Letter dated October 21, 1917

FROM PARIS

Dear Mother-:

The first part of my war career is over and as usual in my case I am out of the frying pan into the fire for tomorrow I begin on the second phase of that career. To speak in more exact terms however the ambulance work is finished, taken over by the U.S. gov’t and tomorrow I take the oath of office as a 2nd lieut. Artillery, U.S.A. I wish I could write you how the ambulance service was relieved but just now it is not up to me to criticize the gov’t which is paying me.

I don’t know exactly what Stanley (Metcalf) will do. He passed his examination but is so homesick that he is thinking of throwing up his commission and going home with the chance of being a private in the infantry, a worse fate than which no one can possibly imagine.

We were relieved on Thursday, convoyed that day and the next and arrived in Paris Friday night, turned in the cars and were thru. It rained all the way and the car I was on had to be towed all the way. I must have been tired when we arrived here for the first night I slept 14 hours and last night 14 more and in the meantime have not wanted to do anything but eat and sleep. About tomorrow I shall begin and write you a very long letter all about everything but for the present, good bye.

With love Paul