Letter, October 11, 1917

Camp Logan - Houston - Texas - % H.Q. Co.

5th Ill. Inf.

Oct - 11 - 1917

My dear mother-

Well mother I don't know what my address will be by the time you write next for at midnight of the 12 of Oct. There will be no more 5th Regiment. We will all get transfered to something else. and as yet I havent the least idea where I will be put. The scouts will be transfered to H.Q. Co of the 3rd reg. and be trained as bomb throwers, the band will be attached to 3rd Reg - for time being - but me - I don't know where I will go unless I am able to get a transfer to Signal Corpse or flying corpse which I am going to try very hard to do.

All sergs. and corporals in 5th Reg. will be reduced to privates. All our hard work and study is ammounting to about as much as the "proverbial snow ball in hell." But the only thing a fellow can do is to make the best of it and keep still. I will let you know as soon as possible what my new address will be.

I have written to Ethel and will go and see her, if I hear from her and she seems at all desirous of having me come.

I am sending a checque for $1000 and I will have you pay my insurance for the next quarter out of it. The dues will be $3.75. The checque is made out to draw from from the chaplains fund. Capt. Faucett being our chaplain and I have some money deposited with him. So take it to the Commercial Trust & Savings bank and as I have indorsed it there should be no trouble what ever getting it cashed. If there is just let me know and I will send a check on the bank there where I have money deposited. But I see no reason why you should have any trouble getting this cashed.

Did I tell you I have a new pen. It is a Watermans Ideal - $2.50 model and the handiest thing about camp as I have to use ink for some of my reports.

The last 2 nights have been awfully cold but it is much warmer tonight. I took a bath about 8 oclock last night, and maybe you don't think it was a cold one. Water and atmosphere both were cold. Could hardly get the soap to lather.

I was so glad to hear that you went to Chicago. I sure did enjoy myself that day too as you already know. will send a picture of me and some others in the beach.

Tell Mary the Horoscope fits to a T up till the present time for it has been with me almost exactly as she has it written. Have been a leader but won't be any more very shortly. I sure was surprised when I read it to see how closely it fit in almost every instance.

I sure would like to be back and working in my laboratory again and get into government ammunition works. That is a real job for a good chemist. I expect leaving the door open to my laboratory is for best thing you can do. if there is no dust or sutt to get in.

You spoke about cigarette papers in my pocket. I don't remember having any in my pocket but I always did keep some around for cleaning any gold ornimint, as one of those papers will put a more brilliant polish on gold or silver than anything else. They are too small for any object larger than a watch.

So George and Orphie are getting along well are they. Seems funny to me to think of it, but it must be true or you wouldn't way so. I hope him luck for a married man needs it.

Well it don't look much like freezing ice down here - especially if you were here in the day time. anything but cold then.

I am not going to write a very long letter today as I have so much else to see about before the break comes. I have done quite a little of my washing while it was still light.

I got a new pair of shoes today and a new hat las Sunday morning. Also my new mounted leggings.

Did Maude get to come up and see you when you thot she would. What do you think of her now. I believe she is quite a bit above the average girl I have met since. I have gotten out in the world a bit. I have never seen yet a girl any thing like her. Seems like you can have a little dependence on what she says. in other words she is not fickle or I have not been able to find it out if she is.

Little Stella Dodd in Quincy treated me pretty nice, she sent me a couple of prs 1/2 wool socks, 1 trukish towl, muslin bag for my mess kit and cup, a big black silk tie that cost all of 75 (cents) or a $1, and three good quality handkercheifs, white with P in corner of one - B in the other and H in the other one. She couldn't possibly have sent me anything that would have been appreciated more. The funny part is I was wanting all these articles and had never got them for myself and I had never written any thing that she could have guess from. She must think more of me than I thot she did. She said she was going to send a sweater, but happened to think. I spoke of getting mine from home day before I left Quincy, and again she thot maybe I would not need it so bad down here anyway.

Well I hope you write some more about home and your self for that is what I am more interested in than the news about town, for it is you I am concerned in and want to hear about so write when you get a chance. I don't let a letter from you lay around unopened unless I can't possibly get time to read it just then.

I will close and go to bed as it is 10 oclock.

From your loving son-

Paul B.