TRANSCRIBED FROM THE ASHLEY COUNTY EAGLE OCTOBER 25, 1917 P. 4
Great Lakes, Ill., Oct. 12.
Dear Dad:
How are you today? I am feeling fine and dandy, having a good time. The doctor says I will have to stay here for two weeks, but my arm seems as well as it ever was. I haven’t been a bit home sick since the first week I was here. They sure do believe in a fellow taking care of himself: to bed you go at nine o’clock, and up you get at five in the morning. I am getting my regular sleep and have increased in weight from 175 to 190 pounds since I have been here: so you can tell that I am all right. I am sending you $25.00 and I guess you can find use for it so use it to the best advantage. How is Miss Belle getting on? Shock wrote me she was getting well: so I guess you are feeling good over it if she is. How are the crops turning out? You all don’t seem to think that I ever want to hear from home. Even Dan has never answered my letter and you haven’t written but just one little note. I want to hear from the whole push (old man Hicks and all.) Write and tell me all the news, and tell Dan if he don’t write I am going to give him a good cussing if I ever see him again. I am coming home in March,1918, if I can save enough to pay my fare in that time. So it won’t be no four years before you see me again. Write soon, to your son.
Sam Burgess.
U. S. N. Hosp. Great Lakes, Ill.
NOTES: Burgess was in a navy hospital recovering from a broken arm when he wrote this letter to father, Ben A. Burgess.
TRANSCRIBED BY CHLOE SMITH
Great Lakes, Ill., Oct. 12.
Dear Dad:
How are you today? I am feeling fine and dandy, having a good time. The doctor says I will have to stay here for two weeks, but my arm seems as well as it ever was. I haven’t been a bit home sick since the first week I was here. They sure do believe in a fellow taking care of himself: to bed you go at nine o’clock, and up you get at five in the morning. I am getting my regular sleep and have increased in weight from 175 to 190 pounds since I have been here: so you can tell that I am all right. I am sending you $25.00 and I guess you can find use for it so use it to the best advantage. How is Miss Belle getting on? Shock wrote me she was getting well: so I guess you are feeling good over it if she is. How are the crops turning out? You all don’t seem to think that I ever want to hear from home. Even Dan has never answered my letter and you haven’t written but just one little note. I want to hear from the whole push (old man Hicks and all.) Write and tell me all the news, and tell Dan if he don’t write I am going to give him a good cussing if I ever see him again. I am coming home in March,1918, if I can save enough to pay my fare in that time. So it won’t be no four years before you see me again. Write soon, to your son.
Sam Burgess.
U. S. N. Hosp. Great Lakes, Ill.
NOTES: Burgess was in a navy hospital recovering from a broken arm when he wrote this letter to father, Ben A. Burgess.
TRANSCRIBED BY CHLOE SMITH