France
Jan 17, 16

Dear Mother,

Your letter of Dec 18 arrived last night so here goes to give you a little dope from our end of the line. Glad to hear that you received the bill for the shoes etc from Aunt Bella. They are more than useful to me.

Uncle Jack has sent $5.00 to Aunt Bella to buy me a present. I am going to get a small gasoline stove which will be very handy. It certainly was good of him to remember me. I guess we owe him quite a bunch altogether.

So Dorothy still keeps shipping you a letter or two, racy and bright. She has been very good to Lee, Blake, Blundell, myself and others sending us letters, parcels', magazines etc. I don't think the family can stand for much of a strain so I try to dissuade her with poor results.

Isabel shipped me a nice long letter telling me how fat she was getting and how good she was feeling. The simple life is the life all right. She also enclosed a surprise package in the shape of a perfectly good spendable Canadian five spot. Many thanks to her.

I am managing to get fat on the job too. Fell fine. Say, Id like to be back on my job again for a day or two I'd certainly make some mileage. Lee and I generally hee ourselves to a little house here in town where a sweet young French mesdemouselle dispences french fried spuds, eggs French bread and smiles. Feeds like this generally keep us up to our usual weight and some.

Blake managed to catch german measles and is at present in the isolation hospital. We have not heard from him for some time but I don't think that his case is serious.
We are at present having a little touch of winter weather- just cold enough to make you feel good. It is snowing today, but it is not over warm. so everything is lovely. I don't like wet snow at all.

We are still holding down our hospitals and life as a whole is very placid. I manage to get in a few miles each night on the hike which all helps to keep me feeling good.
Say if you want to get a good laugh come and attend one of our bathing parades where we get a bath and change of underwear. The changes of underwear are handled out to a fellow regardless of race, color, or antecedents. After the bath, when we convienence to driers, is where the fun starts. Some sturdy giant with a 40" waist and 36" legs is vanily and aw to insert his lower extremities and sitting portion into a pair of drawers built for a bantam. On the other side of the room we see some short midget walking around clad in an undershirt which trails woefully in the dirt. Believe me, we all wonder how our luck stands when we have ourselves to a bathing pavilion.

One meek mannered old timer who one would never suspect of having any inclinations toward devilment pulled off a good one on me yesterday. I came into the barracks and found a bunch clustered around the stove talking of weight guessing. "Guess Todd's weight" said one to old Brookbank. "Bet you a franc you can't do it" said I. "Done" said Brook. He then proceeded to feel me over questioning me as to chest measurements etc. This over he suggested that he lift me by way of estimate I agreed so he turned his back toward me inserted his arms under mine and lifted me clear off the ground. The proper place them being in a very advantageous position all hands clustered around like bees on honey and whaled said place into a rosy red color with shingles hands etc. It certanily was one on me but I managed to pass it on to two others before night.

Your tales of California make my mouth water. Apres le. guerre we certanily must visit said country. Lunch under a tree by a creek in December sounds bon. We will make it in our auto next time tho. Well mother I think that my news is about exhausted. Am feeling good. Glad that you could find it convenient to extend your trip. Regards to all. Thanks for sending photos to Alice and Katherine. I hope they reciprocate. Aunt Bella has one too which she evidently thinks that I sent newspaper you sent it as from me. Good Work.

Your loving son
Rory