Letter to Aunt Nell -


Sunday. July 14, 1918


Dear Aunt Nell :-

Just a few lines to sort of show you up! How - I'll bet you haven't written me two Sundays in succession - and this is the second that I've written to you! So - get busy! Ha! Ha!


Today is France's Independence Day - their Fourth! Perhaps you will have read of the Yank Fourth over here - but anyhow - I'm enclosing a clipping from "The Stars & Stripes" the official A.E.F. newspaper - our paper - that tells you more about the glorious fourth over here than you could get written any other way. Am also enclosing an editorial from our paper - which is pretty good. [see both below]


Recently - at a certain place and certain date the chaplain of Columbia U. gave an address - and it was my good fortune to hear him. Later, I'll tell you more about him & his work, if I can - as I know it'll interest you.


Let's see - you're head over heels in progress with your vacation by now, aren't you? Where are you to spend it all? How I wish you would go up to Mt. Vision & you & grandma go up to El Refugio and spend a week or so there. Would you like to? Have you the time? If so - or, either or both - please do so! Make yourselves entirely at home and imagine I am there to act as your host - as I shall be if we're lucky with our Boche hunting during the next six or eight months! Ha! Ha!


A week ago I saw "David Copperfield" in the movies. It had been so long since I had read it, it was jolly interesting to see the picture - and it was extraordinarily well acted.


As I've already written mother & Anna this morning I won't make this very long - as my old pal - "Al" and I are going out for Sunday dinner today. One can get a corking meal here for 5 francs. We get the Sat. Evening Post here - for a franc - chocolate in a pretty fair sized bar costs 1 franc 50 centimes (about a 10 cent bar for 30 cents!) and cigars are also rather expensive - the only brand that I've found that are regular cigars cost a franc apiece! Only 20 cents for a smoke - but - " you (?) me Al" Ha! Ha! Anyhow - there's a comeback! Laundry - (thanks be to someone that a chap doesn't have to wash his own clothes all the while!) is far more inexpensive than in the states. For example - last week an O.D. woolen shirt, a suit of underwear, 5 handkerchiefs, 3 pr. heavy socks, 2 prs. light socks and 2 towels only cost me 2 francs (40 cents) - about half of what I used to pay in So. Carolina last winter. Well, "Al" will be here shortly and if I'm not all set to go with him will be due for a good call so will close for this time, as ever

With much love, / Clyde


P.S. Will tell you more about the Columbia man in my next letter. Address me - as usual - Sergt. C.G. Bliss, Co.M, 107th U.S. Inf., A.E.F. and write soon and d----d often! Ha! Ha!


Clyde






July 4, 1918 commemorated in Stars & Stripes article.




Stars & Stripes editorial.

Comments

  1. sookiesbirthdaysurpriseJanuary 27, 2023 at 11:46 AM

    What an interesting article! Apparently the aid the colonists got from France during the Revolutionary War was never forgotten and it was thought that our involvement in this war was some kind of repayment for Lafayette and his country helping us win independence. I can see Clyde took this aspect into account for his participation in the war. It's hard not to cringe at his innocence and optimism for what would be, I'm sure, a horrific experience. Thank you for transcribing his letters. And for including the original articles from the paper.🙏

    ReplyDelete

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