Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 138, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 June 1918 — MARINE MAY BECOME SOLDIER [ARTICLE]

MARINE MAY BECOME SOLDIER

The following interesting letter » from Harvey Phillips, son of Mr. : and Mrs. John R. Phillips, of Me- I Coysburg, has "been handed to us and we have received consent to publish :: „ La’ber Wrach, France, r —--- • —*■ May 26, 1918. Dear Mother and All:-r-Well this is Sunday and a fine day/too. The sun is shining like in August. We go in swimming about every day. The water is cold but its good to be in a place so we can keep clean. I was put in charge of the canteen last Tuesday. We have all kinds of candy, tobacco and toilet articles. Have a stock of over SII,OOO. So you see I have a responsible position. Since I have opened I have sold 2875 Francs. That is about fixe hundred dollars. Pretty good for a kid, eh! Do you think any store averages that much on candy and tobacco in Rensselaer? My hours are 6:00 a. m. to 7:00 p. m., 11:15 a. m. to 1:00 p. m., 5:30 p. m. to 8:30 p. m. If that was all I had to do it wouldn t be bad but I still have to get stores for the galley and keep charge of

the books in both places.* I have been so busy this week, 1 didn’t get to write twice as usual, but now we have all' dur stock on hand available and my work will be much lighter. The only thing I don’t like about it is there is not a very good chance to get any liberty. I can get off on Sunday evenings, but there is no place to go so I guess I will stay aboard and write a few letters. .. Just finished my week’s mending this morning. Had two pair of socks to darn. Two pair of trousers to patch and had to' sew my dress blues so I think I am about as busy

as anyone. I washed some clothing yesterday and have a bucket full for tomorrow. I would rather Wash my own clothes than pay the French people for doing it- . . , * It takes them almost a week to wash, iron and get the clothes back. While we wash them in the morning and by noon they are dry and wear them in the evening. Another thing it’s cheaper to wash our own clothing. Well I guess they are going to make soldiers out of us. At. least we are going to wear the uniform. I am not sure if we seamen have to wear “them” or not. I hope not as I have enough clothes as it. is without getting any more. I think if that’s true I will try and get a transfer to some transport. Well I guess I will quit as it’s almost noon and I have three more letters to write. lam sending you .a copy of our Bill-of-Fare for last week. The B B and C is bread, butter and coffee. I made this out myself as I have that to do now. It was accepted and we are alive now to try another one this week. Give my best regards to everyone. I suppose you have about three hundred little chickens by this time. We have apple pie for dinner. It only takes 58 pies for a meal, also it takes about 700 biscuits, so you see the bakers are busy. I have received all the papers up to the last of April and the others are coming. Don’t let my subscription run out. Pay out my Liberty Bond with the allotment money. I am paying for one myself. That will make about S2OO I am giving Uncle Sam. But I guess everyone else is doing al they can to make it easy for us over here. I suppose Sam is putting in a lot of corn for the soldiers. If you have to use so much com meal why don’t you make corn bread. We have it twice a week and believe me it sure is fine.

Has Wash Cook put up another store, yet? Too 'bad it had to burn but accidents will always happen. Well I started to quit sometime ago so I will do it now. You said something about fried chicken in your last letter. I think I will save mine until 1920. It will taste better after we whip the" Kaiser. Give my bqst to everyone and tell them I said hello. Just imagine me out in a sail boat or swirlfriihg this summer when it’s too hot to rain. Salt water is sure fine to swim in. Love to all, Your son, HARVEY, The following is the menu referred to above. MONDAY. Breakfast —Fried eggs, bacon, oat meal with milk and sugar, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast pork, apple sauce, baked potatoes, gravy, peas, B. B. and C. Supper—Curried meat, boiled rice, fruit, B. B. and C. TUESDAY. Breakfast —Creamed shippe beef, on toast, boiled spuds, B. B. and C. Dinner—Soup, roast beef, brown gravy, boiled potatoes, string beans, B. B. and C. *

Supper—Beef croquette, tomato, sauce, fried potatoes, tapioca pudding, B. B. and C. WEDNESDAY. Breakfast—Baked pork, beans, catsup, corn bread, B. B. and C. Dinner— Fried Ibeef stake, fried onions, mashed potatoes, stewed corn, gravy, soup, B. and C., peach pie. Supper—Fried' beef stew, hot biscuit, pickled beets, B. B. and C. THURSDAY. Breakfast —Fried eggs, fried potatoes, prunes, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast pork, dressing, creamed carrots, mashed potatoes, B. B. and C._ and gravy. Supper—Hamburger stake, boiled potatoes, gravy, rice pudding, bread, butter and coffee. FIRDAY. Breakfast —Corn beaf hash cakes, catsup, toast, fruit, B. B. and C. Dinner —Bean soup, boiled ham, boiled potatoes, sauerkraut, frankfurters, B. B. and C. Supper—Sardines, fried potatoes, cornstarch pudding, B. B. and T. SATURDAY. Breakfast—-Fried pork - sausage, hot cakes and syrup, boiled potatoes, gravy, B. B. and C. Dinner —Soup, roast veal, dressing, green peas, mashed potatoes,

gravy, bread, ibutter and coffee, cake. Supper—Fried liver, fried bacon, fried potatoes, gravy, B. B. and C. SUNDAY. Breakfast —Baked pork and beans, catsup, corn bread, B. B. and C. Dinner —-Soup, chicken fricessee, asparagus, mashed potatoes, B. B. and C, apple pie. Supper—Cold beans, cold meat, potato salad, mayoniase dressing, B. B. and cocoa.