While author Ernest Hemingway was in a Red Cross hospital in Milan recovering from injuries he received while working as an ambulance driver in Italy during World War 1, he received a lengthy pictogram. It is believed to have come from fellow American Red Cross (ARC) Section IV ambulance drivers. His nurse at that time was Agnes von Kurowsky, the model for Catherine Barkley in his famous novel A Farewell to Arms.
The letter eventually turned up at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library in 2012 where its meaning was decoded. A narrative of the whole document has been provided, so you can follow along with the images in the pictogram.
The narrative of the Greeting and Paragraph 1 is provided below:
Greeting:
To Agnes von Kurowsky (a frying pan with an egg, Ag sounds like egg) and Ernest Hemingway (overflowing beer stein, Hemingstein was a common nickname and this was a symbol used by Hemingway for himself).
Opening Paragraph:
Yesterday, the three Fiat ARC ambulances driven by Brummy, Bill, and Jenks (numbers 2, 8, 13) sat idle, because there was nothing for them to do. Instead, the three ambulance drivers used the water wagon to sprinkle water on dirt roads in an effort to keep down the dust. They would like to get out of doing such boring chores by obtaining permission to take some leave time. This possibility remains uncertain, however (question mark). They also know that beautiful starry nights in Milan with Agnes are like heaven. Therefore, they want to leave Schio and travel by train to Milan. Upon arrive at the ARC Hospital, the three men will be joined by Agnes, ARC nurse Ruth “Brooksie” Brooks (pancakes and syrup = stacked and sweet), Hemingway, and Johnny Miller, Jr. (a ribbon bar signifies the Silver Medal of Valor both he and Hemingway received). They will change into their clean English-style uniforms and later that night the group will drink six bottles of Chianti and have fun with music and “ev’rything.”
Read the entire document here
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