1943, Sept 12

Dearest Hal- I’m sorry not to have written you for so long but I’ve been too sick. I feel better today then I have for some time.

I am so glad you got a furlough and could get up in the mountains—though I guess it was bad when you got back

I have not heard from Bits for some time but think he was about due to leave Cal by this time—He wrote me that Jackie (who married out west somewhere) had joined Pauline and Glenn and they were living together in Laurinberry. Jackie’s husband is over seas and she is expecting in January—I guess they are having a grand time together—Bits says they don’t get along with the step mother. She probably doesn’t care for their messy doings—The Mauch boy you wrote about was with the bunch that bombed Tokyo and when he came back to Staunton was met at the train by a crowd and much feted—then they had a reception at the Army hospital for him and other soldiers.

I enjoyed seeing some of the old friends around Hebron until I got sick—I always think there are no better people in the world-I liked Mr. Livingston so much. It seems his first year at Davidson was the year you graduate. He is a tall lank fellow with hair between blond and red-almost pink. I hope you are feeling fine now.

Lots of love,

Mother