Letter, April 20, 1917

Quincy, Ills. %Armory Hall - Apr 20 - 1917

My dear Mother and Father.

I received your good long letter today, and just enjoyed every word of it. You just seemed to tell me exactly what I wanted to know without me having to ask any questions. It is kind a hard for me to find enough time to write much of a letter but I have quite a few minutes now and then to sit down and read, and a letter like you wrote certainly did me more than a little bit of good. Sometimes I may be slow in answering, but please don't let that bother you, just write and tell me all you can, anything from home is very interesting. And then you know I have to write to different ones. that takes some of my spare time. And the only time I have to write is just when nothing else is to be done. And that is most generally the only time of day we get a little freedom from the Armory. All the fellows are under guard all the time - night & day - and when you get a chance to leave you want to get out and stroll around a little bit. So if I sometimes answer a good letter with a card please don't think I am indifferent and don't care for any word from you. For while the fellows are all acquainted - yet they are not home folks you know. Tell Sr. Fulton I met and got acquainted with her nephew before we left Danville. Certainly is a nice fellow. I'm with him quite a good deal.

Well I expect it is pretty lonesome around there sometimes, certainly would like to drop in and see you if it were not more than just a few minutes. There is always some body around here to talk to but it gets lonesome just the same.

I've got to go to some of the shows - get out and stir around and keep from thinking of home too much. I don't seem to care anything for the females in this town either. I left too good a girl at Danville to care any thing about making any acquaintances here. And I must try and find time to drop her a little letter today too, If I can.

It was very windy this afternoon when we were out on our drill. could hardly play wind was blowing so strong, and getting a little colder too.

Well I hate to be away from home, but considering everything - in a way I am glad I did do as I've done. If I were home yet I would be worried to death, thinking of having to be drafted in.

Yesterday was the big parade here in this town[.] Every body was out. The ammount of school children that marched in the parade was estimated by one of the papers in this city as being four thousand. I never in all my life saw such a mob of kids. They marched 4 abreast and one pace apart each line of four. And how long the colum kept going by I would hate to know. The band had about a four mile march and playing. Sure some grind. And gave a concert at night in the band stand out in the park. The people are beginning to find out there is a real band in town and they are acting a little more sociable now.

Here is what we do in one day - 1st get up in morning, clean up and go to mess. 10 oc. to 11 oc. rehersal. noon mess again. 3 oc. we go out on street for about an hour band drill, and playing marches. 5 30 oc. mess. 7 30 till 8 30 concert, either in Armory or on the bandstand in park. Between times we have our personal lip practice clean up - shares, go to shows or anything till 11 P.M. and then you had better show up or be confined to the Armory one week. Is Roscoes & Lees on RR. 2 Palestine, I want Rays ad. Guys - and also Cecils adress.

And Goldsmith, where I got my suit is located on the south side of North street just back of the Etna house, I think before you get to the ally. Look up his adress and I will give him a piece of my mind for not getting that suit out to the house. The suit is bought and paid for and I want you to look into it and find out why it has not been sent out, it is worrying me and will not cease to worry me until I find out about it. $25 is a little too much money to forget about.

Our suits here have not come in yet. We had our measure taken and sent to Springfield to be filled, that seems to be the cause of the delay.

I'm in the Armory writing and watching the men drill. Certainly is one of the best drilled set of men I ever saw. An order is spoken and the next instent it is obeyed by the whole bunch all on the dot. Fellows all carry 45 caliber colts automatics in leather holster. They certainly are find guns but about three times as heavy as the one I had. Well my paper is about full, a whole lot written and not much said either. Hoping to get a letter from you soon again

I remain your loving son - Paul B-