to go out. We didn’t see him till he was nearly by, but he always has honked his horn if he has any mail for me. So I didn’t think I had any mail today. When I got home tonight there was a letter from you. I was surely surprised. He had a man driving for him. I think that must have been the reason he didn’t stop. I was glad to get your letter. I haven’t heard from you this week but I wasn’t going to fall into a fit if I didn’t hear because it always turns out alright.

The folks didn’t come for me today so I’m going to teach tomorrow. Then I have plenty of work and a book to read over Sunday so I won’t have time to get lonesome except at night before I go to sleep. I always have plenty of time to wish myself home.

I had a visitor at school today – Miss Hazel Krause. She is the “bell[e]” up here, so I hear. She’s quite sociable but too cheap looking and not much to hear. And [she] has tuberculosis.

My books came yesterday that I ordered last winter. I was supposed to get them the first of September but didn’t. They are just great. They’ll help me a lot with my school work, especially the little folks. I can’t seem to find enough to keep them busy.

Say but I’m glad you got your pass just when you did. You were lucky to get off at all. That will sure be the limit if they send you way off and keep you six months longer. I hope they don’t, but just can’t ever tell what they will do.

I hope they will let you get weekend passes before I get a chance to get home again. For my part, I wouldn’t see you if you were able to get them for awhile. But just the same, I bet it doesn’t set well to have to stay there when you might just as well be at home over Saturday and Sunday. They will surely go to issuing them again soon, won’t they? My, I hope I get to see you again before they take you off... if they do.

I thought Saturday they must be issuing caps to the soldiers. I saw several with them on. You must look funny with a cap cocked on the side of your head. There’s nothing I despised more than to see you put a hat on the side of your head. But there was never any reason for you doing that. They always fit.

A person can get all the sugar he wants now. I’m sure glad of that now that Xmas is almost here. I’ll send you another box of candy some of these days, if you don’t leave.

Is the flu breaking out up at camp? It’s awful bad all around here again.

Good bye, -- Minnie F.

Footnotes:

• Hazel Krause was the 16 year-old sister of the Krause twins who attended Minnie’s school.