Frank "Happy" Stegemann letter to Estella Wilferth - January 5, 1918
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[January 5, 1918] Camp Funston, Kansas January 5th [1918] Sweetheart." Your most welcome letter was received yesterday and oh girl how glad I was to get it you can't imagine. I realize that you were busy around Christmas and your are forgiven for not answering sooner. I was sure some lonesome and that I guess has something to do with the last letter I wrote you. Say you sure got some long letters from me and real often too. Well girlie I had the time and I thought Id write cause some day I may not have the chance to write and then all of these will have to make up for that time too. Im ever so glad my old pal Sanning is back he is right here with me now also writing to some one and of course you can guess who. haha Say Estella I don't like the one picture wich you sent him that one is where you are cuddled up so close to him. Make any old time its just him I don't care I assure you and I think you just took a dandy picture.
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[page 2] I accused him of trying to steal my girl and don't you know he had the nerve to say he only wished he could. Any old time we don't get along there sure is something wrong you can believe me. Guess you had a good old time on the dance again and more so then Thanksgiving. how about that girlie! Oh yes I seen Hubert Lauf some days ago before he left here but only a few moments as you will remember I never was a great friend of his but now we are all in the same game some of those things are forgotten. Sanning had to go to the range yesterday for the first time and only about 12 of us stayed in and had a scouting patrol again yesterday I had good luck on my tour as the Lieutenant called me to his office last night and said I had turned in a very good report of my days work as a scout. Am acting corporal again now for some days don't know just how long. We had Battalion parade this morning and have this afternoon off. Ino I haven't rec'd any [ms illegible: 1 wd] from Kremers lately but maybe that was something like my Brother sent me one and Ive never gotten it yet. Believe me Sanning is glad to be back with us again for he missed us same as I missed him I guess. We are in the K of C hall writing and all the music why it makes me feel as tho I were with you.
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I certainly meant what I said when I said that Id never drink to much again but I also said Id take a drink when I thought it would do me good and I think no one ought to care and Im sure you won't or you wouldn't have asked me to drink that beer of yours at Koettings you say you will write oftener in this New Year and oh Ill be so glad if you do. Now listen Estella your name is only mentioned to Sanning and very seldom to Glenn and to no one else. Yes Ill take that back cause Oscar Olt knows Im writing to you. Now you don't think I'd talk about you do you? No no girlie cause I certainly dont want any one else to write you cause then I wouldn't be getting as many letters from you and I want more all the time. They are having a Basket Ball game here in the hall now and some noise I can assure you. Theodore is so busy writing he never even answers me when I ask him something. Had a Lecture last night in the
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[page 4] Y.M.C.A and it was real good too. Its getting cold here again but we have no snow and Im glad of it for snow is bad up here with all the wind we have here. Girlie I had some of that candy you sent Theodore and it was certainly good. And listen you remember I told you I had rec'd a box of Candy from two girls from Columbia Mo. Well I wrote them a letter and just rec'd an answer today from one of them her home is in some little town in Illinois she write a very nice letter I showed it to Sanning and he also thought it was a dandy letter. Nothing that you wouldent was [ms illegible: 1 wd] in that letter all about war she was saying she had 4 Cousins in the army and that she knew all about army life a real interesting letter you know. If I havent burnt it yet Ill send you some parts of it. Yes you can just bet Id bein tickled if I could have been at the dance but now Im in the army is the slogan here and we must get used to missing such as dances drinks etc. But we think of those days gone by real often you can just mark that. Soon we will have to go back to our Barracks for we stand a roll call again this evening and all will have to be present. No excuse goes here you know and I havent missed one roll call since Im here in camp.
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Guess youve heard of Emil Bruemmer getting married again at Sedalia Mo? How are the folks and say did Cotton [ms illegible: 1 wd] ever git his card I sent him and what did he say about it? I just happened to think of him and had a card left so I sent it to him. When I came back here or on my way back rather some little girl at Otterville Mo gave me her address and I sent her a card for Christmas and I rec'd a letter from her Parents some days thanking me for same. They stated that the kid thought more of the card then any other present from Santa. She was just as pretty as she could be I should Judge her 8 or 9 years old maybe not that old for her mother had to hold her up to the car window so she could give me her address. Im glad now that I sent her a card and Ill send her another one some day. Her father wrote and invited me to stop of and see them when I went home again. But hardly cause Ill be on my way to you and nothing will stop me.
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[page 6] In our parade this morning I certainly thought of you for we were near the Kansas River and it made me think of the day we were at Adam Meyer at the bridge when we had our picture taken. The place looked so much like that place down there. The Band was playing all morning while we were drilling and its easy to drill to a good march I love to drill then. I think I told you that we had a bunch of new officers well they are certainly a nice bunch of men I must say that for them Lots of visitors in Camp Funston again this afternoon as this is the 1st Saturday of the month and they are allowed in camp on that day and also on the last Saturday of each month. Its cloudy and smoky here this P.M. sand and dust flying a person can hardly be out and [ms illegible: 1 wd] we don't have to drill this afternoon. Dear you must excuse me for that last letter I wrote for I don't really know myself what I did write. I dont think I wrote anything to hurt your feeling and if I did forget it dear for I certainly did not mean anything by it. Will have to close for today or Ill have to send it by parcel post haha. With Love I remain Sincerely Happy. x
Details
| Title | Frank "Happy" Stegemann letter to Estella Wilferth - January 5, 1918 |
| Creator | Stegemann, Frank W. |
| Source | Stegemann, Frank W. Letter to Estella Wilferth. 05 January 1918. Wilferth, Estella (1896-1978) Papers, 1912-1962. C3035. The State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO. |
| Description | In this January 5th, 1917, letter to Estella Wilferth, Frank "Happy" Stegemann wrote of his ongoing affection for her and the daily happenings at Camp Funston. |
| Subject LCSH | Love-letters; Camp Funston (Kan.) |
| Subject Local | WWI; World War I |
| Site Accession Number | C3035 |
| Contributing Institution | The State Historical Society of Missouri |
| Copy Request | Transmission or reproduction of items on these pages beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the State Historical Society of Missouri: 1020 Lowry Street, Columbia, Missouri, 65201-7298. (573) 882-7083. |
| Rights | The text and images contained in this collection are intended for research and educational use only. Duplication of any of these images for commercial use without express written consent is expressly prohibited. |
| Date Original | January 5, 1918 |
| Language | English |