Letter, September 3, 1917

Quincy Ills. %5th Reg. Band Sept 3, 1917.

My dear father & mother -

Well mother I am sending you ten dollars and the two I borrowed from you. The initials on the draft are wrong but you can sign it the way it is made out to you or else I will have to have another one made and that would take lots of time and bother.

We sure had a big crowd out here yesterday. and I also got the telegraph instrument yesterday. came in good shape. No I am going to take it along with me. Or if I don't I will pack it up and send it back. I also got the books. was glad to get them too.

I am taking map drawing and the last 3 or 4 days I have walked 7 or 8 miles a day by myself, counting every step and jotting down every thing I come to. I am making road maps, showing road fences, all buildings and all crops I can tell from the road what they are. All bridges, streams, grades in roads and cuts in road. I have map of the upper end of the bay and levey. railroads and wagon roads for 2 1/2 miles north, 1 mile south of here and over 2 miles wide. The first map I drawed I took over to the captain. He seemed to be very much surprised and pleased to think I did it myself and the first one too. He kept it. I don't know how much farther I am going with the drawing. If I take it up very extensively I will send for some of my drawing tools.

You spoke of a picture of me standing up alone. I don't remember of any like that but the one like I and Longstreth I have the negative and can send you as many as you like of them. All you have to do is tell me if that is the kind you want and how many you want and I will send them. And about the stuff the red cross are making. I hardly know where I would take care of it all. Although I can make use of my sweater (big red one) very nicely And the blue Jearsey one too, but as for the bunch of things Longstreth got, I would hate to have to take care and pack all of that stuff. and the knitting is much larger and looser than my big red sweater. I don't go very heavy for them.

Do you think the cookey receipt very good one. If you want to send me some it will surely be alright with me.

It is now a little after eight oclock and all the compainies have come in from drilling and are going down town. I just signaled for the buglers to come in. They are over a half mile from here on a hill practicing.

I am so busy studying now I can hardly find time to go down town, write, or do anything anymore. So much I want to know. And it takes time to learn it too.

Well we don't know when we are going to leave. Maybe wont be very soon. and again you can't always sometimes tell.

Have you heard from Clessie. I would write to him if I knew his adress.

I am on bugling today. I wish they would soon make appointments around here so I will know what is expected of me. I don't know if I am to be a bugler or a band man. I think I would just as leave be a bugler, as you get so much more time to your self to study and do what ever you please. As it is I can get away and roam around over the country, and do most what ever I please. I sure like it fine. Only the days are not near long enough. Seems like time is just flying since I have started work. Am about to forget the girls. So you know I must be very absorbed in my work to ever do such a thing as that. I notice them when they come around but I forget them so easy.

And the fellow you heard lecture, I don't care to hear any more about him. Much rather keep my mind on other things. for if I do have to go I don't want to dread it. For if they say go - you go. if you want to or not. Or if they say stay here, you stay here, if you want to or not. So to be as near as possible ready for what comes, I don't want any thing on my mind that would be of a nature to make it harder. for I expect it will be hard enough at best.

Well hoping to hear from you again soon for i did enjoy the letter so much. And anything interest me, but the above that I spoke of.

Seems like you can just tell me what I want to know and am interested in. will try and write again soon I am as ever your loving son

Paul B Hendrickson