TRANSCRIBED FROM THE DEQUEEN BEE DECEMBER 21, 1918 P. 2
Camp Pike, Ark., Dec. 8, 1918.
Hello to the Editor of the Bee and its many readers:
I suppose you are all looking for us home every day, but some of us haven't showed up yet. But don't think that is our fault, for I know most of us would like to be back there. As for myself, I would, and expect to be there by this time next year, and I hope to meet everyone of you with a smile.
I think we have lots to be thankful for. We will all know how to appreciate home when we get back.
I received my Bee yesterday and it was almost like a letter to me.
I noticed where several of the Sevier county boys had got back. Of course, that made me wish I was there too.
But I said, "Never mind, I'll be there some day." These boys were in the officers' training school. I went up to the depot awhile ago to see if I could find anybody I knew that was going home but there were but few there, so I turned around and came back to the Y and am writing. Two negroes were loading trunks. I heard one say "Lockesburg," and I beat it down toward him, but didn't find out anything after all. When I first got to Camp Pike about the first thing I heard was "Where are you from?" then "You had a good home but you left, left." And, oh my, us boys sure did hate to hear that.
Then after we had been here and got our uniforms they began to ask when we were going to France, but of course, we said, "I don't know."
The newspaper boy would come around every morning and evening yelling about some big battle. Of course we would buy a paper to see what they were doing over on the other side. Some of the boys bought papers and I would only look over the head lines and throw it aside.
But since the armistice was signed, the newsboys haven't sold so many papers, and going home is the talk. Some of the boys in my company said about three weeks ago we were going next week, and I'll just say next week hasn't never got here yet. I believe another company stopped it on the road and locked it up. Probably some of the officers' training school did.
Oh my, you all ought to see my company do squad right and squad left about. We are just learning fast. We sure do like it, too.
We hadn't got any guns till two weeks ago yesterday and part of them got theirs a week ago yesterday.
Only objection we have to them is we have to keep them clean and that is some job. They want them to shine like money.
I do believe we were as proud as a little boy is when he gets a tin handle knife with a chain on it, when we got them.
When they dismissed us they told us to clean them up and they would inspect them after while So we went to our tents and began cleaning them. When the lieutenant inspected them he shook his head and said, "Dirty." We wasn't as proud of them after all, and they have been "dirty" every time they inspected them.
We drill most of the time now, guard a little and believe me, boys that gun gets heavy on my shoulder.
I don't get as much mail as I did before the armistice was signed. I know you are all looking for me home, but keep writing. I still like to read letters.
As we do things we very often say, "I hope this will be the last time we have to do this." But there's nothing we enjoy better than listen to somebody talk about when we think we will go home.
Well, I believe I'll go back up to the depot and see if I can see somebody I know now.
Very truly yours,
Selma S. Latimer.
64th Co.,16th Rep. Bn.162nd Depot Brigade Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Selma S. Larimer was born in Lockesburg, Arkansas on March 24, 1897 and died on May 2, 1967 in Dallas, Texas. He is buried in the Forreston Cemetery in Forreston, Texas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD
Camp Pike, Ark., Dec. 8, 1918.
Hello to the Editor of the Bee and its many readers:
I suppose you are all looking for us home every day, but some of us haven't showed up yet. But don't think that is our fault, for I know most of us would like to be back there. As for myself, I would, and expect to be there by this time next year, and I hope to meet everyone of you with a smile.
I think we have lots to be thankful for. We will all know how to appreciate home when we get back.
I received my Bee yesterday and it was almost like a letter to me.
I noticed where several of the Sevier county boys had got back. Of course, that made me wish I was there too.
But I said, "Never mind, I'll be there some day." These boys were in the officers' training school. I went up to the depot awhile ago to see if I could find anybody I knew that was going home but there were but few there, so I turned around and came back to the Y and am writing. Two negroes were loading trunks. I heard one say "Lockesburg," and I beat it down toward him, but didn't find out anything after all. When I first got to Camp Pike about the first thing I heard was "Where are you from?" then "You had a good home but you left, left." And, oh my, us boys sure did hate to hear that.
Then after we had been here and got our uniforms they began to ask when we were going to France, but of course, we said, "I don't know."
The newspaper boy would come around every morning and evening yelling about some big battle. Of course we would buy a paper to see what they were doing over on the other side. Some of the boys bought papers and I would only look over the head lines and throw it aside.
But since the armistice was signed, the newsboys haven't sold so many papers, and going home is the talk. Some of the boys in my company said about three weeks ago we were going next week, and I'll just say next week hasn't never got here yet. I believe another company stopped it on the road and locked it up. Probably some of the officers' training school did.
Oh my, you all ought to see my company do squad right and squad left about. We are just learning fast. We sure do like it, too.
We hadn't got any guns till two weeks ago yesterday and part of them got theirs a week ago yesterday.
Only objection we have to them is we have to keep them clean and that is some job. They want them to shine like money.
I do believe we were as proud as a little boy is when he gets a tin handle knife with a chain on it, when we got them.
When they dismissed us they told us to clean them up and they would inspect them after while So we went to our tents and began cleaning them. When the lieutenant inspected them he shook his head and said, "Dirty." We wasn't as proud of them after all, and they have been "dirty" every time they inspected them.
We drill most of the time now, guard a little and believe me, boys that gun gets heavy on my shoulder.
I don't get as much mail as I did before the armistice was signed. I know you are all looking for me home, but keep writing. I still like to read letters.
As we do things we very often say, "I hope this will be the last time we have to do this." But there's nothing we enjoy better than listen to somebody talk about when we think we will go home.
Well, I believe I'll go back up to the depot and see if I can see somebody I know now.
Very truly yours,
Selma S. Latimer.
64th Co.,16th Rep. Bn.162nd Depot Brigade Camp Pike, Ark.
NOTES: Selma S. Larimer was born in Lockesburg, Arkansas on March 24, 1897 and died on May 2, 1967 in Dallas, Texas. He is buried in the Forreston Cemetery in Forreston, Texas.
TRANSCRIBED BY LAEL HARROD