TRANSCRIBED FROM THE JONESBORO EVENING SUN NOVEMBER 17, 1917 P. 6
U. S. Army in France:
HEADQUARTERS OF COMPANY 16
U. S. CLUB, A. E. F., FRANCE,
October 16th 1917.
Hello, Pal of Mine:
Suppose you will be just a little surprised to hear from me so soon (?), but the fact is I was not sure of your address, so I am making this Jonesboro. That name certainly sounds far away now. Perhaps it will be closer some of these days. Had a splendid trip across the States and the Pond, but have already found out that I wasn’t on any tour of France at that. It has been cold and terribly disagreeable for the past two weeks, but is considerably warmer now. We are in a very beautiful and picturesque part of the world now, but I firmly believe inventions are practically the same as those employed three or four hundred years ago.
Haven’t gotten to go to Paris yet, but expect to before I go back to Arkansas. I guess one would find Paris a very much up-to-date and modern city.
Of course, a great many things here are stunted on account of the many sacrifices that are necessary to carry on a long and very expensive war. There seems to be a great many widows, so if worst gets to worst I shall come back here and marry a fortune “perhaps.” Haven’t learned to speak the blooming language very fluently yet, still I can manage to get by, but of course I could do that in Africa or almost any other seaport. I would like to learn to talk a little when I get back. Who knows but that I might want to sell some Frenchman some insurance some time.
Well, Eli, there isn’t much to tell: just to let you know I’m alive and well, and that the Reliance is in no ways near losing $2,000.00 as yet. Trusting you will receive this letter(?). I am,
Yours,
DANIEL R. WEBSTER,
Headquarters of Company 16,
U. S. Club, American Expeditionary Force, France.
NOTES: Daniel R. Webster is writing to his friend Eli P. Osborne of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Webster was born August 18, 1893 and died on June 11, 1942. He is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery, Jonesboro, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.
U. S. Army in France:
HEADQUARTERS OF COMPANY 16
U. S. CLUB, A. E. F., FRANCE,
October 16th 1917.
Hello, Pal of Mine:
Suppose you will be just a little surprised to hear from me so soon (?), but the fact is I was not sure of your address, so I am making this Jonesboro. That name certainly sounds far away now. Perhaps it will be closer some of these days. Had a splendid trip across the States and the Pond, but have already found out that I wasn’t on any tour of France at that. It has been cold and terribly disagreeable for the past two weeks, but is considerably warmer now. We are in a very beautiful and picturesque part of the world now, but I firmly believe inventions are practically the same as those employed three or four hundred years ago.
Haven’t gotten to go to Paris yet, but expect to before I go back to Arkansas. I guess one would find Paris a very much up-to-date and modern city.
Of course, a great many things here are stunted on account of the many sacrifices that are necessary to carry on a long and very expensive war. There seems to be a great many widows, so if worst gets to worst I shall come back here and marry a fortune “perhaps.” Haven’t learned to speak the blooming language very fluently yet, still I can manage to get by, but of course I could do that in Africa or almost any other seaport. I would like to learn to talk a little when I get back. Who knows but that I might want to sell some Frenchman some insurance some time.
Well, Eli, there isn’t much to tell: just to let you know I’m alive and well, and that the Reliance is in no ways near losing $2,000.00 as yet. Trusting you will receive this letter(?). I am,
Yours,
DANIEL R. WEBSTER,
Headquarters of Company 16,
U. S. Club, American Expeditionary Force, France.
NOTES: Daniel R. Webster is writing to his friend Eli P. Osborne of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Webster was born August 18, 1893 and died on June 11, 1942. He is buried in Oaklawn Cemetery, Jonesboro, Arkansas.
TRANSCRIBED BY CAROLYN YANCEY KENT.