The letters below were written to Mary Fee of Ft. Worth Texas. Three of her correspondents, Guy Davis, Joe Johnson, and James Daniel were known to each other as well as Mary. The fourth W.C. Cummings, whom she met at Camp Bowie.
The majority of the surviving letters to Mary were from her cousin James Daniel. James Roland Daniel was born on November 26, 1896 in Harrisburg, Texas. He enlisted as a private on December 13, 1917, reaching the rank of Sgt. In his letters to Mary, he expresses her his love for her and his hope that they marry upon his return to the United States. Since we don’t have Mary’s letters to James, we cannot know the extent of Mary’s feelings in return. However, the fact that she preserved James’s letter suggest that his feeling may not have been entirely unreciprocated. In any event, there is no record of a marriage between Mary and James and he would marry Lola Cleveland on July 15, 1924. After the war he worked for Humble Oil & Refining in Houston, where he died from coronary disease on February 7, 1943 at the age of 46.
Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any additional information about Mary or her life after 1919.
Letter 1
Camp Bowie September 21, 1917
Dear friend:
My: what a difference in now and this time last night. We were playing something and were not lonely but now I’m a nice bit lonesome. Do you ever have those “spells”? I never get home sick and wouldn’t tonight anyway, because mother is coming tomorrow and the soonest cannot be soon enough to suit me or her either the way her letters read.
Tell me what you thought of the abrupt way in which our conversation began, will you? I know it was rude but seemed as it could not be avoided and here’s hoping you are not thinking heart of me. Coming home one of the boys told me I was in the hard luck because I was only talking to one girl. I probably told them that was the good part about it. I’m sure it was not doing you right for I’m sure you wanted to meet more of the boys but I was enjoying myself so much I never thought of how the time was passing. You may get lonely but you must remember there are thousands of the boys here in “Tent City” who are lonesome too. You can assure yourself that you have made possible the passing of a very few pleasant hours I’m one soldier boy’s life. It may be a very limited one too. What is life anyway but helping someone to make life happier and brighter? If I didn’t and hadn’t have thought my life would have been of more service to the American people as I have volunteered and given it. I would not be in the army tonight. I sold your days and life may end on fire and soil but I am not worrying about that part of it because I say “My country right or wrong. My country!”
That sure is a crude wicked bell out there to “chase” we boys away so early are seemingly so. Do the faculty permit any boys coming out there? If so I would be glad to come out sometime provided u are willing. I have no young lady friends in town I think I’m not now who are here and sometimes I get awfully lonesome and would like to learn more of you. Did you ever read or hear this one? I think it appropriate “If I knew you and you knew me, if both of us could clearly see in with an inner site, divine the meaning of your heart and mine. I’m sure that we would differ less and class bar hands and friendliness. If I knew you and you knew me. if I knew you and you knew me we could look each other in the face and in a deeper grace.
Life has its many hidden woes so many thorns for every rose. The wise of thing our hearts could clearly see, if I knew you and you knew me.”
Gee: I have no idea I had written near so till I illegible. Pardon me for writing so much and the first time too. Surely you will remember I am just a lonesome soldier boy who has not become reconciled to the solitude. You may think of what I told you about us being permitted to go to town. I haven’t any business in town and can spend my time more satisfactorily to myself once in a while even though you may already be wishing before you are through reading this that I had have stopped in town last night but I do not.
Forgive me for writing such a lengthy letter an answer when you have time. I do not want to take your valuable time from your work even though the length of this letter doesn’t harmonize with my statement. My heart is in the right place if it is small in size only.
Here’s hoping you are enjoying your work and will not get homesick. I’m expecting a letter the early part of next week. Am I to be disappointing? Could tell you a whole lot more about art camp happenings but I must quit.
