Letter no. 41 Thursday Morning March 13th, 1919
My dear Family,
Still no mail so far this week which makes me two weeks since I heard from you. I miss your letters terribly, but I know they must have gone astray very likely up to Germany. I hope they are sent back. With the number of nurses who have been transferred back and forth in this center it must be quite a job for the postmaster to get us straightened out.
A train is coming in this evening to take out the last of out battle casualties. We are beginning to get patients from the school. School work has not commenced yet. Do not know how many we will have here-most of them will be at Beaune. About two thousand are here now but most of them will return to Beaune as soon as there is room for them there.
The dances the last few nights have been well attended-the first opportunity many of the officers have had to dance since coming to France.
Met a boy from northern MN last night. In his company are several St. cloud boys among them are Carl Ladner, Will Beebe, Weber, and a Kinney, whose father is a newspaper man in Alexandria.
Heard from Base 26 girls. They had a fairly comfortable trip to St. Nazaire. Were taken in ambulances to a small town twelve kilometers out and quartered in the hotel. This hotel has been taken by the Government for nurses only-is modern, had a garden surrounding it, and overlooks the sea being on the promenade. Quite a delightful place to stay. They expected to sail this week. Capt. Hays of Mpls. is escorting them, so fancy he will be the first of the officer to reach home.
Tuesday was a most delightful day but rain again yesterday and cold and cloudy today. I have the morning off and did a small wash.
A number of nurses are off on a three day leave exclusive of traveling. I'll probably get mine soon and will go to Paris spending two days in the city and the third getting a glimpse of the devastated country chateau Theirry and Rheims or Soissons. When the Base 26 girls went to Rheims they were told in Paris no more would be permitted there. Don't know why. I'd like very much to see the cathedral.
Haven't heard from Uncle Harry since his return from Admore.
Have never heard from the Scharfers and a few days ago discovered the reason. The letter I wrote them after their mother's death came back. I had addressed it to 724 7th Ave, S. Mpls. A very stupid mistake. I put it in another envelope and sent it on to them. They must have though it strange I had not written.
The last play attended was "The Isle of Asuwere" an eastern potentate with his harem and the boys were too ridiculous prancing around. Think I'll go to the Grand Opera in Paris as just the interior of the opera house is worth seeing.
I hope the first thing the class in Agriculture does is plant a garden with beaucoup radishes, lettuce and young onions. Something green would tastes mighty good.
We made ice cream in the ward the other day. The ward master secured ice and a small freezer and we diluted this sweet condensed milk. Made one freezer full of chocolate and other vanilla. It wasn't quiet as good as you obtain at Jones or any Mpls Greek store, but passable and appealed to the boys. The ice cream season has hardly opened with William yet?!
Couldn't get hold of a Stars and Stripes last week. Very few came into camp and were snapped up before I even saw one.
It is a long time since Frances favored me with an epistle. Take a day off, Fan, and think of me.
Time to go to the mess hall for chow. Don't you think that word has an appetizing sound?
Affectionately, Jane