London 9: 10: 18
Dear Cath:
What luck! I’ve got some Canadian mail at last, three letters and a P.C. and two of them are from you. The 1st on came last week and is dated Aug. 26th while the 2nd was waiting for me when I came in this eve and have just finished reading it. It is dated Aug. 10. Sort of mixed up but take it from me they’re mighty welcome just the same.
You were out at MacLarens when this last one was written (case you don’t remember)and I’m glad to hear you had such a dandy holiday.
I’ve been to the London Opera House this af and I must say it is pretty swell – the finest I think I have ever been in. It is being run as a picture palace at present but they have a good orchestra and put on the very best films (American mostly) so I enjoyed it very much. They were showing the “Garden of Allah” tomorrow and I would like to see it for I have heard it is a wonderful play but I had decided to call on Mr Asbury tomorrow so I guess the movies will be na poo.
You know, Ashbury dropped in to see me on Sunday and he brought along some dandy grapes and a swell book (“Tarzan of the Apes” – have you read it?) so you may be sure I was tickled to death to see him. Seemed just like old times to be talking to Ashbury again. He just the same fellow he was three years ago.
Say, Cath. what do you think – sister came along and took the splint off my arm today and also the sling so as far as my present condition is concerned – nuff said. Am undergoing massage treatment now, for although I can use my hand & fingers just as well as ever, there’s no strength in my arm at all + I can’t straighten it after having it in a bent position for so long. When I want to write a letter I simply grab my right arm with my left hand, throw it on the table, place a pencil between my thumb & fingers and commence , but as I can’t move my hand across the paper, I move the paper to and fro instead. How’s that for brainwork?
Did I tell you that Fred Cherry was in this Hospital. What say? – “Who’s Fred Cherry?” Why, don’t you know? He’s a 15th batt. sniper and I knew him [?] well. He was crack shot of our batt. and was in my platoon for nearly a year until made a sniper out of him. He’s really too old to be in the line but is as game a man as you could wish to see. No, I won’t give you his address – he’s married. Now I suppose you wonder why I’ve been shooting down all this dope regarding F.C. but that’s easily explained. You see he was wounded several days after I was and gave me a lot of interesting news about how things went after I got mine. Through a streak of luck we were put in the same ambulance train at Dover in cots directly opposite each other and we have been together ever since. And it’s been rather nice for both of us for out of 2000 (two thousand patients we didn’t know a soul when we landed here. But now Fred has gone to Orpington so I am all in my own once more except for a few acquaintances I have picked up ward. However I expect to follow Fred in a few days.
And now, Cath, it draweth near supper time and the inner man calls out for refreshment, a call what cannot be ignored, so herewith I bit thee a fond adieu.
Kind regards to all.
Les
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