Well Al what do you think they have made Shorty Lahey a sargent down here only thank god he isn’t in my Co. or I would be up in front of the court’s marshall for murder.  But him being a sargent shows they must of been pretty hard up and you can bet they was tickled to death to see our bunch roll in.  Well Al if he can get a sargent I will be a gen. in a month.  He says to me yesterday he says “Well old sport I wish they had of put you in my Co. and you would do the rest of your drilling with a dish towel.”  So I said “Yes I would.”

Well after thinking it over a while I decided I better write to the little girl and tell her where I was at because I asked her in my farewell note for her to send me her picture of herself and if she sent it up to Camp Grant maybe 1 of them rummys might get a hold of it and open it up and then write back to the girl and kid her about it and I figured maybe if I let her know I was down here that maybe she hadn’t sent the picture up there yet.  But I didn’t give her no encouragement to write to me here and all I said was that if she ever happened to be in Houston and I happened to be in town on leave maybe we might run into each other but I just said that jokeingly because her town is about a 100 miles from here and what would she be doing a 100 miles from home and besides even if I seen her on the st.  I doubt if I would know her though I generally almost always remember faces though I can’t always remember their names.  But if she seen me and spoke to me I would pretend like I didn’t hear her and duck because it would only make it tougher for her to talk to me because I would have to tell her the truth.  But I guess its all over between us now and any way I hope so.

Your pal, JACK.

[Illustration:  If he can get a sargent I will be a gen. in a month (p. 147).]

CAMP LOGAN, Dec. 16.

FRIEND AL: Well old pal I am up against a funny proposition now and it isn’t so dam funny at that.  Here is a letter I received this A.M. from that girlie.  I will copy it down.

“Soldier Boy, so we are going to meet at last.  Yes we are, that is if you want it to happen.  My aunt in Houston has been wanting me to come there for months, but not till now have I really wanted to.  You know why I do now, don’t you Soldier Boy?  You say it is easier for you to get off Sundays.  All right.  Will you meet me in the lobby of the Rice Hotel a week from today at one in the afternoon.  I will let you take me to dinner and we can talk things over.  We have a lot to say to each other, haven’t we Soldier.  Boy?  Write me at once and say you will meet me.  I can hardly wait to get your reply and if you disappoint me I will do something to make you sorry.  But you won’t will you?  I am just finishing your sweater and will bring it to you.”