Washburn University - Kaw Yearbook (Topeka, KS)

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Ambulance Company 347, Camp Pike, Ark., Oct. 15, 1917. DEAR ED :- Vtfell, Ed, I'm most too dizzy to write steady, on account of ninety percent of the country being blown past the barracks this morning and being blown back, at thelpresent moment, so that I can't tell just what part of the land- scape I'm looking at. but-if too much of said dusty country doesn't stop in my eyes, I will tell you all the news. And say, Ed. you've got to come down here if you want to see real, genuine dust! VVell, maybe you haven't heard about our trip down here. I had a lower. Some Pullman accommodations, I tell you. Something new and original. The fellows turned up the chairs of the chair cars fthere were two of themj so that they were Hat and some of the boys curled up on the tops-those were the uppers, but most of us said Safety First, and took the lowers on the tloor, or in the aisle. Nobody slept in the hat racks, I guess, but they did every place else. I know you're sort of shy. Ed. but you ought to have been along at Now- ata, Oklahoma. During a stop of about ten minutes, a number of prairie chickens gathered around the cars. The fellows near the doors rushed out when the girls showed a desire to kiss the soldier boys. Manning Balch had hard luck, in the twilight. he picked out one of African descent! They all look good when they're far away, for in the darkj. IfVell, Ed, we got to camp after a while, and believe me, they had to put the S. R. O. sign out in front of the shower rooms, before very many minutes past. Then we were ready for eats. I guess you've heard about the fellow that told his girl that the meal she'd cooked was good, what there was of it, and then tried to make it O. K., by saying that there was plenty of it, such as it was. Well, that's us, for the first ten days, and no joke about it. Our first meal after we got to camp, was lemonade, with bread and butter. No more, no less. Poor joe Haynes got terribly thin. One night we had red lemonade, and one of the fellows mistook Joe for the thermometer. I believe I have spread about all the news, I know, so will close. Your Old Pal, PETE. 21

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hX ' x I 9 l out o O 4 -.... H A Ambulance Company 347, Camp Pike, Ark.. Dec. 7, 1917. DEAR lin:- l'm on ambulance today and so am writing a long intended letter while waiting for a call. lt is snowing a regular blizzard today lon account of this being a winter resort, I guessl and it'll probably be my luck to get a call oyei to Ft. Logan I-I. Roots. which is about seven miles on the level, but a good deal more when you count the up and down grades on the hills. especially in six inches of snow. A lYell Ed, you probably heard something about our football team. XVe had a regular team. believe me. They cleaned up everything in camp. and also a college team, near here. The closest game. in fact, the only close one, was a tie game with an ofticer's team. The oHicer's team was composed of ex- college stars, but our boys played them to a standstill. and would have beaten them if the umpire hadn't been an officer. lYe tried to get another game, but they had lost their nerve and didn't want to play. Thanksgiving day, our boys beat the .-Xrmy and Navy Hospital team at Ilot Springs. The government has issued us considerable clothing and equipment by now. XYe all have three pairs of shoes. They're certainly generous with the shoe leather. If a fellow had been wearing a nine C he received two pairs of eleven EE which he could put on and jump back and forth in. They gave us our second shirt yesterday. The first one was issued a few days after we reached here, in September. and now we have a chance to wash it. Not much laundry expense at that rate. XYe have only thirty overcoats for the company and they are all twins. XYe have a eheckroom for them with XVoody Smith in charge and check out an overcoat when we go on a drive. Hoody sure was meant to be a salesman. lYhen a fellow comes in for a coat, he says, just as polite as any clerk, Any thing in overcoats today? ll'e have a new line just in, sir. I-Iere's the very model for you, just your style. Oh yes. sir, that's the very latest thing, to have the skirts of the overcoat wrap around the ankles when you walk. Shall I have it sent out, or will you wear it? XYell, Corporal has just got a phone call, and it's for an amb. to go over to the Fort, as I said it would be, since it's my time to go out. Yours in Gloom, PETE. Page 67 Z2