started off of the platform but a sargent named Avery from our
Co. stopped me and set me down in a chair and says I was to wait a minute and I thought of course they was going to give me a cup or something though I didn’t expect nothing of the kind but I hadn’t no sooner set down when Sargent Avery stepped up to the front of the platform and says “Gentlemen I want to say to you that Private Jack Keefe the great stratejest is not only a great pitcher and a great speech maker but he is also a great poet and if you don’t believe me I will read you this beautiful valentine that he wrote to a certain lady that we all admire and who was in the Red X canteen up till today when she went back to Paris to resume other dutys.”
Well before I could make a move he read that crazy valentine and of course they wasn’t a word in it that I was serious when I wrote it and it was all a joke with me only not exactly a joke neither because I was really trying to let the little lady down easy and tell her good by between the lines without being rough with it. But of course these boobs pretended like they thought I meant it all and was love sick or something and they hollered like a bunch of Indians and clapped and razed he‑ll.
Well Al I didn’t get a chance to see Sargent Avery after it was over because he blowed right out but I will see him tomorrow and I will find out from him who stole that poem from Miss Moselle and I wouldn’t be supprised if the reason she blowed to Paris was on acct. of missing the poem and figureing some big bum had stole it off her and they would find out her secret and make things misable for her and the chances is that’s why she blowed. Well wait till I find out who done it and they will be one less snake in this regt. and the sooner you weed those kind of birds out of the army you will get somewheres and if you don’t you won’t.
But the poor little lady Al I can’t help from feeling sorry for her and I only wished I could go to Paris and find her and tell her to not worry though of course its best if she don’t see me again but I’m sorry it had to come off this way.
Friend Al: Well Al this may be the last letter you will ever get from me because I am waiting now to find out what they are going to do with me and I will explain what I mean.
Yesterday a.m. I seen Sargent Avery and I asked him if I could talk to him a minute and he says yes and I said I wanted to find out from him who stole that valentine from Miss Moselle. So he says “Who is Miss Moselle?” So I said “Why that little lady in the canteen that’s blowed to Paris.” So he says “Well that little lady’s name isn’t Miss Moselle but her name is Ruth Palmer and she is the daughter of one of the richest birds in N.Y. city and they wasn’t nobody stole no valentine from her because she give the valentine to me before she left.” So I said “What do you mean she give it to you?” So he says “I mean she give it to me and when she give it to me she said us birds was in the same Co. with a poet and didn’t know it and she thought it was about time we was finding it out. So she laughed and give me the valentine and that’s the whole story.”
Well Al I had a 20 frank note on me and I asked Sargent Avery if he wouldn’t like some champagne and he said no he wouldn’t. But that didn’t stop me Al and I got all I could hold onto and then some and I snuck in last night after lights out and I don’t know if anybody was wise or not but if they are its libel to go hard with me and Capt. Seeley said something about the fireing squad for the next bird that cut loose.
Well I reported sick this a.m. and they could tell to look at me that it wasn’t no stall so I’m here and the rest of the boys is gone and I am waiting for them to summons me before the court marshall. But listen Al if they do like Capt. Seeley said you can bet that before they get me I will get some of these birds that’s been calling me Private Valentine ever since Saturday night.
Stragety and Tragedy
Friend Al: Well Al if it rains a couple more days like its been they will half to page the navy and at that its about time they give them something to do and I don’t mean the chasers and destroyers and etc. that acts like convoys for our troop ships and throws them death bombs at the U boats but I mean the big battle ships and I bet you haven’t heard of a supper dread 0 doing nothing since we been in the war and they say they can’t do nothing till the German navy comes out and that’s what they’re waiting for. Well Al that’s a good deal like waiting for the 30nd of Feb. or for Jennings to send his self up to hit for Cobb and they can say all they want about the Germans being bullet proof from the neck up but they got some brains
