MMS 1523 - Heral Watson Gardinier Papers: Transcripts (1917)

Heral Watson Gardinier - 1917 Correspondence

August 24, 1917

Grayling Mich.
Aug. 24 1917.

Dear Sister and All

How are you all now days I am feeling pretty good It is raining here now and it pretty cold to believe me. We have not drilled any to day. We are are supposed to drill six hours a day. I would have liked to have seen you before we left Ann Arbor. But we did not know until about the day before we left. We do not know when we will go South But hope we go before long. I suppose every body is well and very patriotic. Has Loyd been home yet. Have you seen Alice lately. Is Mother to Aunt Cora yet. Gee the old lake is rolling to day some. It is pretty lonesome up here do not get down town very often and there is nothing there when you do go. George he got out of it this time. If you have more stamps than you need sent me some. How is the corn coming now gee you will hardly have time to go out and husk corn this fall will you

How is Roma and his barn coming now. I am in the tent with the Italian and he keeps us laughing all the time. Well I will have to close for this time.

Write soon, Your Brother
Heral

Waco, Texas, 1917

[stationery with small american flag on a staff in red, white and blue, slogan "WITH THE COLORS" and YMCA logo]

Waco Texas 1917

Dear Sister Mother and all

I will answer your letters both together I hope this finds you all O.K. I am fine and dandy We are having cold weather now do not know how long it will last. Hope not very long. We expect to get packed in a few days now Will send you some money then for your Xmas And will send the rest of you some picture when I get some film for the kodak. I guess we are going to move out of this place before long. Some guys (?) are going to Florida and some say to Long Island. But cannot tell any thing about it yet. I am in a bombing clas now

The rest of the boys have to get out and dig trenches to day. The boys are singing song here in the Y. M.C.A. One of the boys got a box of things to eat to day and believe me I did eat some. I think some good chicken would go good about now any time We was out to the range the other day and I shot 61 out of a possible 75 not so bad. I think I will be able to make the German duck his head. We play foot ball the other day won 58 to 7. We have not been beaten only twice. We was going to play to morrow but have to dig trenches and I will have to go to school. I will send you a picture of one of the boys in squad. Well I will have to close for this time. Write soon.

Your Loving
Son and Brother

Write soon