I am delighted to know of the Kilburn Hall project. By all means buy the Hall; it will be an excellent investment. Property is now very cheap in England, and prices will rise as soon as the war is over. I hope to be able to spend my summers in France after the war, and I have the place in mind--only about a day’s run from London. I am absolutely in love with France, its people, its villages, its mountains, everything about it. America would do well to copy its attitude in the war. It has suffered tremendous hardships with dignity and humour and kept its sanity and faith. America, to judge by the papers, grows hysterical over a little self-denial; can’t do without an extra lump of sugar in its tea without a band and speeches and “sugarless” Sundays. It is funny and rather pathetic to us soldiers. But I honestly think, although it may seem conceited to say so, that when we soldiers get back from the war we will do the spiritual and intellectual life of the States a lot of good. France has taught us lessons of infinite value. I am having an absolutely Heavenly time since I joined the Intelligence Section. I wouldn’t change places with any soldier of any rank in any outfit. This suits me better than any job I ever had in civil life. The cake is not yet here. I will soak it in wine all right, don’t worry about that. Speaking of wine, enclosed find some flowers given me by a very nice wine-shop girl in a city near here. “Madelon” is a perfectly respectable song, but “Madelon” is not a gun or anything else of the sort; it is the name of the girl who serves wine to the soldiers, as the song clearly states. Yours affectionately, JOYCE. * * * * * June 14th, 1918. Dear Mother: There is a chance that I will be able to get to England on a seven days’ leave in a few weeks. In that case I shall probably spend most of my time in London, with a possible visit to Oxfordshire, where my friend Mrs. Denis Eden lives. I wish there was something I could do for you to expedite the purchase of Kilburn Hall, but since the Archbishop of Yorkshire is in the States you should, yourself, be able to make a deal with him. English real estate is a wise investment these days; it will go up fifty per cent in a year’s time. I wish I could afford to buy some property in this country. I certainly would like to live here. If the States go “dry” I honestly think I will move my family over here. I can write for American papers without living in America. Then if you move to Kilburn Hall I will be only a day’s trip away from you, and you will love rural France almost as much as you love rural England. Learn to sing “Madelon.” Affectionately yours, JOYCE.