(15) Letter: Jack Bentley to Cornelia Bentley, December 17, 1918.

Urback, Germany Dec 17 - 1918 My Dearest Mother, Owing to a lack of paper I am doubling up this note to one of Elzas. so don't feel hurt but rather than not right at all I am going to end this home. Imagion how I feel mother with not much chance of hearing from thee for at least another month & the last information I had was that Eliza had been operated on & I can't help but worry about her. I have my little pictures yet oof Eliza, Mildred, Robert & Charley, thee & father and I carried them through ever battle & on our 220 mile hike. Things on the place I would so love to know about whether the hogs have been killed if they were good, what is the condition of money matters some times I can't see how I can help from being 1000 dollars in debt with the 500 due thee also 125 that thee loaned me and wages - gee it gets my goat - what the steers weighed how the cows, dogs, horses & most of all how thee is. I must get home by spring I hope and yet one doesn't know. I almost know I will be here when thee gets this letter and then we will be a month getting back to a portt & then another month to Michagan and then 40 hrs to Wash. Oh boy, some day, that. Tell the men that I have just conpleted 220 miles of walking and that I think of them often. Ask Clarence to take good care of the stock & to clean the stables up as he always has done, try and keep crushed corn for cattle.

I am living in a house now, Billeted rather, a real old couple & one woman about 40 who's husband was killed in the war. They are very kind to me even bring wood up so that I may build a fire. Mother ask Mr. Snowden if he relizes that he has never written to me & if that is all he thinks of me - that I have written twice to him. I am now making notes on my trip over here & expect to start in writting a sort of history of my trip for nobody in particular but for my own personel satisfaction, there is lots I haven't told thee but will try and tell thee all when I return. Thee sees I write to someone and tell them a lot so I am not sure if I tell thee all I know & haven't because you can't write all. I must close as my ink is [out?] With Love Jack O.K. Jno Bentley 1st Lt. U.S.