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Show LETTERS FROM THOSE IN SERVICE Following are extracts from a letter let-ter witten by Wesley Carlisle to Mrs. V. M. Palmer. Wesley has been gone for over a year, and was among the first to go from this county: Yard Dental Office. , Navy Yard, Mare Island, Cal. May 23, 1918. Dear Mother Palmer: I have been at Mare Island now. 4 about five weeks and like it rather well, but believe I would rather have stayed on Goat Hill, had I known 1 was to stay here so long. I don't know how long I will be here, for I see no chance of getting out very soon. I certainly envy the fellows who have had a chance to go "over there." but I guess my time will come sometime. I'm very anxious to go to sea and see some service in the war zone, and all that, for that's what I joined the navy for. Instead of that, I am here holding down a soft job, one that any of the Yeo-manettes Yeo-manettes could hold down, and seem to be doing no one any real good. But I guess someone has to do it, and they think that I can do as much of nothing as anyone they know of. I took an examination yesterday for Yeoman second class and passed; now, if the captain feels like signing an appointment for me, as well as for a number of other fellows who took the exam., I will be all right. A second class petty officer is a little better than a third class. I think I will get by all right, for I have had this rating for about six months, and was recommended for a higher rating rat-ing before I requested the exam. I was in San Francisco Sunday and had dinner with Helen and Shirley. Shir-ley. Everyone seemed to be feeling fine; at least, they all looked very well. : You asked me one time about the food we had to eat. I think it ts very good. We can't complain j about what we have to eat at alt. i and I really don't see just how they j can feed us so well. i I have just finished a small wash ing, a few handkerchiefs and sox. and as soon as the sex get dry I will have a little darning to do. Gee: I'm learning fast. I can do a lot of things that I never thought of doing do-ing before. Well, I've been in the-navy the-navy -more than thirteen months now ; it's time I was learning to do something. I would sure like to see the new structure of Jefferson's. I'll bet It sure improves the corner. I suppose Joe is still there; they couldn't run without him. Times have changed so much ana things changed so much that I would hardly know the place if I were to drop in some time. I think I could easily get acquainted, though. Wish I could be back again for a while to say hello to my friends anS acquaintances. You can tell them all hello for me, and that I am feeling fine and enjoying myself as much as possible. Well, say, if I don't close this letter let-ter before long you will think I am trying to write a book. However, you don't need to think that there is any danger of your writing so much that I can't read it all at one sitting, for I have a lot of time and I certainly enjoy your letters, and I would like a letter just as often as you have time to write. There isn't a great deal of news that I can tell you from here, as It is just the same thing over and over. The navy yard Is a very busy place, lots of ships being built, and perhaps per-haps when there are enough built to put the whole navy on the water I will get a chance to go to sea. However, How-ever, I expect to get Into the pay office of-fice some time In the near future, and I will get some work there that will help me a great deal when I go ahrfard ship. In fact, it probably ts better for me to stay a while longer and get better acquainted with the work before I do go out. Well, T think I have told you about everything every-thing I can think of at the present writing, so I will close. WESLEY. Address me: Care Yard Dental Office. Mare Island, Cal. Following Is part of a letter received re-ceived a few days ago by Mrs. H. M. Gourley from her nephew, Lieutenant Lieuten-ant Max Neal. who Is serving In France: France. May 11. 191. Dear Aunt Grace: Your fine letter nf April IS rami- today: It wis p1ornt a month on fve j wav. Must have been loafing arounrt 1 with the subs. Don't you ever worry a minute about the allies stopping stop-ping the Hun drive. We want them to drive, for it costs them so much more than it does us. They may gain a little ground, but their losses are appalling. Everyone over here thinks this is Germany's last great effort. They are trying to do all they can now, for the Americans are coming over so fast'that if thev wait a few months it will be worse than useless for them to try to adauce. Take it from me, the Yanks are scrappers, and they are proving it. We are having rotten wet weatn-er weatn-er here now; it rains almost every day. Our band is coming on fine. We drill twice a week with the men then come in and play the nntiona; hymn for retreat. It is a thrilling sight to see that long double line o: khaki-clad boys, with hearts as true as steel, stand at salute when the band plays 'The Star Spangled Bar ner." and the flag is lowered at n o'clock in the evening. Tt makes you proud to-be a soldier in the army or a country like our own dear S A. Tt is the greatest country in tVo world, without an exception. MAX. |