Good night – Cummings
W. C. Cummings
Camp Bowie TX
706th Tx Reg Inf Band
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Letter 2
Camp Bowie
15th April 1918
My Dearest Cousin:
I am awfully sorry I didn’t get to see you when I passed in the Perade but my orders were to keep my platoon lined up and then step. I am also glad you didn’t get to go out to Mrs. Maxwell’s last weekend as I was Sgt. of the Guard Sat. and Sun. and I couldn’t get out there but I phoned and found out that you were going to be there this Sat. and Sun. that is if you are good girls and if you do get to go I will see you, that is if you want me and IN a good little Sgt. in camp and I am going to be good if you are going to be out there. We haven’t gotten paid as yet but we are looking forward to getting paid this week. If we do we will go to the best show in town Sat. night nowhere Sun. night. I am sorry it rained and spoiled your Sat. and Sun. For you for I am shure it did. I thought of you several times Sat. Night while on duty and Sun. too so you see my little cousin you are the flower of my dreams so please don’t welts on me. Well you’re not. I love you and you know it so you had better get busy loving me a little you little rascal. You went in to make me love you well I fell now you are going to love me aren’t you? I would say tell Addie to have Sgt. Johnson out Sat. and Sun. night. You know we like each other better after every time we meet togather and say on the side doesn’t Addie like him better than any other outside boy. Please have her like him the most I want her to so awfully much. Tell her if she wasn’t my sister cousin I wouldn’t ask her to do this but I want her to because she is so nice and everything. Now don’t disappoint me Sat. and Sun. And I will try not to disappoint you. Let me hear from you real soon.
Yours with Love and one big male kiss
Roland
Sgt. James R. Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf.
Camp Bowie
Texas
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Letter 3
Oct 31st 1918
Dear Mary:
At last I am at a place of rest but as all YMCA’s over here a rather crowded I can hardly find room to write and think. I wrote you last week as usual. I haven’t forgotten my promise as far as I was able to keep it. There are times and I just come through one of them when a fellow can’t write very well as there is no way of getting your letter to a sensor eaven if you could write one. Tell Addy she need to worry about Sgt. Johnson for he never will get far enough front to get hurt. We haven’t seen them since our arrival overseas. I don’t think he ever will get up to the front. Guy either. So the only one you have to worry about seeing is me and it Will be doubtful if we do what we have just done again. My hair is not gray yet but I look for it most any day. Tell Emma I am looking forward to that letter of hers that she hasn’t written yet. I hope you have a slide guy that way. All the spare time you can find right to your friends over here for they all want letters from over there. Just write most anything it makes them feel as if they are not quite forgotten by those at home. We are looking forward to peace most any day and all of us hoping against hope that the Hun well lay down his guns and quit for a while. They are already and ancious to stop but the Kaiser doesn’t seem to want to give up his enormous income and get off the throne that looks better, President Wilson knows what he wants and he is going to have it and that is that Willans must get down and let the people rule. I can’t say that I look upon dancing as you do for there is a great deal of enjoyment to be gotten out of dancing if you dance and don’t let it become a hugging match as some dances turn out to be. As for the walking backwards I am shure if you dance properly there should be very little backward walking. Of coarse some boys like to go forward all the time but it isn’t proper dancing. I am eating a small cake the first bit of illegible we have had for quite some little time. Taking candy is something hard to get and there’s always an enormous crowd waiting for them so you can’t get but a few at a time. You will notice by now that I am writing this awfully small the reason is that we are only allowed one sheet of paper per letter and I am riding home add this writing. Tell Mother Fee her son over here thinks of her quite often and funny to say dreams of her sitting at the end of the table trying to get me to eat. You see our rations are rather scarce over here and I am getting used to two meals a day. I won’t have to I be begged to eat again. How do you can rest assured that Sgt Johnson will eat Xmas dinner there 1919 for this war will be over in six ms. if not in the next eight or nine days. Well I space is getting scarce will close.
