World War I Collection

and Watermans in to read it, and I never get tired of telling my friends about your first exploits in the battle zone.

I see you say in your letter (Sept 30 or Oct 1) that you have received no mail since the letter that Lesley had come up with Mother from Los Angeles. That was the early part of August that they came up. There must be a tremendous lot of mail somewhere for you, and if you get it in a bunch, you will never find time to read it all. Helen hopes that the Govt will give her transportation to go to Nor on the 5th of Nov. Lesley writes that he was to have left Garden City for Europe the following day, but will be gone in a week anyway, so I suppose he must be on the water. Dick has had the influenza but wired last Sunday that he was convalescent. Jos has been made Supt [superintendent] (temporarily, may be permanent) of the Willows Ranche where he has been. Martha has a touch of the influenza, and we are afraid for Jos, as he was at their house last sunday. Everyone in S.F. and around the Bay, and probably throughout Calif, are required to wear gauze masks over their nose & mouth. It looked very funny at first but you soon get used to things. I suppose one shall wear them for a week or more longer.

I can quite imagine how a peaceful cow and chickens would look to you, after the roar and excitement of battle. I think I should have kissed the cow even if I drew the line at kissing the chickens. Everyone is proud of you Edw and send best wishes. Your Mother and I are proud of you and thank the Good God for having brought you out of the fiery furnace in safety, and we shall pray him to continue his protection to you and your dear brothers.

Love & Kisses from us all to our dear son Edward Your loving father HLABates