TRANSCRIBED FROM THE COLUMBIA BANNER MAY 22, 1918 P. 9
Mr. W. M. Jones,
I’m sending you a little letter which I would like for you to put in the Banner if you please. I composed it myself and I think it is pretty good, It is just a love letter which I have written to my sweetheart up there. So, if you don’t care put it in the paper.
A lonely soldier boy of old Company K.
Co. A 141th Mg. Bn.
Camp Beauregard, La.
Dear darling, when I’m far away, perhaps in France,
I ask you to think of me and pray that I have a chance.
To leave you, dear, twas hard – the hardest thing of all,
But I was not a slacker when I heard my country’s call.
To be be at home with you, little girl, is happiness that’s true,
But I cannot see the enemy if I stay at home with you.
I used to be with you often, those beautiful happy days,
But now it makes me blue to think that you are so far away.
Some day in the far future, this great conflict will end,
And the soldier boy who loves you will come back home again.
I did not want to leave you, but have gone to risk my life,
I am a true American and uphold the Stars and Stripes.
The girls here are beautiful most everywhere I roam,
But are nothing to compare with the one I left at home.
And when the troops go marching by in step with our National hymn,
It thrills my heart to know that I am one of them.
I told you when I kissed those lips of yours so sweet,
That I was to leave you and perhaps we may never meet.
Don’t give up little darling, if you love you will wait,
If we don’t meet again on earth, we will meet at the golden gate.
Some girls are not so patient, and will not wait so long,
But go and love another when her soldier boy is gone.
When I go to fight the battle for my country and for you,
My thoughts will be resting in love I think is true.
If I return in years to come and find your love is false,
Then, my life will be ruined and my happiness lost.
Don’t you hear the train, little girl? May your love be true,
Greet them in their Khaki when they come marching through.
Throw your arms around me, let me kiss your lips,
Then, I will tell you something about my splendid trips.
Don’t respect a slacker – he deserve not even a chance,
He whom you should love is the boy who goes to France.
I’ll close this letter hoping you will be mine some day,
So I bid you good bye for this hour and good bye for this day.
If it is good bye for a month, I love as true as ever,
Perhaps good bye for a year, probably good bye forever.
NOTES: This letter was written by an unidentified soldier to W. M. Jones, the editor of the Columbia Banner.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT
Mr. W. M. Jones,
I’m sending you a little letter which I would like for you to put in the Banner if you please. I composed it myself and I think it is pretty good, It is just a love letter which I have written to my sweetheart up there. So, if you don’t care put it in the paper.
A lonely soldier boy of old Company K.
Co. A 141th Mg. Bn.
Camp Beauregard, La.
Dear darling, when I’m far away, perhaps in France,
I ask you to think of me and pray that I have a chance.
To leave you, dear, twas hard – the hardest thing of all,
But I was not a slacker when I heard my country’s call.
To be be at home with you, little girl, is happiness that’s true,
But I cannot see the enemy if I stay at home with you.
I used to be with you often, those beautiful happy days,
But now it makes me blue to think that you are so far away.
Some day in the far future, this great conflict will end,
And the soldier boy who loves you will come back home again.
I did not want to leave you, but have gone to risk my life,
I am a true American and uphold the Stars and Stripes.
The girls here are beautiful most everywhere I roam,
But are nothing to compare with the one I left at home.
And when the troops go marching by in step with our National hymn,
It thrills my heart to know that I am one of them.
I told you when I kissed those lips of yours so sweet,
That I was to leave you and perhaps we may never meet.
Don’t give up little darling, if you love you will wait,
If we don’t meet again on earth, we will meet at the golden gate.
Some girls are not so patient, and will not wait so long,
But go and love another when her soldier boy is gone.
When I go to fight the battle for my country and for you,
My thoughts will be resting in love I think is true.
If I return in years to come and find your love is false,
Then, my life will be ruined and my happiness lost.
Don’t you hear the train, little girl? May your love be true,
Greet them in their Khaki when they come marching through.
Throw your arms around me, let me kiss your lips,
Then, I will tell you something about my splendid trips.
Don’t respect a slacker – he deserve not even a chance,
He whom you should love is the boy who goes to France.
I’ll close this letter hoping you will be mine some day,
So I bid you good bye for this hour and good bye for this day.
If it is good bye for a month, I love as true as ever,
Perhaps good bye for a year, probably good bye forever.
NOTES: This letter was written by an unidentified soldier to W. M. Jones, the editor of the Columbia Banner.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT