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.