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"Somewhere in France"
Sept. 21, 1917.

Dear Friend:
I received your letter two days ago. You can bet I was surprised to get it too. At first I could not think who could be writing to me from Brashear, but I sure was glad to hear from you.

Well you know that a fellow can enjoy himself sometimes even if he has a "bit on the rock pile," to do, not saying that I have fun there, yet: but if a fellow wants to like his business, it is all in the game.

I am working in the office at Headquarters at present, and that lets me out of all the drill and that is a lot let me tell you. I see that people are waking up in the U.S., but I guess a few more will wake up when they come around with the next draft. I got some papers from Kv. telling about [illegible text]




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leaving. I guess you can see how much encouragement it gives us fellows over here, to hear about and read of the reasons so many are claiming exemption.

Say, "Shorty," you forget that candy proposition, that letter in the paper was not intended by me to be there, just to go home. Altho if you can organize a Red Cross in your school, you may tell all the girls that think they are - ahem - Good looking to write to me, and I won't raise any objections. (ha,)

I am glad you told me Probst address, I will write to him. The next time you write, please give him my address too.

I don't have much time to look around but what time I do have I am certainly using and I do so a lot of things that before I hardly believed.

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Well it is about time I was closing for I think the capt. is about due and I want to be ready for work as soon as he gets back.

If you see anyone that I know down around that part of the world, slip them my address for I am glad to hear from any one that will send me news from good old U.S. Anything from there is welcome to me.

Well good bye and be good to your self, and let me hear from you often for it does get rather dull over here even only get a mail about once a week over here and you ought to see the fellows come when mail call goes. I am feeling fine and you can trust little willie to look out for no. 1. (ha.)



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Well good bye and good luck and let me hear from you as often as you can write.

Later I will write you something about the people, their customs and the country and you can tell it to the little folk. Say that gives me an idea. I guess I shall go on the Platform and make speeches when I get back [illegible text]. Well write, be good and Good Luck to you,

Your Friend,
Pvt. Loys Hotchkiss,
Regimental Headquarters, 18th Inf.
Annex Forces, France.



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Soldiers' Mail

Mr. Lewis Clevinger,
Brashear,
Missouri.

WWI 91-47

U.S. ARMY POSTAL SERVICE
SEP 22 1917

A.E.F. PASSED AS CENSORED
[illegible text]



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