Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family

Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958

WWP23033

1919 April 26

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.

My dearest,

    Herewith cheque for £35 which I am hastening to send off to you in case of a postal strike on May 1st. Let me know when you receive it; also tell me the name of your Bank; I am not quite sure about it, and then I can cross further cheques accordingly, for additional safety.

    I received yours of the 22nd allright along with those of the bairns, and am delighted to hear about their wellbeing, and also of yours, dear. I am sorry to hear that Father has been having a touch of the old enemy again; let us hope he will pull through once more. Here it continues cold and disagreeable. I am surprised to hear about “heat” in London; the wind is extremely chilly here and just now rain is falling heavily. I am just scribbling this off before going to take a few hours rest, as I am on the desk again tonight which seems to have become a regular feature now. However I lost no time in claiming the Friday off, the same as my predecessor on the Saturday night job, so that I have Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Half the latter two of course I have to sleep; but it gives me a chance of going about town more, and seeing the shops.

    I am puzzled what to get for Bill when I come home; perhaps you could give me an idea; I had thought of a miniature German helmet made into an ink pot, but perhaps he would not care for that. The girls are easy, but I cannot think of anything for the boy. However there is plenty of time yet.

    This morning I went into the Bois de Boulogne for the first time; it is a lovely place; the Hague woods are a small reproduction of it.

    In the Daily Mail, American edition, I discovered the death of one Isaac Bouman described as the head of a prominent family of Bouman, South Carolina. It is rather strange that there should be a place of that name in America; I had never heard of it, and it is also spelt with a u. All the Americans here have been asking me if it is a relation.

    I am getting on with my story of the trip which I am typing; it has got to be quite a volume, and I do it in odd hours between editions. I might have finished it on my off day yesterday, but I avoided the office on purpose, so as not to get saddled with any work, which is apt to happen if one is there.

    I hope you will be able to get into the house at the half quarter; of course you will tell me so that I can direct letters accordingly.

    The town is full of British sailors just now – Admiral Beatty’s visit, and everybody is very excited about the Italians quitting, and what it is going to come to, the Lord alone knows.

    Well, I am off to by bye for a few hours.

    Love to all from

PS I put £40 into my Bank (via its Paris Office) on the 22nd and I was told that bankers’ letters always take 5 or 6 days to get through, but I expect that by the time the cheque reaches you, the £40 will have been credited OK. I am only telling you in the improbable case that my remittance had not arrived.

J.

Letter

Bouman Family