14 May 1918

Fort Flagler, Wash.

Dear sister & mother,

How are you all. I am well and so was Herbert yesterday morning when he left. Haven’t heard anything from him today and he did not get home tonight as this is the night for night drills.

We walked out to Worden Sun. eve, and went to the movies and while there we met Hans Petersen and he hasn’t got his uniform yet. What do you know about that. Also met Frank Evison & Croison, chums of Herbert’s who used to be at Flagler and have been transferred to Wordun. This Evison called “Hello, Herbert,” clear across the street Sat. when we came up from the dock. He is from Winterset, Ia. and a very nice fellow indeed.

Well today was Peter’s birthday. I am somewhat tired tonight. Been working all day. Herbert & J. Boney are thinking of renting a house at Flagler, then Mrs. and I will go in together. In the house I ean. If they get it Boney has been transferred out of the 63rd to the 13th Co. and from what I hear they are not going to send the 63rd out of here for a while. Once I hear the reason why is because it’s got out as far about them being ready to leave and again I hear they are not supplied with guns and again they say they don’t want any coast artillery out there so they are going to make Infantry out of them. But a person can’t believe anything you hear any more.

Say, the people here don’t even dare to call for Hamburger. Here they have changed it to Liberty steak. They also have liberty measles out here.

Well that’s to[sic] bad about Maggie Mueller. You might tell Sallie to stop those farm papers as they are expired anyway & we did not intend to take them any more. The homestead is not expired yet so suppose will have to let it come and the Hausfrau expires in Sep. I think. I want it stopped then to [sic], but I do hope I can be or I mean both of us can be back by that time. But, I guess there is no sign for peace yet.

They claim, the papers here I mean, that the Kaiser has gone insane. Well if that will end the war I hope he will stay that way. If there is anything to it. The weather has been acting queer last few days. It trys [sic] to rain awfully bad but can’t make it. Heard they had a cyclone east of Des Moines. Was there any thing to it.

So Carl Wesack invested in more Ia. soil. Well Ia. is the best state on the map. Did he trade that place where Wm. Hocamp lives. If I remember right there was some talk about it before I came out here. Well I’ve been here over a month now. Already it sure seems like quite a while.

Did you get that post card I sent you yesterday of that fountain & stairs. Well there are 118 steps and part of the town is on the hill and the business part is along the beach mostly. Some town I’ll tell you.

Say perhaps some one could send us our church papers.

So you think I eat lettuce to beat the band. Well I wish I could I sure could get away with a gallon if I were over there with you. I had some yesterday for the first time but it don’t taste like what you fix. This was fixed with mayonize [sic] dressing.

Oh there is some style to that misses [sic] I am working for. And they are Cat lickers to boot. Well I don’t intend to work there more than 3 days out of a week so I give a darn. Ha! Ha! She washes and irons every day of course. Has an electric washer & iron, but it keeps a person going all day long. Am going there again tomorrow fore noon. In the afternoon I am going to do mine & Herbert’s washing. Thursday morning I iron & in the afternoon I go to Flagler & Herbert will come over with me in the evening. I’ve got it all planned just so it works out alright.

Well how is Eleonora? Suppose she is having a great time with the chicks.

Got a letter from Martha Ernst the other day.

So you have the house painted. You will be all spruced up pretty soon. Am certainly glad to hear that Ernest Schmidt is well or was as I suppose a few weeks have rolled by since he wrote that letter. And say have they got that flag inside the church.

Write me all the news. You do better than all the rest. Will send you some pictures some other time of the big guns. I haven’t any envelopes here now large enough to hold a postal and they won’t go through the mail unless they are in an envelope so will have to get envelopes first and I don’t always get to do that so handy now. I’ll have to wait till Thursday or Sat.

Well I guess the corn planters are doing their best now out there. And the cows giving lots of milk. Guess I’ll forget how to milk. The people here in town are so busy they have to work on Sundays. Hoe in the garden and plant things etc.

Well I guess I’ve run out of something to write about so will draw to a close. You will have some time reading these scribbles. And it [it’s] getting near 10 o’clock so it’s midnight out there. Hope pa & ma are well. And am glad they don’t feel hard about it cause I didn’t write in German to them but a feller can’t be to [sic] careful I guess so will close and say goodnight for this time.

Write often.
Herb & Em

-source: Cheryl Siebrass. Letters from her Grandmother's sister Emma and Herbert (brother-in-law) while stationed stationed at Fort Worden, WA.