Tuesday 2; 30

Dear John Milton;

How’s it with you?

If you had a dirty house you do not deserve to go into town, ---I don’t feel sorry for you all, for I wrote you before when you told me of a similar offense, to always see to your quarters being clean, even it wasn’t your turn for cleaning, do it anyway, just so you keep your skirts clear of any come back from the one higher up who would inspect. Now if you had an untidy place again then you see what you got.

So much for lesson one (and if you do not pay any more attention here-after than you did before, I bet you again some time will have to stay in a dirty place) shame on you big men.

I certainly am glad you got some fun out of your convoy trip, and you get doughnuts too do you? I don’t know what the army would do if there were suddenly no doughnuts. Well, I surely am glad with all you do, some of it has a pleasant side. After all, every thing in this life isn’t bad, there’s usually a better side if we look for it, so as time “sneaks up” on you, and it will you know, before you realize it, I guess we all, have our minds and hearts on but one thing and that’s your finishing and coming home. This one thing with us too, is something we look forward to, which gives us hope and joy, for we surely do miss you around here, it’s just not the same without you.

Gee whiz, it is a wonder the money for uniforms is given to you all, and it is also wonder that you are allowed to change. I would have thought it might have been another way, but needless to say, “I wasn’t asked how I would do”, so if you all wish to have some money left, all you have to do is buy fewer cloths, and “presto”, more money left over. Fine.

That Commando training must have been hot stuff and just too bad if some fellow stuck his neck out isn’t it? Well, we joke about that sort of thing and I guess that’s what we should do, but do careful sonny in it all, yet you seldom ever hear of accidents at such times do you? (Perhaps we don’t here)

I thought maybe you would like the paper again for awhile, it’s kinda nice to look over and you just might see something or some one you know.

I wish there was something very very nice I knew to say right at this time for you, but I’m not much gifted that way it seems. But I know the strain of waiting and wondering must be hard to forget for even a time, so about all I can do is remind you as I have said before, try very hard to forget there’s a crucial time ahead, just live from day to day and when you do have something very trying, keep cool, make out you know even tho in doubt and say a prayer before you start any thing.

When you grew too large to say with me, “Now I lay me down to sleep”—and so on, you more or less got out of the habit of praying, but this war is going to be won by the prayers of those who call themselves Christians, and those looking to Christ for help, and not only for help as we speak of help; but by our supremely on His help and our faith that, He will help when we ask it of Him. So I am suggesting to you, that you pray too, from day to day; it will help you, more than you can imagine.

I’m going to close now for I haven’t any news that’s interesting to you, but we’ll be letting you hear from us soon again, and good luck to you, “you hear”?

Maybe Ben will be adding to this when he comes in.

Love,

Mother

P.S. We are in a hurry now to go to Worker’s Conference and your daddy says I’ll write the next time.

4:15 P.M.