Archive Record
| Object ID | 2006.43.28 |
| Title | Letter to Elizabeth Deeble from her mother |
| Object Name | Letter |
| Date | July 31, 1918 |
| Creator |
Mrs. W. Riley Deeble |
| Description |
Letter sent to Elizabeth Deeble who was in Paris with the Red Cross, from her mother, Mrs. W. Riley Deeble July 31, 1918 Includes newspaper clipping "Soldiers' Sisters May Go to France" from the New York Times [?] (missing from file) "The rule of the War Department prohibiting women who have relatives in the American army in France from going to France has been modified to permit the sisters of soldiers to go under certain conditions. When a woman marries an officer or soldier in the American expeditionary forces after her arrival she will be automatically sent back to the United States by the organization with which she may be serving." No.56 "3752 Oliver Street Chevy Chase, D.C. My dear Elizabeth, I waited until the postman came and had everything ready to write to you. He brought one letter foreign mail addressed to Mrs. Deeble, 2020 P Street". I did not notice the 2020 or I should not have been disturbed (which conveyed nothing to my mind). It said in the upper corner "Pvt. C.T. Jessup, Base Hospital, 37" and I almost fainted, could hardly get courage and strength to open it. Finally I got it open and almost fell into hysterics. I was so relieved to find it was from "Chuck!" After telling me that he appreciated the socks, he said he was at Plymouth, England where they were establishing a Base Hospital and might move across to do field work at anytime. He said he joined this after having "been rejected from Aviation Section, flying, Navy, Marines because of a newly discovered weak right eye and Royal Flying was made to turn me down because of a Government order." I think he wanted us to know that he had been patriotic and his letter sounded really homesick though he said farther on "real easy life, treated great, seeing lots of the country and I sure do intend to see it while I am able. We are the only American troops here." "The sailors 'garb' as we call them are very numerous, they 'look good' to us, anything American does." He then thanks me again for the socks and says "to Margaret and sisters also, thoughts and regards." Just as I finished reading it the phone rang. It was Mrs. Miley, she had just gotten a letter from Jack. He has been moved to Camp Custer, Michigan one step nearer the front. He has eleven officers and nearly seven hundred men under him. She hears very frequently from "Bud" who is at Ft. Sill. He says that LeRoy Irvin and Eddie Martin are both there. Nancy has changed her job again, given up farming and is now driving a truck in the Quartermaster Corps. She gets seventy-dollars ($70) a month and at present is in the Commissary Dept. She says it is what she has wanted from the first. D. thinks it is dreadful and that her mother ought not to have allowed it. Just after I sent off my letter to you on Sunday D. came in and told me that she had talked with Mildred Adams the night before at the Club and Mildred had told her that she was engaged to Fairfax Downey who is now a captain and showed D. her ring, two diamonds. I think it is fine, she is doing well and she is an awfully nice girl. Lida has some one generally understood to be an accepted suitor too so I suppose she will soon be heard from. I am sending what I know you will consider an important clipping settling the question of sisters and allowing them to stay over even if their brothers are "over there." D. took me over to the Davidsons on Monday evening and we were not sorry to find Louise alone but father and mother came in before we left. I am delighted to be able to report that the maid we drove up to Sandy Spring to get several weeks ago is with them and very satisfactory so Louise is not obliged to cook and do housework as well as go to office. She said she had written to you and was sorry she had not done so sooner. She is such a fine girl that it grieves me all the time to think that she is still unappropriated (and unappreciated?). It has been raining steadily to-day, but you know, that never makes any difference to me. D. had to go on R.C. again this morning (extra) so M. went in with her as she is doing waitress work at the Requisition Club four times a week now. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I worked steadily all the morning and accomplished a lot and now as soon as I finish this I am going to write to my son Capt. Deeble. I told you in my last letter that he has been a captain since March eleventh. War Dept. orders published June 17". None of my friends or acquaintances have heard from overseas since I have and we all think some mail has been lost. Your last letter to me was dated June 18" and I recieved it two weeks ago yesterday. July 16". So you see the last I know of you is now six weeks old. I am enclosing a part of the wrapping of the soap I use which is no longer possible to get in this country. Please make a note of it and if you are ever near the place see if it is still manufactured and when you come home I will get you to bring some. Don't try to send it now as I have enough to last several months. I wonder how your letter of credit stands now. Don't fail to give me plenty of time to have it renewed. This Government is taking all the platinum in the country and is asking private citizens not only not to buy platinum in jewelry but to give up what they have already. Lots of love always. Devotedly Mother" |