TRANSCRIBED FROM THE PINE BLUFF DAILY GRAPHIC MARCH 3, 1918 PP. 1, 5
Dear Roma:
I lost the pencils you sent me, and that is one of the reasons I’ve been so long writing, but I have another now so will try to finish all my letter writing before I lose it. I have to get up and answer the phone ‘bout every five minutes, so I’m the “hello girl.”
I think the last time I wrote I was in the hospital, but I’ve been back with the company a month now, and since then I’ve been placed in one of the signal stations of one of the light railways which our regiment operates. It surely is a good job for winter, adn I hope to be able to hold it until spring. The weather in the country is not so awful cold, but it is that damp cold that chills you thru. Until I came to this station I spent most of my spare trying to keep warm. But now I have more time for writing, so guess I’ll get my letters answered, for once since I’ve been in France.
The job I have in the signal station is similar to that of an operator back home, only we use the telephone instead of telegraph key, so you see most anyone that knows anything at all about handling trains can work it. It is an all-day and all-night job, and there is another fellow here with me, so we take turns working day and night shifts. We work from 1 a.m. until 1 p.m. This is my week working from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. I am terminal superintendent, track master (we have a passing track and an ammunition spur, station agent operator and mud hop.) This is the end of our lines, so we have to keep an interchange. Also you can see I am getting to be some railroad official.
And besides all that, I’m chef and believe me I’m getting to be “some” chef too. I claim there’ll be few old girls who will have anything on me when I get back. We surely do have good eats here. They send us rations and we do our own cooking. Of course, we buy a few things, such as coffee, cocoa, etc. For breakfast we have ham or bacon, French fried potatoes, oatmeal or rice and coffee. For dinner we have beef stew, boiled potatoes, pork and beans and tea. For supper we usually have steak and onions, or mutton chops and cocoa; also buttered toast and jam. Could any mortal wish for more? And they say there’s a war on, too.
We usually take turns about washing dishes, but I don’t mind washing the dishes, for it reminds me of some pleasant times I’ve spent in your kitchen. I’ve washed a great big amount of dishes in my lifetime, and I’m not a dish washer either. I used to hate to wash my clothes, but since coming here, I’ve learned a new method. I was passing a house where some French civilians were living one day, and I noticed they were washing, so I watched them. They had a board about two feet wide, and they would wet the garment, spread it out flat on the board, then soap it all over well, then take a stiff brush and wash them. I thought that a fine idea, so I bought a brush and tried it, and, by George it was allright too. It sure beats rubbing blisters on your hands.
Do you know what Jim did about my claim against Wells Fargo? And did he ever have the Cotton Belt to give me a written leave of absence? I’d like for him to get one for me and keep it. Who is working there now, and have they changed officials since I left?
Coulther, a machinist, and Hildreth, a fireman, both from Pine Bluff are in my company. I see Tolson and Kirch (Kirchgrabber) quite often. Also see Mayberry ocasionally.
Mayberry kinder made a name for himself when the British evacuated some of the low ground before (Censored) they left an engine and two cars in “No Man’s Land” (that is the ground between the British and old Fritz trenches,) and Mayberry took an electric tractor and went out one night, and brought the stuff in. One of the cars was loaded with rum, so you see “There was Method in his Madness.”
I haven’t seen Henry Rodgers since we left England, and I’ve seen Wren only once and if he hadn’t spoken I wouldn’t have recognized him then. He has grown a mustache and a beard and by George, I thought he was Santa Claus.
Please write as often as possible for if there’s anything more welcome than mail, it’s more mail.
How are James and Albert getting along in school? I think of them often, and wish I could see them. When I was in the hospital, they had a Belgian child for a mascot—a boy of about eight years old—and he certainly was a smart kid. He could speak French, German, Italian and English. He used to come by my ward often, and he had the manners of a Chesterfield.
This is my last page, so will have to stop.
Love to all,
CLYDE F. STAPLES.
NOTES: Clyde Fair Staples was writing to his sister-in-law, Mrs. J. D. Staples. He was born on May 4, 1892 at Huntsville, Mississippi and died on January 16, 1967 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He is buried in the Bellwood Cemetery Annex at Pine Bluff. He was described as being of medium height and slender with light blue eyes and light brown hair. He was serving in the 12th Engineers (railway).
