CEHBates_1918-1926_003a

(Letterhead)

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STANDARD FORMS BUREAU
277 PINE STREET
TELEPHONE SUTTER 4560

Trade Mark -- Standard

H. L. A. BATES
SECRETARY-MANAGER

SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.,
Monday 9 a.m.
July 29th, 1918

My darling Chook:

This morning I received your special delivery postmarked
"San Diego July 26th 11 pm". It could not leave that night and
would be presented at the office Sunday when no one was
there. Without any intentions of hurting your feelings I
want to point out that I cannot read some of your writing,
with the result that thus far there is a lot of your sentences
I have not been able to make out, but as soon as I get
a little time I will tackle it again. You do not mention
the troops leaving Camp Kearney, but this a.m. a man read
me a letter from his wife (they have a son at Kearney) in which
she says the men are going every hour, and that three trains
had just left as she was writing. So from that I take it
they are really going. Having been interrupted in this letter
I have re-read your letter and think I have gotten it all.

Perhaps Edw won't leave for a few days, as it must
take quite a while to move everything, but each train ought to
take 700 and at 24 trains a day (one an hour) that would
be about two days to take the men, the whole division.

God bless the dear old boy. It is a wonderful experience
for him, and we shall feel it more than he will, because
he will be doing things, and we will be thinking. It was
fine that we could all go down and see him and Les.

I would not worry about Les. He won't take any unnessary
chances, and a heart murmur does not increase like
disease. It only is affected by putting undue strain on
it. There is no need for you to hurry home. I am
all o.k. and besides you have to get used to be away from
me and 727 Paru, as Norman has made application for
you to come out on the transport and visit him. I think
the Sept transport, and you ought to go, as I am sure
it will do you lots of good mentally & physically.

Got a pencil note from Joc this am, he seems to be