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two pounds of the stuff.  The old Frenchman liked it. I gave him the whole bag as a present.  Madame his daughter hugged me in the presence of her husband.  They had had trouble, she said, getting tabac for papa.  It was rationed and the rations were skimpy.

Next day our ride turned out pretty much as I had expected.  Sands looked for rough ground to ride over.  He jumped gullies and small streams.  Then he would stop, turn around and watch us.  The sergeant had given me a big sorrel that took all the jumps.  Some of the horses refused to jump so that their riders had to dismount and lead them .  Two or three men fell off during the ride.  I made it all with no trouble.

We got back to battalion headquarters past the middle of the afternoon.  Sands gave us a late lunch there.  Our dinner was served at the battery mess an hour or so later and I wasn't hungry, so I went to my billet without eating.

We had been told that the maneuvers were finished, and that everyone would be allowed to sleep until 8 o'clock next morning, after which we were to return home to Marly.  I went to bed with that prospect in mind.  It was not so to be.  Next day brought my first and only meeting with General Pershing.  It was also the most uncomfortable day of my military career.

^[[Love, Dad]]