May 11, 1918.

Dear Marie,

I think you got two letter this week didn’t you? Will be expecting a
visit from Morse pretty soon now but can’t see how you expect me to like
him if you like him nearly as well as you like me. And please be careful
not to be too much in love with the Camp Grant boys because that sure
would make me jealous.

I thought you reading, “The Service Flag” was good. Are you still taking
both elocution and music? It seems to me you must be pretty busy, and I
am not sure it would be a good thing for you to learn telegraphy.

What are your plans for this summer’s vacation, and what grade will you
be in if you “pass” in June? Please really be my “little sister” and
tell me more about yourself and what you intend to do.

Well I am going to go ahead and tell you more about telegraphy, but want
you to tell me whether or not you really want to take the time and
trouble to study it in earnest. If you do want to learn it I will do a
lot more to help you.

I explained in Mother’s letter, last night, how my transfer from Co A-6
has been blocked by Colonel Allison so you see I should become a pretty
fair operator if I keep up with the progress I have already made. Of
course it is slow work as telegraphy is only a small fraction of the
“stuff” a signalman has to learn and we don’t get very much practice
with it.

I am going to try to explain in as simple a manner as possible how the
apparatus works. Now please be fair and tell me if you don’t really
understand any of the things I try to explain because I am sure I can
make everything quite plain and clear if you just tell me what you don’t
“get.”

So hear goes with a few definitions, descriptions, etc. especially
revised and calculated for a buzzer telegraph student.

-- Will mail in a separate envelope – F.