he says that by this time they always have their garden made, & their fruit trees & vines planted.  This spring there is nothing of the kind done.  Well just as I finished the "done" the drumbeat for us to fall in for inspection.  I went of course, & then I thought as we would leave to morrow, I would go down to town & have my picture taken & send it you.  You will see from the date of this that it is sunday & perhaps I did wrong to do so.  I will explain, I have been waiting on a man here to pay me some money & he has not paid it yet, & we were not aware that we were to leave here until late yesterday eve so I thought that I would go & have it taken as it is the last chance at least for a good while.  It is taken & the boys say it is a first rate one, a true likeness.  I will put it in a separate envelope from this as it would be quite bulky.  Well since writing the above there has been a draw for tickets, to go home on furlough.  There were eight selected & four drew blanks.  Mr Christie of Desmoines, Warnock of Allen Township, Yolkham of Story, & Owens of Polk.
