Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958

WWP23032

1919 April 23

Letter from Jon Bouman to his family.

Gift of William C. and Evelina Suhler

Correspondence

Paris Peace Conference (1919-1920)

Rachel Dark

Denise Montgomery

Austin Shifflett

English

Evelina Suhler is the granddaughter of Jon Anthony Bouman and inherited the family collection of his letters from the years of World War I. She and her husband gave the letters to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum in 2013.

    Your letter written on Good Friday received O.K. Since I came back from my trip, I have had to do three nights night work because the night editor went for a trip to the front in the office motor with Frank Grundy, so we were rather short handed for a couple of days. They however didn’t make the grand tour which I did, and I am writing a story about it specially for you and the children, and to keep for future reading. It would be interesting to go over the same ground again in say ten years time. So I will tell you nothing now about the trip itself.

    I must write the children about Bank Holiday in Paris, or rather its equivalent. There was a fair on, much like the Hampstead Heath.

    I should have loved to see the children in their fancy dress; the picture you give of Betty makes me wish I had a photo of her.

    Young Moloney reforwarded some letters from Amsterdam very carefully, as they were addressed to you. They were opened, and scrutinized no doubt, by French censor, but one was a Salvation Army Appeal and the other a bookmakers price list!

    Who do you think I met suddenly last night? Oulahan, who came over to London after Chamberlain’s death, and who, you remember, discharged me; then afterwards I was reinstated by Luby and Oulahan himself was sacked. He is the New York Times principal man here and a person of considerable importance. He told me he is a grandfather now, but he doesn’t look it. I never had anything against Oulahan, and was rather pleased to see him again.

    You must tell me what the children thought of Midsummer Night’s Dream; I shall be very interested.

    It looks as though I am permanently saddled with the Saturday night job; but I get an extra day off for it, and as the weather is now getting better, I shall not mind much except for the upset in meal times &c. However, one gets used to everything.

Letter

Bouman Family