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LORIS BULLA : 1918 ORIGINAL SUPER MANUSCRIPT DIARY DETAILING THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A CHARMING SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMAN AND EXCELLENT WORLD WAR I HOME FRONT JOURNAL

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is an intriguing, original manuscript diary handwritten by a young well-to-do woman named Loris Bulla of Los Angeles, California [while unidentified in the book she is known from other papers in the original grouping this diary came from] who begins on May 13, 1918, a couple days after she becomes engaged to her boyfriend Bill. The "Great War" is going on in Europe, and Bill goes to enlist. Many local Los Angeles venues are mentioned, such as theatres and restaurants of the era, as Loris and her friends like to attend various picture shows and plays from that. Each event and personal adventure is well-written in a friendly style, like one might write to a friend or family member but more importantly to historians and researchers of the era is the wonderful sense of what the home front conditions and perspective of this very bright, well written woman in Southern California. Here are some snippets: "I have intended keeping a journal for some time & I think that now is a very good time to begin, as I myself am beginning on a new chapter in my life, to wit--day before yesterday I became formally engaged. For nearly two years & a half Bill & I have known ourselves to be engaged, ever since two weeks after we started going together on Jan. 16, 1916, but for a great many reasons we kept our own council, especially as he was still going to college & not earning much money. However, the first of his year he became employed at the Standard Oil Company's plant at El Segundo at a salary of $80 a month & every change for advancement. So about a month ago we told our respective families of our intentions & then sat back & waited for the dust to settle." "Bill tried again to enlist, that makes nine times now, but this time the draft board would not give him a release, so I guess that will mean he will go in the June draft which leaves the twenty-fourth of this month. At any rate, the boys in that lot are to be sent to Camp Kearny at San Diego, they say, so it will not be so bad after all. I will see him at least once a month I guess." "On the Fourth, Connie & Pops & I went over to Arcadia to the balloon school & watched the Aviators do all kinds of stunts. The machines all have the U.S. insignia painted on & it makes one realize the war more fully to see such sights." "We had a perfectly grand time & met lots of lonely Sergeants (for of course we didn't mix with the ordinary privates or even corporals) & had every dance taken. The boys were all glad to have some California girls to dance with again & all said so emphatically." "There was an old-type recruiting sergeant on the bus who talked all the way down to us. He was about 35 & had on a good looking uniform but he cared more about booze & wild women than for a commission & didn't care who knew it. We got to Camp Fremont about one o'clock & walked through acres of dusty tents, past men standing inspection or cooking meals or otherwise engaged in camp life." "I've had four dear letters from Bill, one from Ogden, one from Denver, one from Kansas City & the last from Fort Smith, Ark. He says his next letter will give his address & I sure hope so for I want to send the letter I've been writing to him & also to send him some candy to keep him from being too homesick. I'm awfully lonesome for him myself this week & have to comfort myself thinking about how heavenly it will be if we really do get married in December & I'm determined that we will. When I make up my mind hard enough I can usually make things happen." "I bought a carton of cigarettes & some stamps for Bill & sent them to him. He tells me that he may get through the course in November instead of December but he doesn't know. But he also says that all the boys who receive commissions will be given ten days to report for duty in & if he gets sent to any Western Camp he will undoubtedly come home. But no one can tell where he will be sent. The army is so uncertain." "Dick's letter told of some of the discomforts of actual warfare. He says in one place "One thing I'll never forget. I layed all night in a little hole that I had dug with my bare hands, within 20 ft. of No Man's land & it was very dark & raining hard. I had my pack & a telephone with me. I layed flat on my back. The rifle & machine gun bullets sizzled over me about a foot above me. And during that time the Dutch shelled the woods hard." That rather gives one an idea of what our poor boys have to go through & it makes me sick to think of it. I don't see how I'm going to stand it when Bill goes over for it's a miracle to me how anyone can escape being killed." The very fully written book measures approximately 7.5" by 4.75" and has 192 handwritten pages. The cover of the book has come loose of the spine in some places and is still attached.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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