April Fool's Day letter continued

Spring is well advanced down here. The leaves are just coming out, fruit trees are in blossom and the grass is growing nicely. If we keep going this way it looks like I would see some hot weather very soon. Damn it.
What we have seen of Arkansas is not very inviting. We evidently went through the hills at night and this part is very level, not much of it farmed, very few houses and a lot of scrub trees. I guess the land is very poor.
Boy am I glad I don't live in Arkansas and I sure hope this train doesn't stop here with us. The land is so flat there apparently isn't any drainage and there is water standing everywhere in the woods. It reminds me of pictures of Florida Everglades. It sure does look mean. The rivers from the Colorado mountains come down through here and flood.
1P.M. and still in Arkansas. We have been sidetracked too often. Boy I have seen more trains and railroad equipment than I ever thought existed.
I am going to have to revise my opinion of some parts of the states. In some areas the farming land looks good and they raise cotton and rice and in other sections there are some beautiful stands of pine. [you are going to have to excuse the pencil. My pen is dry and so is the one I borrowed and no ink on the train.] The population seems to be mostly negro, at least all the working men are. They live in little old shacks you wonder why they stand.
The more I see of it the more I think this soldier life won't be so bad. I got my first taste of the thrill they have always said a soldier gets. Somehow all the people along the way seem to know a troop train is coming and are all standing outside smiling and waving. The Negros drop their tools to wave and the negro kids crowd the tracks as close as they dare and put all they got in a big black and white grin and a hearty wave.
It kind of gets you and makes you proud to be in uniform. Of course it is nice to get a big smile from a young and pretty white girl too. Don't think we don't get quite a few too.
Most of the boys are taking it OK. but there are two in our car that are so homesick they are really miserable.
We are getting better food on the train than we did at the fort and they don't leave anything out, vegetables, greens and everything.
Some of the boys say the salt peter is even there but I don't know.
Sure is a beautiful day to travel. Must be at least 85 or 90 out, clear and bright. It is quite an adventure.
I will put this in an envelope and if I get a chance to have someone along the tracks mail it I will. I will send another as soon as we arrive.
Lots of Love.
Norm