Letter No. 14 Thursday evening Sept 5, 1918
My dear Margaret,
Your letter of Aug. 9th received today, the first since Alice's of July 24th so I fancy at least 4 of my letters from home have gone astray. Do hope they turn up soon. I do not want to lose them. I am glad to know you are receiving mine. Evidently none of them were lost on the White Star boat.
Heard also today from Mrs. Pearce who spoke of planning to visit you the following week and from Miss Norrish to whom I sent a card while in Beois. Her youngest nephew is over here, a Lieutenant. Dr. Wald is also in France. Mrs. Norrish is still living--- poor soul!!
It doesn't seem possible September is here and A and F back in school. The weeks go so quickly. We are having it very light at present and Miss Gossman is so good about giving us all the extra time we can get.
I had last Saturday off and with Miss Lewis cycled to Beaune ten miles northwest of here. The roads are splendid and the country so picturesque. It was market day and I wished for a Kodak to take snapshots of the little pony carts laden with garden truck. The donkeys are tough little brutes and stand any amount of clubbing without increasing their speed and how provoked some of the old ladies do get. Visited their church of Notre Dame and an interesting old French Hospital built in 1443. It is said to be the most beautiful one in France. The cuisine had beaucoup copper and brass kettles of all sizes and all polished. Visited the Base Hospital just outside the city. The unit is a from California. We had met them in Blois, they arrived there two days before we left. No patients there as yet. Had dinner and supper at the hotel and reached home about 9:30.
Yesterday afternoon I repeated the visit eight of us going in the ambulance. Had tea at the base hospital with the nurses, shopped, dinner at the hotel and home at 9:30. Dinner of course in courses-hot beef tongue with delicious sauce, artichokes, roast chicken, bread, cheese, and grapes.
William's guess was slightly off. O A S on active service, FM French mail, APO American Post office. The number of our post office has changed and again the form of addressing the envelopes. You become used to many changes in the army.
So the man power bill has passed. Fre will be exempt will he not? Haven't seen any of the grounds on which exemption may be claimed. I know William is and I fancy Harold also.
Tuesday evening an entertainment was given in the Salle de Fetes in the village of Verdun: 'en faveur de O'Hpital American' here. A number of us attended. The house was packed. It was a typical village entertainment, all local talent-duets, solos, monologues, and a tableaux, everything in French. French and American bow knots were sold between acts. While would not have missed it for anything I have no desire to attend another-such a noise, and the crowd, and the closeness of the atmosphere.
It was our first ambulance ride here but we are now, while not working hard, to have an ambulance every afternoon to take the nurses not on duty for a ride. I suppose the gasolineless Sundays east of the Mississippi river is making this possible. Is the mayor of Clear Lake enforcing the rule?
I am tres fatigue' from so much frivolity this past week and must get in a good night's sleep.
I hope mother has recovered from her attack of hay fever. Is there really a bumper crop or is Clear Lake the exceptional per usual? Am receiving the Post regularly from Mrs. Pearce also the papers from Uncle and Harry.
Love to all, Jane.
Received in Clear Lake Sept 26th.
P.S. I find I have not answered some of your questions. Yes, the men are quartered near us. No, we are not the only hospital unit here, there are others. Do you remember how many beds we had when we organized 18 month ago? We have beds for four times that number in barracks and tents, and at one time about three fourths of them were occupied. So you see we were rather busy at one time as those 38 nurses have not returned to us. I expect other units will be as large.
It is chilly tonight and raining and will be guey around the barracks in the morning.
No chance of sweet corn here, but fresh tomatoes occasionally and Joe, our chef managed to get 5 cucumbers the other day to put in a combination salad. Had a good cantaloupe for breakfast this morning. Thanks to Joe we nurses have a very good mess, and patients chow is good but not much variety.
Mrs. Pearce says Carlos Case has been given a cross. What kind? and for valor?
Today was payday fro everybody even the patients who got their $7.50. Many had received no pay for several months. Our raise has not been given us as yet, but I believe it went into effect in July.
Do you have difficulty living on the flour and sugar rations? Having missed your last letters I feel that I know nothing of what you have been doing. I suppose you will think, Margaret, it not hard for me to guess. I know you have not been idle!
Affectionately, Jane.