Last night I sat down in Billy’s room and read your letter. I’d just finished and was going to answer it. I was looking round the room for inspiration. It certainly was dirty and smelly and mussy. A very ill-regulated fire straggled in and about the fireplace and there was a choking need of fresh air. But Bill was there, and that compensates many things. I was just wondering what a rank outsider would think of my choice of habitat and habitants, when the door opened and in walked – Seth!
Never before have I realized how Sethy he is. If it had been John I’d have fallen all over myself and him. As it was, I said; “Hello.” I couldn’t get all surprised and delighted over only Seth, although he is the first person I’ve seen here who is in any way a link to life. He sat down and we talked a while. He is at the end of a leave, and on his way back to Verneuil.
After a bit he said he hadn’t eaten, and I led him away to Mme. Jeanne’s. H didn’t catch the spirit of that any more than he had of Billy’s room.
He said the bread wasn’t good. Why, bless his Poughkeepsie soul. I knew that. If they had fresh bread I should never go there. Then we came back and I showed him my own room. We talked some more, comparing notes and news. He wanted all the latest items from New York. He declared we were unbelievably lucky to be in Paris rather than in a hold like Verneuil; in which I agree. He rather wanted me to go into town with him, but it was late and I scented a busy a busy day today, so I declined on the ground of convalescence. He sends his best regards to you. He expects to be here yet for some time. He bores me. At about nine o’clock he went his way, and I wished him luck.
Today first thing, before Cushing got in, they gave me his orders. At noon he left. He takes the 8 o’clock train tonight for Brest. He will leave there probably Monday on the Wilhelmina, which is one of the boats that was in our convoy coming over. He is to report to the Marines in New York, where he will probably take up his former work in the Marine publicity bureau, at 117 E. 24th Street.
When he left he said: “Being Anglo-Saxon we won’t get sentimental about this, but I want you to know how much I appreciate etc., etc.”
He promised to keep in touch with me, and made me promise to come and see him when I get back. He said he can always get me good connections in the news and magazine game. He is going to call up Dad, and tell him I’m well. And so he left.
Then the major came around again and said: “Well, young man, that leaves you in charge of the department.”
“Yes,” I said, “what’s left of it.”
He laughed and began looking over some pictures that were on the desk, of his decoration at Tours.
That was the first step in my campaign of propaganda. I’m going to try every avenue to convince him that the News Dept. is useless. It may lead to something. Even if it doesn’t it is lots of fun to ride him that way. I’ve already decided that I’m going to run the thing my way and contest every one of his fool suggestions. He won’t keep me here any longer on that account, because I’m sure he’s already decided on me for one of the “bitter-enders.”
Tonight there’s a rumor that the major has a new GHQ order saying that all troops except the Army of Occupation must be out of France by July 31st. It is true that the same rumor has it that we are going to Antwerp. There is a little color to this last part, since it has been officially announced that the Army of Occupation will have its base in Holland or Belgium so it can use the Rhine as its means of communication. Remains to be seen what comes of it all.
Next post May 4.
Letters from Sidney Friend During The Great War 