It seems that Meadowcroft, who has just returned, had a rather unusual experience. The first day that he was in Paris, he ran across a poor French girl whose parents and family were in the part of France occupied by the Germans. He was so affected by her story that he generously gave her all of his vacation money. Then he had to spend the rest of his time in Paris, making enough to live on by drawing pictures, which he sold to passers-by. He slept on the benches along the Seine, and generally lived by his wits, but he had a grand time just the same.

I leave you in the best of health and spirits, my dear Mother, and with love to you all, I remain.

Bois de Ravigny – February 29th

Dear Spencer,

Here it is, Father’s Birthday, and I find myself writing to you to congratulate you on yours. You must be a great big lad by now. Let me see, how old are you now—eight or nine? I have really forgotten. You know, I always think of you as the little “duffer” who used to run around in overalls up at our little place on the beach. That is the way I like to think of you. That is why I was so glad to receive that picture of you.

I had just started to write this letter, when I heard some yells outside. Everybody jumped up and ran out to see what was the matter. We were surprised to see our lieutenant standing down the road apiece, looking mournfully at one of the cars that lay on its side in the ditch. As we ran towards the car, one of the Frenchmen, who is attached to the section, emerged from the wreckage with a rather sheepish expression on his face.

This is the story: It seems that the French have given up all their expensive cars and have issued a general order that in the future all cars used by officers will be American Ford touring cars. Naturally, all members of the Automobile Service must learn to drive Fords, so they have been receiving lessons from the members of the section. They have not proven very apt pupils, really surprisingly dumb. Finally, Battershell decided that he would take a hand at teaching the men. So, that morning he had taken one of the men, and they had started out. Everything went fine until it was necessary to turn around. When the Frog started to back up, he lost his head and forgot to take his foot off the reverse petal. Battershell felt the car going backwards, so he jumped out just in time to see the old bus tumble over into the ditch, Frog and all. Nobody was hurt, and when the bunch got together, they righted the car and lifted it back on the road, surprisingly none the worse for wear.

Haven’t very much to tell you. We are still en repos in this rather quiet part of the country. There seems to be quite a good deal of munitions and other supplies moving up to the front. Everywhere we run across rumors of the expected spring drive. We were rather disappointed about the reports about how the Germans had driven through the Italians on the Italian front. It was necessary for the French to send some of their best troops down there to stop the advance. The French are very bitter about the outcome of the Italian Campaign, and do not hesitate to call the Italians every sort of coward and ambuscade.

I hope you enjoy the good birthday cake Mother is sure to make you, and remember me by eating an extra large piece. That won’t be hard, will it?