My Grandfather’s Words: Tuesday July 30, 1918

August 16, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

Weather is hot. A fast wind blew a few clouds racing across the sky.

At breakfast there were spuds, coffee, and fresh peaches. For lunch roast pork, spuds and gravy, and pudding, bread and water were on offer. At supper there was stew, peas, pumpkin pie, bread, and lemonade.

Up at 6:05. Hurried and bathed and dressed by 6:20. I took the adhesive tape off my body last evening and my ribs are a little sore. They bothered me quite a bit today. Same old job, same old heat. Took up an ice fund last P.M. and bought 30 cents worth today. I have 16 cents for tomorrow. Most of the fellows are glad to give a nickel or so for ice.

I found a bug of some kind in my food this A.M. The find nearly sickened me right there at the mess table. I got out as quick as I could and spit and spit and washed my mouth out & washed my teeth. I had spat the bug out on my handkerchief. After I got outside I felt better. It sure put a curb on my eating for the rest of the day. I can even feel the nausea yet this evening.

I had two letters from Dearest today. She is feeling good and is out at Aunt Francis’s today. It seems their home has a kind of restful effect on one & I am glad she is there. It surely seems hard to be so far apart, but God knows best. I am praying that He will soon bring us together again.

The paper stated this A. M. that Turkey had broken with Germany. I think if she has, it will be the beginning of the end. Please God it may be.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Monday July 29, 1918

August 16, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

The weather is as usual, very hot. The evening was cool though.

We had hot cakes with syrup for breakfast, along with bread and coffee and half an orange. For lunch I ate beans, bread with jam, water, and pudding. At supper there was stew, cold tea, cornbread, and peach cobbler.

I was up at 6:15 and had breakfast at the usual time. I finished Mother’s letter and sent it. I think she will be home by this time. She was in Waterloo, but was going to Clayton. They are pretty busy up there at this time of year. The harvest and thrashing are on full blast. I hear harvest “hands” are getting as high as five dollars a day. Men who cultivate the corn are asking as much as three dollars a day. That is a lot of money for such work.

I worked in the corrals this morning as usual and then this evening I worked in the corrals. The “TOP” gave us all a lecture about asking for a transfer from one unit of the remount to another and another. He said is was useless to bother him with requests for transfer. He has tried to get one himself and failed to obtain it. I don’t know why they are so hard on the men that way. We can not ever ask for a transfer from detail to detail here in the camp. We have to be satisfied with our present jobs & be glad we have it. (Or make believe we are glad to have it any how.)

I wrote to Aunt Francis tonight, and Honey Girl, too. Dear Girl. I had a dream last night about her. I thought I had lost her & I went mad. Then I woke up from the anguish of it. Thank God it was just a dream & she is not taken from me yet.

God is very good to me. I am not worthy of the least of His mercies.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Sunday July 28, 1918

August 9, 2017 Rebecca Nolen 2 Comments

Weather: hot

At breakfast I had scrambled eggs, bread, and coffee. For lunch I ate chicken stew, spuds, bread, and water. I also had a coke. Supper was good, chicken and cabbage slaw, and cocoa cookies.

I was up rather late, but in time for reveille. Last evening I went to town (Waco) and spend $5.50, too much to spend. And this evening I spend $2.05. I bought a service flag for Honey Girl & a book on non-commissioned officers’ duties for myself. I don’t know if I will get a warrant or not, but if I do have the chance for an examination I want to be ready for it. Continue reading My Grandfather’s Words: Sunday July 28, 1918 →

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Saturday July 27, 1918

August 6, 2017 Rebecca Nolen 2 Comments

Weather is hot and clear. For breakfast I ate 2 little peaches, fried spuds, coffee, bread, and grape-nuts. For lunch we had beans, meat, bread, spuds, and water. At supper we had apples, sliced boiled beef, bread, water, and peas.

Up at 6:15. Skipped my bath. Had to report to the doctor. I told him I thought I was fine for work. He grinned and said, “Alright. Try it anyhow.” I went out and told Sergeant Hitgler to give me a light job as I had a cracked rib. So he set me to watching the horses. I was to keep them from running from one side of the corral to the other while they were cleaning the corral. They would push the stock from one side to the other. They set several men to watch them.