Yours always
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
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Letter 4
Arvenil Par Ervy Aube
France
Dec. 2nd 1918
Dear Little Mary:
I am awfully sorry you’re not getting my letters as regularly as you should but I can’t help it. I raise you once a week excepting while on the front and while on this hike. We have had a little better than 100 miles already and are stopped for a while to rest. They call it past out if we get any rest it will be done by foul means for we are going to drill and when we drill we are drilling in all kinds of weather and that all times. I don’t think I will do much drilling for I walked out on my shoes and they are on the ground. I hope you have escaped the influenza. You people have had to close up all the places of amusement and we have been hiking and sleeping and all kinds of holes and we haven’t had any of it yet. I am writing this under great difficulty. The boys are arguing with an old French man and woman. I am writing this on the French women’s dining table. We have just finished eating a dozen eggs and some ham. That is more than we have had to eat and I don’t know win. I am trying to learn French. Sgt illegible is bothering me with the Dictionary trying to find out the pronunciation of French words. The old French woman is asking me to show her the picture of Mon Cheri I love my sweetheart. She seemed terribly disappointing because I couldn’t show her your photo. No aren’t you ashamed of yourself you haven’t send me that picture as yet. The paper says today there will be 20,000 boys home by Xmas and we are billed as one of the first Divisions to go home. We hear that the thirty th Division it’s already on its way but I can’t say as how true that is. I can’t write an interesting letter at all anymore my mind wanders all over the country. I have even tried reading the newspaper and still I can’t get my mind on what I am trying to write. I sepose you will get this letter about Xmas so consider this an Xmas present for you for no authorities won’t let us send anything home not even to mother. The old French Man says I write illegible. I look up and all around and then write a little and then look around again and continue the motion. If there was a train across the Atlantic there wouldn’t be a single American left on this side. They would all be AWOL and Home for Xmas. I would give most anything to be with you the day after Xmas so I could tell you all I want to tell you. I don’t sepose you are the only one who will be going to school for even if I am twent-two years of age I am going to finish my education. I hope this little trip over the seas has taught me a great deal but I want to learn more. The weather over here is geting quite fighting and our clothes are getting awfully thin but we are going to get some new ones before many days. I hope you are getting along fine in your studies but the war is over so you won’t have to go to Washington for a position for I am coming home before long and it won’t be long before I know what I am going to do and then if you haven’t changed your mind we will talk over and arrange our lives together deceive the situation. I don’t count of the condition of my mind read between the lines and get all the love there is I am thinking of home and you at all times watching and waiting for the command homeward bound. Bushels of love to you sister and mother mostly for you. I am yours
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
AEF
__________________________
Letter 5
Jan. 15th 1919
Dear Mary,
On account of the great noise and talking I couldn’t verry well right you hey connected letter the other day so I’ll try and do a little better this time. The company is just falling in and they are getting ready for retreat. Everything is quiet now in. Everything is quiet now in The Guard House, I am not in the I am not in the guard house for anything I have done but I am on guard, excepting for a quiet little game of illegible going on in the corner. I have just written to mother and just received a letter from her, but none from you, you must not have written this Sunday but I guess you were evere buisy doing something or other so you doing something or other so you will write to me sometime soon as you have not forgotten your promise yet I don’t think have you? As you have not forgotten your promise yet I don’t think have you? I have just experienced a funny thing and it just goes to show you what these people do and think. If you are getting ready to eat your supper dinner or breakfast don’t go any further in this letter until it has settled. There is going to be a burial of an old French woman here tomorrow only any further in this letter until it has settled. There is going to be a burial of an old French woman here tomorrow only one hundred and one years old. They are going to burry her in the same hole all the rest of her people ever buried in four there isn’t any more room than for one person issued to a family. The men are digging up bones skulls and everything. One of the boys has just come in and he says they are now getting to the bottom and bits and pieces of the last casket are now coming out. It is ve The men are digging up bones skulls and everything. One of the boys has just come in and he says they are now getting to the bottom and bits and pieces of the last casket are now coming out. It is verry peculiar to listen to the bells. They tell the age of the person who has just passed away. First, there are three bells in the tower, one bell rings and then another takes it up and then the deep toned Bell tolls out the number of years, and today the old sextant had a long time to ring out. But these people all live to be 100 are two years old. I think. The girls, all that I have seen, our old twenty two or twenty three, but illegible, wrinkled face and everything that makes an old looking person. Mary: I have something to tell you. A Christmas card is the cause of it all. I received a Xmas card from a girl in Fort Worth not Ethal St. Clair for you knew I want to see her. Before I met you I was going out to see this young lady by the name of Lena Denelavey. I am telling you this because you are liable to hear of her and she is liable to tell you most anything. All she can tell you that is true is that I played her for all that she was worth. I am telling you this because you have told me so much about yourself and Steve. You got mad at Steve for the same reason that I quit going to see this young lady. I speak of her this way for the reason that I can’t stand the mention of her name. I hope you are not that way tord Steve for it isn’t nice eaven if I do, do it.
Now don’t say that I don’t tell you some few things anyway my time is soon coming when I can tell you all of the things you want to know. So think of a whole lot of questions ask for I am coming home sometime and I hope in the near future.
