470 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



make three good-sized cups. From time to time our stock is replen- 

 ished. So there is no chance of our going hungry at any time. 



In France, after we went on the line, our resting-places were gener- 

 ally in the field under tent cover. Here in this country we billet in the 

 natives' houses and barns. The expression "Hitting the hay" is literally 

 carried out by us. This form of bed is very comfortable and excep- 

 tionally warm, and, I will add, healthy. Our "roosts" are in the lofts 

 in the fresh, clean straw, and fresh air is plentiful. This accounts for 

 the lack of the Spanish flu amongst us, and which, from accounts I 

 hear, the U. S. is full of. The life of a soldier over here is a strenuous 

 one, but a healthy one also. For myself, I haven't had a sick day since 

 I left California — not as much as a cold. Guess I'm too busy "getting 

 Fritz" to run around and have the Infirmary Medic feel my pulse. 



After many months of booming and banging it seems strange for us 

 to be enjoying a spell of quietness. I refer to the armistice, which is 

 now in order. By the time this reaches you we'll all know whether 

 peace is with us or not. I know the people in the U. S. are intensely 

 worked up over the prospects of peace. For us boys over here, we hope 

 it does come, but at the Allies' terms. You can imagine what a Christ- 

 mas present it would be to be told we were going home soon, but before 

 I get out of here I want to see kultur and all that it means cleaned from 

 the face of the earth once and for all. I want my next trip to Europe 

 to be one of pleasure, not one of showing some inflated, "God-chosen," 

 demented creature where he belongs. Bill has had a taste of what an 

 "American mob" can do, and at this time is probably lamenting the fact 

 that he didn't stay in his own back yard and keep on kidding himself 

 that his kultur was for "me und Gott" and no one else. Well, he shot 

 his bolt, and I only hope his punishment is such that he will be able to 

 see the progress the world will make without him. Death would be too 

 good for his old filthy hide. 



The people of America have every just cause to be proud of their 

 boys over here, and the folks of California especially in the Division 

 from the West. We were especially complimented for our work in 

 France, and the King of Belgium, I hear, has praised us also. So when 

 we return we may be decorated like a Christmas-tree or something. All 

 the boys are, of course, talking about what they will do when they get 

 back to God's country. It will be one of the happiest days of our lives 

 when we pass old Miss Liberty Statue, and New York will look like a 

 flag station when I start for California. I am looking forward to see- 

 ing you and all my good Sierra Club friends again. I promise not to 

 monopolize all the conversation, but I warn you if I don't get a chance 

 to talk I'll merely bust. 



Just a few days ago I was in receipt of several letters from my hiking 

 club friends — your two of September 8th and 28th, from Redwood City; 

 one from Clarence N., of September 20th; one from Miss Edwards, of 

 September 26th ; one from Mr. and Mrs. Neuenburg, of September 24th ; 



