North Africa,

July 25, 1943

Letter #8

My darling Jeanette:

            This will be another regular letter as I have these pictures to enclose of the interior of my room at the hotel and also some coins.

            Find in case you should get this before my next V mail, I’ll tell you sides lost writing on Wednesday night read three more letters from you # 2 (July 3rd), # 5, (July 9th) &7 (July 12th) on the 25th, 23rd and 24th respectively.  Also have read some June and early July letters from the folks.  Will answer yours and V mail letters as usual.

            Now about those pictures don’t think your husband has been on a Gandhi fast or something like that.  I really am not as thin and scrawny looking as that one picture in shorts but have you think, although I have lost a little with this hot weather, and all.  I sent this one to show you that I was tanned a little but the bright light with we took the picture one night brings out all the bad features.

            However you cannot the cross over my bed with the cut of Christ church under it (from Grandma W’s Christmas card).  (note: DON’T SHOW THIS PICTURE TO ANYONE ELSE, it is too bad) then Jack and Jim’s picture on my side and on the other out of camera focus in Bobby’s picture.

            The one with me reading May 31 Life (which I just finished this afternoon by the way) - that is a Christmas card that I liked of a porcelain figure of the Virgin Mary and child and two candles (from all saints church last Christmas).

            To the left of it is the group of ten miniature photos of Binghamton that you sent.  Under the light switch is the calendar with three small kittens (sent by Aunt Frieder) and under it you typing a letter to me (I suppose with a magnifying glass you could see my picture on your desk-would that be a picture-within a picture-within a picture?).  On each side of the calendar are the front and rear views of our house (you remember the ones Aunt Frieder took and I had out in Alexandria?).  Then on my desk-your pictures and the folks with the writing case (from Aunt Sadie S.) on one side-a couple reader digests-my English-French dictionary, New Testament (from Aunt Frieder-I think?) and prayer book on the other.

            Also note the douche bowl to my left about which I wrote to you.  (The towel was left the rack to the handle the hot light bulb).  Yes, I know you are thinking the wallpaper is terrible and you are right.  The wall is painted gray.  The round affairs in the wallpaper with the funny spots on one side are light blue and black.  The fan-shaped ones are pink and black.  The daisies (?) are faded green and blue.  The background is gray.  It does sound like something one of your father’s colored tenants would want and it just about is.

            In the other picture at my desk (I was just writing a letter to you then by the way when Capt. Vice came over to take these) you see the pictures of the President on the wall (from a newspaper-(the pictures not the wall)).  Then my cabinet with space for clothes to hang in back of the mirrored door, a clip board above the opening in which sets Sontby’s picture with the little letter folder (you and the house) me on one side.  Then there are four drawers below my suitcase is on a rack back of my arm and on that cut out map of the world that was in “Life” last spring.

            The picture with me is not very good but you can get a little idea of my room.  And I hope you have born with this small winded discussion of it-not too boring I hope, darling. 

            Must stop temporarily now as I’m due at Brunet’s for Sunday night dinner.  Will finish when I return.

Later

            Just returned from Brunet’s and had a very nice dinner there-soup, meat, potatoes (very scarce here), salad, pudding desert, wine, and “verrain” tea (not real tea, had something grown locally).  There was a chaplain there from a French division who was very interesting.  He has all his family with him now-how lucky.  I wish it could be so with me.

            I had this afternoon off, spent part of it on the hotel roof and part reading.  And last night I went to see “Swanee Rivers” with Don A., Al, Johaon and ?.  You remember we saw it someplace.  I don’t recall now.  It was about Stephan Foster’s life.

            The coins I am enclosing are used here.  They have no local coins.  The 50 centines is worth a cent.  The cheap 10 cents piece is the “Etat Francais” started at Vichy after the fall of France.  The other is the older “Republique Francais.” 

            Well darling, there isn’t much else to write about now, as I will write again tomorrow or next day V mail.

            I still miss you as much as ever sweetheart, and pray each night for the night to come soon when we shall be together again.  I love you dearest with all my heart and send you all my kisses.

            Your devoted husband,

                                    Carlton