Yours With Love
James R. Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
__________________________
Letter 6
Jan 19th 1919
My Dear Mary:
I am going to start to write you don’t know how far I will get for there isn’t much to write about excepting my self and right now I am a blank so I don’t suppose there is much to tell at all. I am changing ink and it isn’t any account at all. My pen is full of this water and something they call Inc. but it isn’t. Jan 20th
After letting the Inc. tablets sit in the water overnight I produced this sad black ink. I have been I’m guard for over a week. This water is all contaminated so we have to guard the wells and keep the soldiers from drinking it. I received a letter from guy yesterday. Sgt. Johnson is off on his furlough. Guy seems to be well and feeling fine from his letter he must not be doing very much in the working line. My water is getting hot so will stop for about 10 minutes and take a shave. So long for 10 minutes. Jan 22nd
My 10 minutes has lengthened into a day and so you will please excuse me for I had to leave for the day and so I couldn’t ride anymore until now. We are checking up for our overseas journey. There is great excitement and commotion because we have been told by pretty high authority that we are coming home pretty soon. If we at Lamons the big concentration camp if we have to go through there we will stay over here some six weeks longer. We are trying to keep away from there. If we get home by the last of Feb I guess you will be at Fort Worth so I will see you there. If you are at home will see you there.
I am awfully glad you and Steve have at least gotten on speaking terms for it is awfully unpleasant to have someone live in the same town with you and not be on speaking terms with them. I am shaking as if I had the ague, but it is only from the cold. It is about 20 here today mabey less anyway it is cold.
P.S. couldn’t get it all on that last sheet so will add a few lines that I just thought about. I must have misunderstood you letter all around for I wrote mother and she said she had never heard from you, so I guess I was all mistaken but you can write to her if you care to. I am shure she would like to hear from you.
As Ever yours;
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
_____________________________
Letter 7
February 1919
Etourvy France
Dear Mary:
I was just awfully tickled to get your letter but can’t see why you waited so awfully long to write, even Emma neglects writing. I suppose it because there’s so many things happening.
You ask me if “Joe Johnson and I were still friends.” Well I should say not. Even if we do room together we do not even speak that is, not since this morning. I’ll tell you what that fellow did to me just this morning he got up before I did and just cause I would not get up he put all my clothes outside in the snow. I had to get the fire tongs and fish for them out of my window. I am going to get even in the morning if I can only wake up in time. I am “gonna” fill up those gunboats (He calls them shoes) with snow. The fellow I am speaking of is sitting here by the fire and just now had the nerve to say “I wish I were home.” Mary I want to tell you something scandalous in regard to him, he’s had the cooties, and he is actually proud of it. Oh yes his taste is very common, he also offered to loan me a fine large cootie for a start. I think he is going to start a zoo.
Well Joe and I have been to the band concert. Music sure sounds good way off here in the brush where there are only these cooties to amuse us.
You asked me if I remember the time Emma and I caught you listening to us. I certainly do and you looked so funny sitting on the stairs with your shoes off. I would give almost any thing if those times would only return. ‘member our lunches on the river and what good times we had. Joe and I often talk of them. I am afraid it will never be so again.
Joe and I have got a good place to stay, feather bed and fireplace. This old French lady we are staying with thinks we are the idea and of course we think the same thing.
Write quick
Corp. Guy C. Davis
Co B 111th Eng’rs
Am Ex Force APPO 796
______________________
Letter 8
Etourvy France
February 1919
Dear Mary:
With Guy’s permission I will add a sheet. How are you and what do you do for a good time. We are just having the jolliest of jolly times. (nix)
From what Guy tells me he must be telling things on me. Well don’t you believe a word he tells and as for as him doing anything to me some mornings before I get up ha ha that’s a joke for he never gets up until way after I am up and gone. Besides I thought cold would do for a certain little “brute: what heat has fallen on but the trick failed this time, “but here’s hoping.” I don’t think for a minute I’m trying to tell on him, but honest he’s jealous cause I have him bested. (or did).
Don’t tell Emma anything about guy taking a mademoiselle home from the concert tonight, running off from us. I mean me, for she probably won’t like it. So I’m going to go to bed and when he comes in I’ll make like I’m asleep and kick him out. Tell all the buns hello for me.
