13 April 1919
Dear Parents, Bro & Sis, I received your most welcome letter and was glad to hear from you. I am well and feeling fine. The weather is warming up a bit now, makes a fellow think of spring. The snow is melting very fast. I am glad to hear that I have another cousin.28 I hope I may be home soon to see it. I bet "dad" was busier than the devil when he was making those thing(s) in the cellar, "Ha". I bet everything runs smooth and nice. I long to see it. It is so long since I tinker(ed) around a auto or gas engine that I almost forgot how they look. I have been studying up some little (sic) I might do when I get back. Some wonderful ideas a fellow can think about sometimes before he goes to sleep. It must of seem(ed) quite queer this winter for you not to have much snow. Seems as though it must of follow(ed) the 339th to Russia, we had plenty up here. When you see Irene tell her to go to Ypsi(Ypsilanti, Mich.) again and return before her said date, maybe I may return too. Ha-Ha, Tee-Hee. Well I am glad all those fellows returned home, maybe someday soon I shall be on my way. So mother is going to "vote". I will be darned. I hope she votes it wet.29 That is certainly tough luck for Frank’s family. It is certainly a hard thing to forget for Fred’s family with all the trouble they are having.30 I think I will close for now, until later. With best wishes and regards to all, I am your loving son, Clement.
PS: Do not worry about me if you do not hear from me oftener than you expected, for I am busy at some other details. I will try to write at least once a week now. I also received the post cards. Some day I may be wandering in. Let’s hope soon. Good night, Clem |
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28 probably Rose Ann Grobbel, daughter of Bernard and Catherine (Ohlert) Grobbel
29 Women in Michigan had just received the right to vote via an amendment to the state constitution that was approved by the voters on Nov. 5, 1918. Prohibitionists had recently been successful in making Michigan a "dry" state, effective May 1, 1918.
30 Frank Grobbel, his wife Mary, and three of their four children all died in Jan. 1919 of Spanish Influenza. Frank's father, Ferdinand (Fred) died on Feb. 21, 1919 of pneumonia; only five years earlier, Frank's sister was fatally injured while cutting firewood and a brother lost a hand in a piece of farm machinery
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