| | Like most American young ladies during the war, the sister of Signal Sergt. Schmuck sought to “brighten a corner” for the boys in France. She conceived an original idea in letter-writing which amused those who received her letters, and Sergt. O’Brien especially was frequently asked by the boys “What Sophie Gluck had to say?” In keeping with her non de plume Miss Alma Schmuck posed as a verdant German girl trying to express her admiration in broken English.
The following was sent to the Editor when Miss Schmuck learned that the Battery was compiling a book. We take pleasure in printing it as follows:
To all youse Sargints, Korprals, an ihe rest of youse good lookin
fellers of the 328th Regimint, Batry “B” Feeld Artilry:
Sum buntch, youse wus all rite, all rite, espeshally the fightin croud frum Gran Rabids. We shure are proud of youse all. Wy, if the Runs hadunt a none youse wuz sech a wild and wooly outfit, the war woodint a bin over yet, but they new youse wuz on the war path an wen ya got started doin wot ya started out to do, thare wood be suinthin (loin wen ya got to the finish, so they wuz wize an kwit jest in time. I say so enyways.
An bleeve me, thare wuz a happy buntch over heer on God’s ole green erth, wen ya all cum back wunst more. The best part of it is, that yer hull outfit cam back with the same good lookin fellers ya started out with. Another think, an wot makes a lot of feel happy is thet ya didunt fetch back home eny of them thare frentch wimin. Jee. thares, so durn meny wimin over heer now, so wot chanet has a long skinny girl like me. Think too of the bad feelins an the teers thare wooda bin, if sum of youse fellers hada gone to the preechers with sum of them wimin and brung um home. Think a wot yer sweethearts over heer wooda sed an thunk, so ya see, we shure have a good reeson fer bein happy. A corse, I didunt hey eny chanct with any of youse fellers, but I shood worry, I gotta big warm spot in my heart fer youse jest the same. I love youse ‘all. A corse, the one that has the biggist warm spot in my heart—can ya gess? No? Well heesa long leen guy with reddish hair an a twinkul in his “i.” He wuz a sargint too. Then thare wuz a feller frum Gran Rabids also a sargint. They usta call him Doc, but I don’t no wot fer cuz he coodunt kure eny panes atall, espeshally mongst youse fellers. I gess thet wuz jest a phunny name youse fellers hung on to him. Then thare wuz another feller also a sargint, by the name O’Brine an he sure wuz one gran feller. Frum wot I herd he musta have bin boss over the chamber mades fer the horses an the horses with long eers. I bet the horses an so forth sure wuz glad to see him cum, cuz he wuz a fine feller. Then there wuz another sargint, thet made pitchers. Made things look like wot they wuzn’t. Thet was sum job bleeve me, but he did it jest the same. In fack, I cood menshun evry feller in the outfit and have heeps of good things to say, but wots the use. Youse fellers all no wot a good brintch youse so wy tell ya surnthin ya alreddy no.
An now that youse are all home wunst more, you’ll be entrin into diffrimt brantches of werk, getting ritch an so forth. I shure do wish ya all the best a luck, success an everythink else good to be had in this good ole world of ourn - Health Wealth an Happiness. If eny of youse ever cum down this way, avisitin this berg (ya shure bring yer wife), don’t fergit my name and number. If you fergit it, jist ast enybody an they’ll tell ya ware I live. Popler thets me all over yet, I’d shure be glad to see eny of youse.
Wunst agin, with hearty good wishus fer youse all, I am,
Yer frend, both in Peeze an in Trubble
MISS SOPHIA GLUTZ.
1706 Genesee Ave.
Saginaw, Mich. |