Good night.
Resp.
Joe E
Sgt JE Johnson
Co B 111th Eng’rs
APO 796 AEF
____________________________
Letter 9
Prasline Aube France
Feb 15th 1919
My Dearest Little Mary
I have started to write you twice already and I intend to finish it if I have to close it in the middle of a paragraph. I am going to enclose you a group picture of my Bunkies and one of our Billet so that you may see how I look and live. I am sure you would like these best take them at there face value illegible but the best opportunity allowed. I wrote you a letter the other day in which I expounded all the news that there was over here so there isn’t much news anyway but I must write to keep my blues down. Oh, yes we soldiers have the blues sometimes and to unburden ourselves to our friends illegible and to write to someone like you with your sympathetic nature and your understanding is the greatest pleasure I myself could wish for. I am awfully glad to hear that you are enjoying yourself and are also glad to hear that you and Steve are getting along so well together. Of coarse you mustn’t allow yourself to feel as you did before you met me for I like all male animals feel a little twinge of jealousy whenever another one comes in to what he thanks if he doesn’t know, is his domain. Oh by the way how are you passing these long months of waiting for I am sure you like everyone else are waiting for the return of the soldiers and I hope you are a little more interested than some people for I want you wear and I return and hope and pray that you want the same. Well for this time I will close and await your next letter with bushels and bushels of love.
I am yours
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
___________________________
Letter 10
Prasline Aube France
Feb. 18th 1919
Dear Mary:
Once again I take pen and hands to try and make a one-sided conversation with you some six thousand miles away and at least twenty one days distant before you will illegible this letter. Lots of things happen in those days and where it is at least two weeks since I have had one of your month old letters I am pretty blue for fear you have overworked your dear little mind and have forgotten me so awfully far away. Do you know the old saying absence makes the heart grow fonder for the other fellow. Not that I think you would do anything like that but you never can’t tell what a girl is going to do. I’ve been through to you all these several months and I believe in my heart you have done the same. Only onse have I broken my promise to you and that was on the long hike. Then I tried to make up for it by writing you nearly every day. You should be getting those letters by now so I hope you have forgiven my little laps in letter writing and you have written me a few letters since then and I will be getting them pretty soon. Not only your letters but mothers have not been reaching me of late so you can see I am in a blue funk. I know you and mama haven’t forgotten me but not getting those letters that mean so much to me makes all kinds of funny feelings run up and down my back and all kinds of thoughts run through my mind. I can picture you all laid up with those bone aching feelings that the flue gives me. I hope you have and will escape them as they are not a bit pleasant if you do get it make Elmer or Ruth, Mrs, Maxwell, your mother, Addie anyone who is with you write me and tell me how you are getting along. I know I have been a big expence to you wieal I have been over here for it does amount up to money when one ride so letter a week and has to put a stamp on the envelope. Please soldiers have been a big help financially as well as physically for the revinew and stamps must be in Normas Lee large but please don’t quit riding for Sunday I hope to make up to you for all these little items such as stamps, Love, and so forth.
You know how I feel tords you and you also know that with your permission and that of your mothers I am going to make you my wife. I hope you are of the same mind as I about this before it would be a sad blow to me to find out that you didn’t think enough of me to trust your future to me also to bear my not uncommon name.
I am feeling fine now after this little chat with you and hope you feel the same after reading it. So close with bushels of love and a big kiss. I am feeling fine now after this little chat with you and hope you feel the same after reading it. So close with bushels of love and a big kiss. Your Loving
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
_________________________
Letter 11
Prasline Aube France
Feb 22nd 1919
My Dearest Mary.
