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Somewhere in Germany
Aug 3 1918

Dear Friends Moses Stoneking

I received your most welcome letter last night & was sure glad to hear from you again.

I began to think you would never write to me again as I wrote several times but got no answer.

I am well & hearty & enjoying myself, & hope these few lines find you the same. We are having cool 
weather here & it has been that way all summer. It is cool enough for a coat & 2 or 3 heavy woolen 
blankets don't go bad to crawl under at night.

I am in country now, that would make the hills where you live seem like level

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ground. They are covered with pine timber.

Well I guess you did feel hurt that I didn't get to see you when I was home on furlough.

But it wasn't my fault there. The day I was at Jeps, Willie said the ridge road from Nicks on up was 
too rough for the car & we went back on the other road down by where Jake Abernathey used to live & 
then up the hill & around past John Brookbanks. I was sick a couple of days at Wills & the morning I 
started back to camp we got too late a start & I didn't have time to see any one.

You don't hate it

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any worse than I do, for I sure did want to see you again before I left the States. I will try to 
make that up when I come back tho [sic]. Hadie, you mustn't worry about Mr Runyon, for he hasn't 
anything to worry about over here. He don't have to worry about food & clothes & those left at home 
do, so I am all right.

Nova, when I get a chance I will try to send you something as a souvenir.

Well, Dear Friends, I am where I can hear the big guns. It sounds like an old fashioned 4th of July 
sometimes, with all kinds of fireworks.

I have seen a new way of digging potatoes

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They just drop a shell in the middle of the potatoe [sic] patch & after it explodes go out & pick up 
their taters, if they find any to pick up. That is an easy way of digging them isn't it, for it saves 
all the hard work of digging them by hand.

That might be a good way to thresh beans, tho I haven't see it tried.

They also cut wood that way, saves lots of hard labor with an ax, for when the shell hits a tree, down 
comes the tree.

Don't think I am having a terrible time, for I am not. I am getting lots of fun out of

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it & wouldn't miss the show for anything.

You will laugh over many of things I can tell you about this country & the people, when I get home again.

Nova, I suppose Rowe can run all over the hills now & talk a streak.

I sure wish I could see all the old friends & have a big talk with all of them. Say, I would enjoy a few 
of Mandas biscuits but am too far away to drop in for dinner.

Would also like to go to the woods & get some young squirrels. We have plenty of woods here, but I haven't 
seen a squirrel since I landed here.

I suppose I can get Mose to haul coal for me when I get back into the

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mine again.  Did you & Annie get my picture I sent you about 2 weeks ago.  I sent one to you & one to her.  
Well, I guess I will have to close for this time.  Don't wait but answer this letter right away for I sure 
like to hear from you.  Tell Dave and Annie I said hello.  With best wishes to the whole tribe I remain
The same old Friend
Irwin

Address, Mech I. M. Runyon
Co. C. - 139 Inf.
A.E.F.
via N.Y

O.K.
1st Lt. R.W. Cater
139th Inf

W.W.I.137.47