This evening I helped push the water cart around. Then I went into Waco. I met with George –. I got to talking to him and I told him about the Lord Jesus. He professed to be saved. He is a member of a church they call “Of the Apostolic Faith.” I can hardly make him out as he seems to believe in faith healing and many other things that I interpret differently. He is married and his wife is with him here in Waco.

I went to the soldier’s club and to the canteen. There I got into a conversation with one of the ladies who is in charge. I inquired about work for nurses there & also about rooms to let. In her opinion there was plenty of work for nurses here. I then went up to the Amicable Bldg to interview some of the doctors there regarding the same thing. Only saw one doctor, but he spoke very favorably regarding the need for nurses there.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Friday July 26, 1918

August 6, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

The weather today was hot though I felt a breeze when I was in the shade.

For breakfast we had cakes & syrup, and coffee. At lunch we had spuds, onions, and pudding. At supper we had tomatoes, water, and pie.

I was up at 6:15 and on time for reveille. I reported sick again today, the ribs being pretty sore. The doctor marked me “quarters” again. I have a letter from Mary Girl. She is well, but doesn’t know what to do about coming down here. I wrote back and asked her to talk to God about it. I am, too. If He opens a way down, a job, and a home, then I believe He would have us together down here in Texas. Continue reading My Grandfather’s Words: Friday July 26, 1918 →

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Thursday July 25, 1918

July 17, 2017 Rebecca Nolen 1 Comment

The weather today was hot and windy. The thermometer reads 102 degree F. at 7:00 PM, but the breeze makes it seem cool.

For breakfast this morning we had hot spuds, coffee, cornflakes, & milk. Oh! and one peach. For dinner we had cabbage, sugared spuds, bread, boiled ham, & water. For supper we had mince pie, bread & water, carrots, and spuds.

Up again at 6:15 and passed up my bath, breakfast was at 6:30. I went on sick report & was marked “quarters” for today. My ribs are pretty sore from the horse’s kick yesterday. They will likely be sore for a few days. I read and tried to think and read some more until the A.M mail came. A dear letter from Sweetheart Wife. She is well, but is lonely, too. I seems strange sometimes that we are separated this way. She, way up there in Waterloo & I down here. Yet God knows best and we try to be patient under His hand. She sent me two snapshots of herself, too. My heart longs for her. For a moment these pictures bring her nearer. Maybe she will come down here. Yet, I don’t know whether it is best she come or not. I can only pray that God will open the way soon for us to be together again.

We signed the pay roll. I expect we will get our pay about the second of August.

I wrote up some of my journal’s back pages this evening. I started this the second of July & was drafted the 9th of May. I have quite a bit of back history to write up. Of course I won’t be able to remember all occurrences but will do the best I can.

At this time, the horses that are going overseas are all sorted. They finished this A.M. It seems there are but twelve hundred to go, instead of the twenty-seven hundred I had heard were going. There is always talk flying around here.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Wednesday July 24, 1918

June 27, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

Weather is very windy and dusty, but fairly cool.

Our breakfast today was corn cakes with syrup, Grapenuts cereal, native peaches, bread, and coffee. For dinner we had roast pork and spuds, bread, water, and pudding. Our supper was Lima beans, bread and water, spuds, and watermelon.

I was up at 5:15 and was too sleepy and lazy. I passed up my bath. The first call was at five this A.M. and mess call was at 6:30. There will be no reveille or retreat until this bunch of horses is on its way to England. I hear they are taking 2,500. I had haltered a bunch of horses when Lt. Eggleston slated me to be one of the men to lead the horses past the examining officers. So I helped lead horses the rest of the morning. In the afternoon I was engaged in haltering again. There were a few “outlaws” from the morning left in the little corral near the warehouse. I attempted to halter them. I had caught and haltered two of them, when I was working up a third when he kicked me in the right side in the region of the short ribs. I was banged against the fence, but managed to get me wind again. I finally got over the fence and propped up against a telephone pole for awhile. Top sent me down to the infirmary. There they said no ribs were broken. They strapped me up with some tape and told me to take it easy awhile. It was a pretty sore place tonight, but hope it will be right in the morning.

I had a letter from Honey Girl & wrote her. I wrote to Oliver, too, this evening. It is presently nine-thirty. I will head to bed soon.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Tuesday July 23, 1918

May 21, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

It is windy and dusty and rather cool. It looks like rain.

For breakfast we had butter biscuits and cornmeal mush with fried spuds and coffee. At dinner (lunch) there was roast beef and spuds, pudding, peaches, bread and water. At supper I ate butter beans, beef stew, bread and water, and cake.

I was up at 6:15 bathed and in my fatigues by 6:23, just in time for reveille. I pushed the water cart again this A.M.

I wrote to Mary and Mother. Heard from them both. Last week Mother was in Waterloo over Sunday. She was going to Abbeville, but changed her mind and decided to go to Clayton. Mary went with her to help her decide on a location for herself and the boys (my stepbrothers). I wish I had been there, too.

I went to the hospital this evening, but the glasses were still not there. They said they would call for me when they arrived.

There is a British colonel here today looking over the horses in the corrals with a view to purchasing a number for his government. They say he is to take away 2,700. I was pushing the water cart this afternoon at the hospital. Tomorrow I will be trotting horses out for the British inspection. Supper wasn’t until 6:30 this evening. The “top” announced there would be no retreat or reveille until after the 2,700 are out.

It will be some job. Each animal has to be led in front of the British officers. They will examine the horse all over. Then each horse will be trotted to show the horse’s paces & whether the horse is stiff or not. There will be two officers, each inspecting a horse at a time. It will be pretty slow. It should take a week or more. I may get to go along to some sea port with some of them.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Monday July 22, 1918

May 1, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

It was cool this A.M., but when the sun was high it got hot.

Breakfast consisted of prunes, bread and coffee, and fried spuds. Dinner (lunch) was weiners and kraut, bread & water, and a nice pudding. For supper we had sheep meat stew, spuds, fried carrots, cocoa, & cake.

I got up at 6:15. Passed on my bath. I had to go to hospital at 10:00. I went on sick call to get my hospital order signed. When I went I discovered my glasses were not there. I will have to go back again tomorrow evening.

I had a letter from Mary Dear this morning. Mother is there in Waterloo. I didn’t know she was to be there yet. Mary doesn’t know what to do hardly. She thinks she should stay and look after Aunt Frances & she would like to come down here to be near me, too.

I worked on the hay gang this P.M. We unloaded hay from the train cars. We took three loads to the corrals, thirty-five bales per load.

Our top sergeant read an order this evening at retreat relating to military courtesy & discipline. It stated there was to be a high official here from Washington & some English officers with him. They were to take some animals over for the British government. We were to be on our best behavior. I hope we don’t disappoint him.

Rumor is that the British officers are to take all the animals that are fit to go at this time. I hope they do. Chances are some of us will get a chance at a different job.

We had a dust storm this evening. It was so dusty & windy I couldn’t see the riding barn from where I was not far away. Finally got to my tent. Dust covered everything. I had a good bath. In bed by 10:00.

My Grandfather's Diary

My Grandfather’s Words: Sunday July 21, 1918

April 29, 2017 Rebecca Nolen Leave a comment

The weather today was fair. It was cool this morning.

For breakfast I had an orange, hot cakes, spuds, and coffee. For lunch they served chicken, spuds and gravy, cake for dessert. The lemonade was sour. I ate supper downtown. I had a bowl of soup and apple pie with ice cream.

I was lazy this morning and didn’t get up until 6:20. I had a bath and cleaned my teeth. I shaved after breakfast. After reading my Bible and praying for a while I went over to the top sergeant’s office and asked for a chance to do something besides the bull gang. I asked him for the job in the saddlery shop under Sergeant Sladek. He gave me all the encouragement he could and promised to try and get me in.

After inspection Ralph and I had a nice conversation. I let him read CWR’s answer to those who oppose conscription or war on the grounds that it isn’t scriptural. Ralph doesn’t agree with some of the things CWR brings out. I didn’t argue with him as I want him to see it only if God will have him see it.

After noon mess I went downtown to look around a little. I had a letter from Honey Girl in the A.M & I answered it at the town Y this P.M. I walked down and I got back about 10. I was tired but did not sleep very well.