A LETTER FROM MOTHER

When I say Donnie saves everything, I mean EVERYTHING.  This is a letter Mother wrote in 194? from Armour, South Dakota

Dear Mother, Dad and Edna,

Thanks so much for sending Bob's address.  I was downtown and I sent his gift out before I came home.  I bought everything from a toothbrush to foot power..just little things.  $5.00 worth.  The lady at the Drug store fixed it all up for me.  She told me what others had sent.  I sent cigarettes too.

There are so few things worth while to send but they say the boys appreciate the little necessities more than anything else.  Well, this is our first real taste of this terrible war.  Can imagine how you feel Mom and Dad.  I've been sick, inside, all day long.  Will have to write to him often and pray God to keep him safe.  The fathers here have been told that it won't be long for them.  Don't know how Friend stands for a deferment.  He is going to see the board to see just how things are.  Of course, he won't ask for a deferment.  I guess everybody is going to feel this war somehow.  Edna, if Ed has gone across be sure to send his address.

Saturday
Webb has enlisted in the Navy and leaves Monday for his physical.

Friend went down to see the draft board today and they told him to wait until he was reclassified.  They thought that would be this week and then he has 30 days to do something else.  So maybe we'll be home farming before too long.

Tomorrow I'm having the Bymers for dinner.  Betty is coming home tonight.

Sure wish you were here now, Edna.  We're having such beautiful weather.  If we're still here you'll have to come out here.  If the Bymers leave we will be lost.

Hope Carl gets over his vaccination all right.  I think he will.  It didn't seem to bother Doug much and he was older.  They say the younger they are the better they take them.

Hope Carl and Lib can go home for Christmas.  We'll probably be there too.  We have about 16 days vacation.

Am all through cleaning exept to paper the kitchen.  Don't know if I'll do that or not if we leave here.  Seems kind of foolish.  It's sure hard to know what to do.  I'm not going to say anything to influence Friend one way or the other.  He'll have to do what he wants to.  The draft board advises that all the fathers, here, either go farming or defense work.  Friend would never do defense work.  He'll go to the Army first.  So, if you hear we're on our way, don't be surprised.

Tonight we have club.  Tomorrow morning is communion.  So we have a busy weekend.  Well, must get dinner.  You can certainly tell I feel kind of down.

Hello to everyone
Write soon.

Love to all
Gretchen & family