France
July 29,1917

dear Folks:

Just a line to enclose the card. The box came last night and was very acceptable believe me. My funds are getting low again and some how army issue dosen't seem to satisfy you unless your working. The socks came in fine to wear with my slippers. They're pretty classy to wear up the line altho they are the right stuff. Maybe the fruit cake wasn't a treat! Regular Xmas cake eh! The only trouble was it didn't last long enough. I've been very lucky with my parcels. Other fellows have lost all kinds of them and Mac has sent me three packages of cigarettes & I haven't got any of them so far. Quite a few of Tom's come smashed up & all of mine have been just as good as when they were sent.

We had our first work out yesterday afternoon. Brownie McPherson and & ran a mile & then played ball for a few hours. Then in the evening Brownie & I boxed for five rounds so today I'm a little stiff. Its been raining all morning so we won't be able to do much today. I'm not going to enter in anything by may play ball & soccer a little.

Chief Spencer has been sent away to a P.T. school but we're trying to get him back for Sports. He's coming up today ' I think they will fix it up.; We sure nee him for baseball & running. He managed our old Coy team in Ed. when I was Sec. Tres.

I had a feed of tomatoes today. Real ripe ones. I didn't uses to be fond of them at all but the summer Mac & I taught school I cultivated a taste for several things. The pears are getting to a pretty good size and the cherries are real black. On I think we'll have a pretty Jake time here if it dosen't rain too much.

I haven't heard where Fred is but he wont be far away & I'll hunt him up some evening.

So Long for now - more later.

Sincerely

Bill