France

July 14, 1918

Dear Mother,

To day I believe is the anniversary of two historic events, the Fall of the Bastille and your birth-day. The first took place in 1789, the second in 1865. I figured out the second date a good many years ago, though I can still remember the time when it took some figuring. May you live to enjoy many more and happy birthdays!

By this time I suppose you are back from Clifton Springs. The rest will have done you good I am sure and it is to be hoped that they taught you how to keep on jetting better. Being of somewhat the same temperament as yourself I shall take it upon me to prescribe for you a regimen of living which must be strictly follows. First – All the sleep and rest which you can possibly get. I don’t believe that a person can have too much sleep provided that it is natural and not due to doping of any kind. Second – A diet as varied as possible nourishing but not heavy. Third – A little moderate exercise every day. Fourth – (Very important) A quiet mind. This is partly a gift and partly a matter of training.

There you see how I can talk like a ‘Physical Culture’ magazine or ‘Peace, Power and Plenty’. However at their lowest valuation there rules can’t do you any harm.

No mail from home this week except ‘The Star’. Will hopes to be able to get down to see me in a few days. We are much closer together now than we were before. Perhaps we may be able to get our leave about the same time again. At any rate for both of us it seems to be a good distance away.

Best of love to everybody. This letter is just a little ‘exter’. If I get some mail this afternoon I’ll write a longer letter this evening.

Affectionately,

George