Wild Rumors

Spalato, Dalmatia
July 18, 1919

Dear Mother,

It's now about 7 p.m. and I just came ashore to get a bunch of lemons so we can make lemonade tonight. We played the sub chasers ball team today and won 10-5, so I had to go back to the ship and take a bath and dress before I came over. Two hours is all the liberty I want anyway, and I can barely stretch out my time to last that long.

The past few days have been cool and raining half the time. It was down to 60 degrees for a while, but now it's getting warmer again -- almost up to 80 degrees.

Tomorrow is inspection day, so will have to rise early and clean up around the bridge before 9 o'clock. We rate liberty at noon again tomorrow, but I think we have another ball game scheduled then so I'll be glad to have something to do in the p.m.

Went down to the beach again. Their beach is splendid here and the water is just as clear as can be, but it's entirely too salty. I would much rather swim in fresh.

And so we are the proud possessors of a Winton Six now [Ed. note: a 6-cylinder car manufactured by the Winton Motor Carriage Company around the early 20th century]. That's fine, and I'm glad you got rid of the old REO before it was too late to get anything for it.

There are wild rumors that we are due back to the States by the middle of August, but I don't think so, for Mr. Dashiell told me that we were to be the last ship to leave out of this bunch.

And so Kathy and Everett are married at last. Where do they live now? When are Earle and Martha going to have a wedding?

Got my hair cut again today, and these barbers do a pretty good job considering the fact that they can't understand enough English to know how you want it done. They more than rake you over when they shave -- I really believe they are worse than Navy barbers when it comes to shaving.

Am sitting here eating K of C doughnuts and drinking their coffee. I've about stopped drinking coffee aboard, it's getting to be so poor.

Two new destroyers just came in here -- the 167 and 147. One's name is the Roper but I don't know the other -- have forgotten rather. Every ship that comes in makes more work for us, for it's just that much more signaling to be done. And when several ships are lying in the harbor we have to keep a sharp lookout, or when two or three call at once we will miss out. When we are by ourselves a watch is just a formality, and we have to do is write in the log once an hour.

Love to you all,
From your son,
Heywood

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