France
France
June 25 [1918?]
Dear Cath:
It’s only Tuesday as you’ll notice by the date and yet this is the second epistle I’ve written you this week (will be, at least, when it’s finished). You see I wrote you a regular soldier’s letter on Sunday (you know the sort I mean – “I am quite well. The weather is fine. How are all the folks? – Goodbye”) put the letter in my pocket and then forgot all about it! However it is just as well for just half an hour ago I had a letter handed to me with the words “open by mistake” scratched across the envelope. It had been resealed at the field P.O. On opening said letter I find that it was written at 330 Huron St. on May 28th so perhaps you know the writer.
But by the way, this is June 25th isn’t it. Oh happy day! According to my Massey Harris it is now prozactly 3.30 PX – about 830 ante meridian in Canada – and to my mind comes a sweet little picture of Catherine Innis with her sleeves rolled up, wading into the breakfast dishes just as if she were used to it. (And I wonder why she doesn’t make that sister of hers get up + give her a hand instead of sleeping all morning). No more lesson plans for yours eh, what? All you need now is a little exercise with a nice rubber “persuader” to get your arm in shape for the next school term. Otherwise I guess your worries are over.
But all kidding aside Cath. I’m mighty glad to know that you’re all through and hope you have a dandy good time during the holidays.
A week ago Saturday I rec’d the socks you said your mother was sending, along with the tooth past, brush & gum. Thanks very much. I hardly need say that the socks are a perfect fit – you have my size down pat. I was quite delighted with the color and fancy design of this last pair – so much so that I went on parade one day without any hosetops just to show them off (awfully vain n’est-ce pas?). The boys all wanted to know where I got the classy “hosetops”. You see the socks are long enough to turn down + do for hosetops quite nicely. However I’m not going to wear them that way any more because the sun will fade them + that would never, never do. You promised me another pair when you got home didn’t you. Well you know very well I’ll be pleased to get them but I just want to tell you right here that you’re not going to spend all your time in the holidays knitting socks. I’ve got enough on hand to keep me going for a couple of months now so there’s no hurry for more at present. Yes your presentation was correct when you supposed the other pair you sent were worn out. I darned them a couple of times (with a needle & yarn, I mean – grey yarn at that for they don’t issue khaki) but was forced to give them up a short time ago.
I’ve heard lots of “local” news recently. Vannan told me yesterday that Fred Dauphin was dead. Then I had a letter from Rose stating that Mark Shaw +Roy Morris are up for a medical board again. Pete Bawden dropped me a line last week + said Gord Campbell had joined the army and now I get a letter from Bobier in which he tells me Melvin is in the flying corps. Well I’m pretty sure the training will do the boys a lot of good but I hope they don’t get this far – I want to sittng with my number – (?)’s under the family table next Xmas. I also hear that Capt. Halstead has been up recommended for the V.C. Good for Halstead. I hope he gets it for I’ve been told he did some mighty fine work last fall.
Do you mind if I smoke? – No? Well pardon me just a minute then while I touch a match to this coffin nail. Wonder what mother Morrison would say if she could see me now. She used to jump on to Shaw with both feet. That was one summer when I was working there + Don was working for Ellsworths. He used to light a cigarette just before entering the house every time he called there to deliver an order, and talk about your comic opera – Oh My!!
Now I guess I’ve scribbled down enough foolishness to carry you through another week or two so I’ll ring off. I won’t end the letter I wrote on Sunday – can’t figure out where I ever got the nerve to address it even, let alone sent it. (Do I hear your murmur “It couldn’t have been any worse than this”?) Yes, it certainly is worse. There now you don’t want me to find it do you.
Regarding my rank I wish to say that I am just an ordinary every-day lance-jack. Perhaps you didn’t know that lance-jacks are commonly spoken of as corpls, though for short, except in orders etc. There now – another mystery cleared up!! Well so long. Regards to all at home.
As Ever
Les.
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