Cooper, Ethel – August 1918
4.8.18
My dear Emmie,
This is, so to speak, New Year’s Day, the beginning of the 5th year! As far as I can make out, the Germans must have evacuated Soissons – they don’t say so, of course – they say, as usual, that their ‘movements have, according to plan, been carried out with complete success’, but there is a sentence at the end – ‘fighting north and east of Soissons’, and I fail to see how they could be fighting there unless they have evacuated the town.
11.8.18
My dear Emmie,
Here we wait patiently for the summer, instead of which, the leaves are turning brown and yellow – it rains almost without ceasing….
18.8.18
My dear Emmie,
I had a pleasant surprise a few days ago in the form of a letter from aunt Mary and a cheque for £10, through the Consulate – and the cheque at the present rate of exchange brought me just about £14, which is a great help, as I have had no money from Mr. Bullock since about Easter, and had to borrow £5 from Sandor’s bank book.
25.8.18
My dear Emmie,
Life is so quiet and monotonous just now, that it is only through my Sunday letter to you that I am reminded of a new week. The two important moments of each day are those when the morning and evening papers come. Then I get out a big general staff atlas and follow the line of our advance over the poor little villages and towns that only exist now on maps. It goes slowly when compared to the German rush forward over the same ground five months ago, but it is steady and hopeful.
