Feature Letter of March 27th, 2026
Johns, Lawrence Earl
Somewhere - in - France
Tues. March 27/17
Dear Mother:-
I am writing this on the chance that its your turn I wrote one the other night and forget if it was to you or Addie but I think its your turn....I am glad to say that I have quit drinking water since I have left the trenches where we get a little rum. We get good tea 3 times a day the water is not much good. A person cannot say that he drinks rum. You do not get a drink only a swallow. It will strangle you quicker than white-wine vinegar if you go to take a breath between the two little swallows why your wind has gone for the time being. But it cheers one up wonderfully after being up all night with nothing to eat to see the sergeant coming up the trench with the rum in a water bottle under his arm. We are always willing to wait a few minutes longer to get our issue. If you ever hear anybody say that they think its a shame that the soldiers are given rum why just tell them a thing or two from me. I'll bet they don't have any boys over here they don't know under what conditions we have to live over here.
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