Sat. Sept. 22, 1917

Dear Marie,

Your candy came in fine shape and tasted great. I am going to stand pat
on my resolution not to eat sweets. Don’t worry about not doing anything
to help me; you are doing more than anyone else could do. Thanks for the
candy. Don’t let Blanche kid you about your letters. I didn’t think
Snyder would stoop to girls of M.W’s type but I shall not lose any sleep
over him. He was not much of a friend of mine anyway. I guess I never
had any real friends until I came here among these fellows. Your two
pictures came fine. Marie, you can’t imagine how they made me feel. You
don’t look like the same laughing little girl that sat in the canoe
holding the duck. (Have you got that picture?) No one could see you your
two pictures without seeing what a big, warm-hearted lovable girl you
are. I showed them to Stock and he said, “No wonder you are so loyal to
her.” This is true Marie, and he said a whole lot in a few words. Marie,
I will always be loyal to you and I will try to make myself as nearly
worthy of you as I can.

I am glad you are doing so well with your music and hope you will have
good luck in the work, and in the recital. I don’t play any here and
doubt if I ever will again. There is always something to do. Wednesday
my name was on the list of promotions and I am now a first class
private. This simply means that I have qualified in examinations and
that I will get $33 a month instead of $30. I am mighty glad that I have
made good in a radio company before going into the photographic section.

From now on I am going to take a little more time and write to you
oftener. There isn’t much to write about but will write what little I
can. Last Thursday “Old Specks,” the horse that got me, claimed his
seventh and last victim, Corporal Ryan. Ever since my hard luck this
horse has been tied all alone and groomed by the non-com officers. He
got Ryan the same way he got me. When they took him over to the hospital
he had a deep gash on the cheek-bone just below the left eye. He had to
have several stitches taken in it and it is all blue and swollen around
the eye. I am getting along O.K. but had to have my jaw dressed twice
daily the last three days. One day they had a bandage going around my
neck, over my head and around the right side of my jaw all for a little
cut about an inch long. They were going to keep me in the hospital once
but I begged off.

The captain gave orders that no one should go near “Old Specks” now so
he is left in the corral. Well I am down to the City and will have to
catch the next car home. An order has just been posted that no soldiers
will be allowed to board cars thru the windows so we will have to learn
a new way of getting seats.

Gee, I wish I could here you give that recital. Don’t send any more
fudges because I will not eat any more – unless I can eat them with you.

Yours,

Forrest.