Nov. 20, 1916
My Dear Mother: -
Your letter rec. today. Yesterday was Sunday. Lamont was in from Ysleta and spent the afternoon and evening with me. I dressed up in my civilian clothes and he borrowed a suit from Billy Jacobs here at the fire sta. and we took a nice walk in the afternoon. We had lunch at the Fire Sta and went to the 1st Methodist Church in the evening. Their new pastor has not arrived yet and they ask the different chaplains from the militia to fill the pulpit for the services. The chap Sunday he was from Georgia. He gave a fine sermon on Brotherhood.
My little finger is all bandaged up and I can hardly write. I scratched the back of it on a wire, around a bale of hay, several days ago, and it festered up and did not heal quickly enough to suit me, so tonight I cut it all open and put a wet B.C. of M. (Bichloride of Mercury) dressing on it and wrapped it up. That will fix it up in a couple of days.
Lamont is more homesick and discouraged than ever and can't see nor understand why I am so contented.
When I told him I beginning to like the place better every day he said I must be going crazy.
No more troops will be sent home until the Mexican arbitration meeting with U.S. is closed, possibly a month or so. It is thought that we will be in Fort Ben Harrison, Ind. by Dec 20th to be mustered out. I hope they are right.
Everything O.K. & feeling fine.
Love to All
Howard
We finally made it! My goal was to post 100 years to the day after Howard sent his letters, and here we are. November 20, 1916 and November 20, 2016. Definitely humbling.
I'd like to think that I didn't really spend the weekend too much much differently than Howard did, apart from performing a minor medical procedure on myself. I shared a meal with friends in civilian clothes, just like Howard! OK, OK. that's probably a stretch.
Just like Howard, I am proud that I spent today in church, although I spent my time with the Lutherans instead of the Methodists. Grams and Gramps got married in the Methodist church, but they eventually raised their family in the Lutheran church. It's hard to shake those German Lutheran roots. I joke with my sister about becoming a Methodist, but, see KK? You're just returning to your family's roots on the other side!
I'm hoping the above photo from the El Paso Public Library may be the right church where Howard worshipped - the 1st Methodist Episcopal Church at Montana and Lee Streets.
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