I wish you a happy Christmas

May - 5 - 17
Some Where in France

Dear Sister, -

I am writing this letter to tell you or at least to tell mother that I received three boxes that were sent about the second of April but as yet have had no letters, I could see by the past mark that mother is in Bin (?) well the last letter I had was in January when mother said that she was going to N.Y. to visit you and of course I did not no whether she would stay or not so I will have you forward this letter to her.

Well mother I want to thank you very much for the parcels which were just fine but that chocolate cake makes me want to get home but of course at present it does not look very promising at present, some days it seems as if the war would not last very long but agoin it seems that the end is not in sight, Ill tell you if it was a war where it was man to man we would win in a hurry because the Germans are cowards at heart they will fight until you get up close to them and then throw up there hands and ask for mercy but the only good one is the ded one but as it is the fight is against artillery and when there are shells coming that you can see in the air you no they are not very small and it makes it that the infantry dont have a fighting chance but I dont think Fritz has got my number on any of his shells well hope not anyway.

Well the weather is very hot lately it seemed to jump right from winter to summer without any spring but I can stand a lot of this weather in preference to the weather that we went through last winter. The weather must be fine at home now and I would like to be there the way I compare out here with home is that a fellow is like a fellow in jail only you have more privileges but what gets a fellow is not being able to talk French of course you have lots of fellows to talk to but sometimes you get a kind of craving to get back and talk to some of your own people and maybe a nice young lady to.

Well I hope that Louise is well I will write her a letter one of these days.

I want to thank Aunt Jessie for the cake she sent me I haven't tasted it yet but will tonight and I know it will be good I hope she & Uncle Willie & Aunt Maggie are well.

Well Ill tell you Im hoping to get a letter soon from you and I think its about time when you start answering all the letters that I have wrote lately I surely will get some news. Well I hope you are feeling well and dont worry about me because Ill be coming back one of these fine days I hope.

I hope Catherine that you and all the family are well so I will close With Lots of Love
John

I wish when you write that you would let me know if you get my money alwright if not why write & see about it and I have written several letters asking you to send me some money well if you have sent any since Christmas I have not received them.