You’re a letter of the 27th of Jan. you ask a verry important question in the verry opening of your letter, one that I have been trying to impress upon your mind for some time and that is for you to write more often for it not only seems a long time but it is a long time since I heard from you last. You speak of your hard studying for mental exam. I have been doing the same thing only in physical exams. I am trying to make the football team we played a game yesterday afternoon against “M” Company the score was eaven but the experience was great for it was our first game and it was their second one so we were up against a good opposition and we had a bloody battle and a few skinned up men. But no broken bones so we are verry fortunate. I have answered your other question before but for fear you have or will not receive those letters I will answer them again. I have not seen any of those mentioned excepting Kenith,
Sgt. Johnson was on a furlough and Guy was out somewhere when I called upon them at there
Town but I received a couple of letters from Guy and they are both well. Guy has the regular gym. In other words a lazy man’s job. He is tool Corp. He takes care of all the Eng. Tools. I don’t know what Sgt. Johnson is doing now but he was running the sawmill the last I heard of him. My dear your dream is doing to be untrue for at least some for months at least maybe longer or shorter as it appears now we are to follow the 90th Div home. They are in the army of occupation now so you can see it will be some little time before we get out of the country. I am going to stop now and get something to eat as the bugle has blown illegible some few minutes ago. Five thirty same date. Still well although I have eaten an awful meal. I may be sick a little later. I will want you near but it will just be a want and I have gotten used to not getting what I wanted. A verry kill your thing is happening to my boyfriends over here in the last two batches of mail. At least ten of them have received word that their girls are getting married. I don’t know whether you would like some postcard views of the towns around here. This old place is so small that there isn’t any of it but we are in a nest of towns in about all we do is sleep in this one. Well awaiting your next letter. I am Yours.
James R Daniel
_________________________
Letter 12
Prasline Aube France
March 9th 1919
Sunday
My Pretty Little Mary:
I am going to write you this letter thinking you are at home out riding and having a good time which I’m sure you are doing. My dear I will do everything in my power to get you a helmet but it may not be such a nice one for I didn’t know you wanted one so I gave one away just about two weeks before I got your letter. It was Little German officers helmet. I sent one home along with some other junk which I had collected and none of it has ever gotten there but if there is any more of these and I suspect we will find all kinds at illegible when we get there so don’t give up hope. We don’t know we are hoping against hope that they will pick us up and send us home. War we are not supposed to even be over here at all. We are not on any selling list and all the other Div’s have been named. We are going to be used for Phillips, in other words we will come home whenever there is a Div wanted to fill up a convoy. The 27th is already home it is one of the 1st Army Div’s and our captain is looking forward to our orders to leave most any time. I am on the verge of going somewhere I don’t know where I want to go. England, Belgium, France and Italy are all open to me but where to go is something hard to decide. I think maybe I will try London England a illegible. But anyway I am going somewhere or else I am going to blow up. We don’t do anything but play football and eat so you can see I am getting along fine. I don’t even drill replay all the time. I haven’t heard from Guy or Sgt. J in sometime. How are they? What is the matter with Addie and Guy? Is everybody going back on their old friends? Well I will close this letter and go to dinner mailing it on the way.
With Love and Lots of it
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
________________________
Letter 13
Prasline Aube France
Thursday Noon
April 7th 1919
My Dearest Little Mary:
On account of the poor mail service at present I am hearing very little from you but of coarse I know you are still faithful and that you are writing just the same.
My dear we are on our way home the first trains leaving for Laurans the 27th of this month and we are supposed to be there for five weeks putting us home sometime in June if nothing happens to change the plans now laid. Of coarse it only takes a few minutes to change all the plans laid by our general but I think we will be home in June all right. I’ll papers all read for Fort Worth whether we will get there I don’t know and wouldn’t until we arrive over there but don’t let that worry you the least four I am going to see you just as soon as it is possible for me too. The funniest things are happening to the boys over here through the mail. They are losing their girls in every male seems as if the girls have gotten wind of our homecoming and I are preparing the boys who came over here and fought for their country for the shock they’re going to get when they return for as the old saying goes absence makes the heart grow fonder. For the other fellow, those who stayed at home are you getting all the good positions. They are getting all the girls and I don’t know but what they are getting the best of the sentiments, for you see the sentiment against those who stayed at home from choice is rather strong amongst these fellows who have slept in barns holes in the ground and anywhere out of the rain and now eating anything any time they could get it having the awful feeling of those friendly little animals, cooties, crawling around on them and then for the girls to go back on them at the last minute. It is good they didn’t do it sooner for these boys are a illegible lot. They have tried to drink France dry as it is and now all my drowning their sorrows is all they think about. Well so much for someone else’s troubles. I suppose you have enough of your own without mine although I feel when I am writing to you that you are sitting by my side and I can picture you as I last saw you all in white and your pretty little face all turned away from me. You will remember you would not kiss me goodbye that day. Well I am afraid I am going to shock your mother and daddy to death when I do see you again for I fear I am not going to be able to hold myself in check when my eyes once more rest on that pretty little round face of yours. Oh, by the way I haven’t changed my mind in the least about your changing that name of yours. What are you thinking about it anyway? I am not afraid to tell your folks if you say so but it is all up to you. Lord knows how I am financially fixed I don’t. I don’t even know whether I have got a penny when I get back. I may have something and I may not. Life is but a gamble anyway are you game to take a chance? Oh well we’ll have to talk it all over face-to-face for there’s only a coward who will write what he is afraid to say to a girls face. Am I not right? Well I will close this sad epistle and think of you until I get your next letter. Yours with Bushels of Love
James R Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
_____________________
Letter 14
May 8th 1919
My Dearest Mary,
Your letters are few and far between but when they do come I enjoy them so much. I read them over and over trying to find something that might have escaped my readings before. Now for the news of the day and that which every soldier of the 36th is riding home today, we are on our way home. We are in Le Mans Area now undergoing our final exams for overseas. A little past the Cody is having a hard time existing inspections every day. We are going to have our big inspection Monday but it doesn’t bother us very much as we are fully equipped and that is what it is for to find if we are short anything.
