CEHBates_019

from Ray Durney to you this last week.

The war news is splendid & we feel
more encouraged about the whole situation
for that reason – I am in bed with
a bad cold – all alone in the house
& correspondingly lonely, but as I am
busy all the time it keeps me from moping
too much – but I wish you and the
other dear boys might pop in to see
me as you used to do – It was a
help – to have your bright faces
coming in – The water supply is so
bad that all [underlined] gardens etc are dying we
are forbidden to use any [underlined] water for outside
on pain of having it shut off every way.

Fond love dearest heart – I hope you are
comfortably situated in France and