Letter No. 18&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;France October 14th, 1918<br>
My dear Family,<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I'll say nothing more about writing every week as I do not seem to do it. &nbsp;After a two weeks silence a heavy mail came in. &nbsp;Fanny's letters of September 8, Mother's of the same date, and Margaret's of the 1st and 7th. &nbsp;Also heard from Uncle Harry and Mack. &nbsp;Did I tell you of hearing from Lily Mosford quite recently also Miss Worsley and Mrs. Stanley Lyman and Lorraine Lyman Mealey.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So, the Pearces finally got up. &nbsp;Too bad they did get the western trip this year. &nbsp;Have just received three posts this week an very glad to get them. &nbsp;Papers reach me about two months old. &nbsp;Received today from Margaret some Canadian papers. &nbsp;Even though I sometimes do not have time to read them I am glad to have them to take to the ward.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Many thanks Fan for my Kodak pictures. &nbsp;The one in the raincoat is the best. &nbsp;In my last I sent you a group taken after cleaning a barracks before we received patients. &nbsp;Did it go through? &nbsp;Also one of Joe our chef? &nbsp;By the way he was AWOL and after being confined in the guard house for some time was put in the corp men's kitchen. &nbsp;Our loss is their gain.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Am sending William the Stars and Stripes. &nbsp;Is he getting it regularly? &nbsp;Keep some of the copies for souvenirs as I do not see any chance of picking up any this far behind the lines. &nbsp;My chair will be the only one.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the nurses who went with the girls to the Evacuation hospital has returned. &nbsp;She did not like the unsettled life. &nbsp;The rest are very happy and I doubt if they return to us even though we need them badly. &nbsp;Some of the nurses in Helen Steven's unit have been helping us but were ordered to their own unit today.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We hear peace talk again and I fancy it is the beginning of the end. &nbsp;The boys become quite excited over it. &nbsp;They are all of course anxious to get home but they want no terms except the unconditional surrender of Germany.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Anything I tell you of the size of the camp will probably be cut out by the censor. &nbsp;One-fifth the population of Lydia's hometown ten years ago will give you the number of patients in Base 26 tonight, and the population of the entire camp must be greater than the population of that town today.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I haven't been away from the camp since I last wrote. &nbsp;Haven't had many grapes the last few days. &nbsp;They must be all gathered and in wine ere this. &nbsp;The last time I walked thru a vineyard they were not ripe.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, I wrote you of visiting Beaune three different time and have sent several pc's of it. &nbsp;Haven't been to C and only that once to Dijon.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yes, Dr. Law is now &nbsp;Lieut. Colonel surely the Minneapolis papers have mentioned the fact.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I hope Louis Beck does not run up against a relative.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The cartoon you sent looks exactly like ours except we lack the phonograph. &nbsp;Our hospital equipment arrived but we have grown so since leaving Minneapolis there are not nearly beds enough and we have black cots as in the cartoon. &nbsp;Col. Fisher, a sanitary inspector, has just been visiting us and spoke favorably of Base 26.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is cold, rainy, and muddy again and there is lots of illness both among the French and the Yanks, pneumonia, influenza or Spanish flu. &nbsp;Several of our nurses and doctors have been or all ill. &nbsp;As usual I am immune from all such bugs and the harder I work the better I feel. &nbsp;Miss Carlson is one of the latest victims.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So Sherburne County is dry! &nbsp;What &nbsp;a pity you had another early frost. &nbsp;Is the corn in the condition it was last year? &nbsp;Am anxious to hear if Clear Lake subscribed to the allotment. &nbsp;Hope mine reached you in time to buy me a bond.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;We now have a stove in our mess hall and the first fire today. &nbsp;It is really quite comfortable sitting here writing.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The first movie is being shown in the Red Cross hut tonight. &nbsp;Nurses and corp men admitted at 9 p.m. as by that time all patients must be in their respective quarters.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a terribly stupid letter but I really have nothing to write and am tired to invent. &nbsp;Another nurse and I have as many patients as Mrs. Hill is years old plus four and bed is very attractive when night comes.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Our clock was set back an hour on October 6th so now it is daylight at 6:30 a.m. and dark by 5:30 p.m.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The last letter received from Margaret was of September 20th. &nbsp;Hope William is feeling better and has had a little rest since getting up the corn.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How lovely for Uncle if they decide to go to Florida for the winter and rent their house.<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Love to all and good night. &nbsp;Jane<br>
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Received in Clear Lake Nov. 12th, 1918<br>
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