We are built-in in a large château owned and partially occupied by the count and countess and for countesses of I don’t know there names but if I did I couldn’t spell it. One of the girls is out for an American for she can converse very well in that language. They stay in the house all day long and never go out when the sun is shining for fear of getting sunburned. I guess speaking of sunburn you will look like the Lilley of the Valley beside me. I am as browned as an Indian. I always was dark but my ordinary skin the part of me not exposed to the sun looks as white in comparison to my tan skin as this paper to an O.D. blouse. Now compare them and you’ll get an idea of how tan I really am. I have just finished a note to Mrs. Maxwell telling her when I was coming home. Well Lt. Goodman is in now as I will have to close with Love and Lots of it. I am yours
Roland
James R. Daniel
Co “L” 141st Inf
A.P.O. 796
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Letter 15
May 22nd 1919
Le Mans France
My Dear Little Mary.
I am sure you will be surprised when you find I am not with the Div.n when it comes home but I wanted to see a little more of this country and the surrounding side stayed over for two months. You said you would not be home this summer so I will not either but the chances are I will start home on or about 9 July and will get home sometime in the latter part of the month. I will then have the month of August to do my running around illegible I I am going to finish my Mechanical Eng. Course next year if possible. I suppose I will go to A & M as Bryan and I are not sure that is where dad wants me to go anyway, and after being away from them so long I am going to do what they want and not what this strong head of mine wants. I hope though that when I do go to A & M they won’t make me do all the army drilling that they did before this war.
This is quite a large place and well populated. The office in which I am working is a nice place there are four English girls working here. They are nice girls and don’t make so awfully much noise so they don’t detrach our attention so awfully much. Although we boys have quite a bit of fun amongst ourselves about there habit of having tea every afternoon. They can’t work without there afternoon tea “don’t you know.”
I am so situated that I can procure for you most anything in the souvenir line you would like. What besides the helmet do you wish? All you have to do is just mention it. How would you like a handmade lace collar for some nice skirt waste almost anything. I sent mother one but I didn’t know whether you would like anything like that or not. You know this is the country for all those kind of things so if you want anything just let me know. Tell Addie if there is anything in this line I can do for her, for her to make her wants known. Well it is nearing time to get to work so will close.
Yours
James R Daniel
QMC AEF
Finance Branch
Le Mans France
APO 762
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Letter 16
May 30th 1919
My Dear Mary:
Just time for a few lines before I make a run for the show. I am going to dear Miss Wilson saying and I guess give a lecture of some kind haven’t the slightest idea what. I am going to hear but I am going to just be passing away the time. Time hangs verry heavy on my hands these days, go to work at eight thirty it isn’t dark until after nine so have quite a bit of spare time now. I’ve written you two or three letters since I’ve been here but I haven’t heard from you for over two weeks before I left the Div. I told you about meeting Miss Walker and hearing of Guy and Sgt. Johnson did I not? There isn’t hardly a thing to write you about everything is dead in this hole and everybody that has been here any length of time has fallen into a rut and they don’t come out verry easily. There is an entertainment I’m some kind here every nite if it wasn’t for them we would all the raving maniac’s in a short while. This is quite an old town and I said I haven’t tired of seeing it’s old prehistoric works, but someday they will play out and then I will be out of luck. Mabey by that time I will have found my right and be running smoothly. You can see you by this writing that I am getting nervous for I can hardly hold my panda right. I will try and finish this at the office in the morning. So good night for tonight.