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Dear Roma:
I lost the pencils you sent me, and that is one of the reasons I’ve been so long writing, but I have another now so will try to finish all my letter writing before I lose it. I have to get up and answer the phone ‘bout every five minutes, so I’m the “hello girl.”
I think the last time I wrote I was in the hospital, but I’ve been back with the company a month now, and since then I’ve been placed in one of the signal stations of one of the light railways which our regiment operates. It surely is a good job for winter, adn I hope to be able to hold it until spring. The weather in the country is not so awful cold, but it is that damp cold that chills you thru. Until I came to this station I spent most of my spare trying to keep warm. But now I have more time for writing, so guess I’ll get my letters answered, for once since I’ve been in France.
The job I have in the signal station is similar to that of an operator back home, only we use the telephone instead of telegraph key, so you see most anyone that knows anything at all about handling trains can work it. It is an all-day and all-night job, and there is another fellow here with me, so we take turns working day and night shifts. We work from 1 a.m. until 1 p.m. This is my week working from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. I am terminal superintendent, track master (we have a passing track and an ammunition spur, station agent operator and mud hop.) This is the end of our lines, so we have to keep an interchange. Also you can see I am getting to be some railroad official.
And besides all that, I’m chef and believe me I’m getting to be “some” chef too. I claim there’ll be few old girls who will have anything on me when I get back. We surely do have good eats here. They send us rations and we do our own cooking. Of course, we buy a few things, such as coffee, cocoa, etc. For breakfast we have ham or bacon, French fried potatoes, oatmeal or rice and coffee. For dinner we have beef stew, boiled potatoes, pork and beans and tea. For supper we usually have steak and onions, or mutton chops and cocoa; also buttered toast and jam. Could any mortal wish for more? And they say there’s a war on, too.
We usually take turns about washing dishes, but I don’t mind washing the dishes, for it reminds me of some pleasant times I’ve spent in your kitchen. I’ve washed a great big amount of dishes in my lifetime, and I’m not a dish washer either. I used to hate to wash my clothes, but since coming here, I’ve learned a new method. I was passing a house where some French civilians were living one day, and I noticed they were washing, so I watched them. They had a board about two feet wide, and they would wet the garment, spread it out flat on the board, then soap it all over well, then take a stiff brush and wash them. I thought that a fine idea, so I bought a brush and tried it, and, by George it was allright too. It sure beats rubbing blisters on your hands.
Do you know what Jim did about my claim against Wells Fargo? And did he ever have the Cotton Belt to give me a written leave of absence? I’d like for him to get one for me and keep it. Who is working there now, and have they changed officials since I left?
Coulther, a machinist, and Hildreth, a fireman, both from Pine Bluff are in my company. I see Tolson and Kirch (Kirchgrabber) quite often. Also see Mayberry ocasionally.
Mayberry kinder made a name for himself when the British evacuated some of the low ground before (Censored) they left an engine and two cars in “No Man’s Land” (that is the ground between the British and old Fritz trenches,) and Mayberry took an electric tractor and went out one night, and brought the stuff in. One of the cars was loaded with rum, so you see “There was Method in his Madness.”
I haven’t seen Henry Rodgers since we left England, and I’ve seen Wren only once and if he hadn’t spoken I wouldn’t have recognized him then. He has grown a mustache and a beard and by George, I thought he was Santa Claus.
Please write as often as possible for if there’s anything more welcome than mail, it’s more mail.
How are James and Albert getting along in school? I think of them often, and wish I could see them. When I was in the hospital, they had a Belgian child for a mascot—a boy of about eight years old—and he certainly was a smart kid. He could speak French, German, Italian and English. He used to come by my ward often, and he had the manners of a Chesterfield.
This is my last page, so will have to stop.
Love to all,
CLYDE F. STAPLES.
NOTES: Clyde Fair Staples was writing to his sister-in-law, Mrs. J. D. Staples. He was born on May 4, 1892 at Huntsville, Mississippi and died on January 16, 1967 at Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He is buried in the Bellwood Cemetery Annex at Pine Bluff. He was described as being of medium height and slender with light blue eyes and light brown hair. He was serving in the 12th Engineers (railway).
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT