6| June 26, 1916

Transcript

Monday- June 26, -‘16

Mr. P.J. Nelson,

Slayton, Minnesota.

Dear Julius, Mary and Ozmond [sic]:

                  I want to write you just a few lines and let you know that we have arrived on this side with out [sic] any mishaps.

                  We are now lying in the mouth of the Rhone [sic] river, waiting for the tide to rise that we may go on to Bordeaux and then after a rather rigid examination in the morning at Bordeaux, we will be permitted to land.

                  On account of traverse- the danger zone, we ran all of last night with all lights out and we all had to stay on deck throughout the night, with our life belts handy. On the stern of our boat was mounted a 75-cm gun, which was ready in case of necessity.

                  I was sick the first day and a half out from New York but have been feeling fine excepting that.

                  The other night was staged a benefit, for the Fund for the Relief of French Wounded. I was put on the program for a mandolin solo and they seemed to rather like it. On board our boat happened to be two French opera stars. They both took part in the program. Afterwards the prima donna auctioned off a kiss. It sold for seventy-five francs to a Japanese [sic]. The lady did not want to kiss the Jap [sic], so for some reason or other she picked me out from the crowd and I was called upon to perform the osculatory stunt.

                  There are a nice bunch of fellows on board from Harvard, Yale and Princeton, who are going into this same service as myself. They are all sons of wealthy people, and I think they will make nice companions.

                  As the mail is leaving I will close.

                  Mail will reach me in case of American Express Co., 11 Rue Scribt, Paris.

                  I’ll write more from Paris.

                  With love to all,

                                    Your brother Luther

Metadata

Title: Letter 6, Luther Nelson to Brother Julius, Mary, and Ozmond
Date: 1916 June 26
Collection: RG1/051, Luther Nelson Collection, 1916-1918
Repository: Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs
Creator: Nelson, Luther
Publisher: Digitized by AFS staff in 2016.
Rights Statement: This item cannot be reproduced outside the guidelines of United States Fair Use (17 U.S.C., Section 107) without advance permission of the Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs. In the event that this letter becomes a source for publication, a credit line indicating the Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs is required.
Digital ID: 1_051_6