May 31st 1919 8 a.m.
I’m just come in to go to work. There isn’t verry much else to tell you. I saw Marguerite Wilson last evening it being the second time I had heard her. I could see a great diff. In her voice. She has almost completely lost all control of it but she has done an awfully good work since she has been over here. I judged by what she said last eavening that she was on her way home. I hope she is for she deserves a nice long rest of social life for all the rounds of gaiety will be a rest for her don’t you think? I will close for today. With Love
Yours truly,
James R. Daniel
Finance Dept. Q.M.C.
A.E.F. Le Mans France
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Letter 17
June 3rd 1919
My Dear Mary,
On account of the time spent in work and eating I have had very little time for letterwriting but as per contract I am keeping my promise, and then some but you know how it is with a fellow in a strange town. He wants to see everything there is inside town no matter if he knows he is going to stay a while. But that is all over as I <wrote> you the other day. I am almost in my illegible although I haven’t started running very smoothly yet but here is hoping that I soon get to going smoothly on account of the censer I cannot tell you allh I want to tell you. Not that there is anything out of order – In a military way but you know how every little thing is. Oh by the way I am going to school, you could never guess so I will have to tell you. I am going to a social score. My long sojourn among heatherns. I have deteriated quite a bit from my old standards and I am getting some of the good advise. I will be able to carry on a pretty good conversation. Miss McCabe is my private instructor and she is a wonder. Mother, our “Y” mother, is also a good old standby in this education. Just imagine me bashful well I am, I didn’t know it until the other day when I took a luncheon with Miss McCabe and mother. I didn’t know associating with a bunch of men and no women at all would make me such heathern but it must have. Well I don’t know of anything to tell you excepting that I still remain as I was the day I left you at home.
Yours with Lots of Love
James R Daniel
Finance Dept QMC
AEF Le Mans France
APO 762
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Letter 18
June 10th 1919
My Dear Mary:
I am awfuly sorry I am not there this week as I expect it is going to be some big time there. I am glad all those fellows are at home now and we are hoping to be there by the middle of the next month. There are quite a few of the fellows leaving here today on their way home, I mean they are out of the QM. The Welfare Dept is breaking up and the “Y” are all closing. They are going soon. And now that I have seen the city of Paris I am ready to be among the next to leave but I guess I will have to wait until the next month. We have to leave here on or before the fifth of July. And I am glad I won’t be any longer than that although we may get out before then. I sepose as soon as you heard about the 36th was moving you see straight. Well by the time you get this I will be moving again and I hope it will be tords you. Little girl you have no idea what you have ment to me. It is always your face that looks at me from every passerby it is you who have kept me on the straight and narrow path. It has been hard sometimes to resist but your smile and the remembrance of your good by have done it. I have not received an email from you in quite a long time but I always think of you just the same. I have had quite a spell of homesickness since I have been in this town. He said I didn’t know anyone and no one knew me. So I was just a small boat drifting on the ocean’s boosem you might say.
But now I know if you were the boys and it isn’t such an awful bad place after all. I have kept my promise to you faithfully and also some you didn’t know anything about. But just the same if someday, and, I hope it may come to pass, I can call you mine and mine only I will tell you all about it, and about everything that has taken place over here.
Dodge, that is my partners name is an awfully fine young man from the north, and I have been having some mighty fine times together. We have been trying to see every thing of interest in this old town but I am afraid I would have to stay here quite some time to see it all. There is so much of interest to see. You can spend the whole day in the big Cathedral and still not see it all. There is as much underneath it as there is up on the top of the ground and there is a large amount of masonry up there too. Well Dear good day for the time being. I may get a letter from you sometime in the near future that will cheer me up and make me feel quite a bit better, Heres Hoping. With Lots of Love
Yours
James R Daniel
Finance Dept QMC
Le Mans France
AEC AEF