France, July 11 1917,

Dear Bee,

Do you notice what date this is? The eleventh of July and and my big sisters birthday. How old do you feel anyway? I am very sorry that I cannot send you a little present but you will know that you have my best love and wishes anyway. It is too bad that I cannot spend the day with you, we sure would have a celebration for old times sake. How is the happy family getting along especially the wonderful new boy? Have you found a name for him yet?

We are having fairly good weather lately altho there has been considerable rain. It does not take very much rain to make the ground muddy here but also does not take long to dry up afterwards. We have had some pretty interesting work lately, but you will see more in the papers than I can tell you. The strict censorship is very agravating especially when you want to write a letter.

I have been fairly lucky in getting letters from folks lately, be sure and keep up the good work. It seems to be either a feast or a famine with me and my mail. There will be a long time that I get more and then they seem to come all in a bunch.