Orpington

16.11.18.

Dear Cath:

Things are certainly looking up these days, aren’t they. Just to think that the war is really over at last – sounds too good to be true. Seems to me it didn’t end a bit too soon either for I was marked  A1 again last Sunday and judging by the way they were shipping men to France a couple of weeks ago it’s a pretty safe bet that Xmas 1918 would have seen me back in the line once more. Of course it will be a few months yet before the troops get home but I’m counting on making it before the skating season is over so you’d better get out those skates of yours. Margaret’s going to have hers ready and if you’ll promise to do the same I’ll be sure of two skates anyway. 

You should have seen the way the news was received in London! I wasn’t there the day the armistice was signed but took a run over on Tuesday, the day after. All traffic was stopped in the main part of the city on account of the crowds and you never saw such a wild mob in your life. I hear a lot of people were injured and one killed, in Trafalgar square and I’m not at all surprised.

So the flu has been rather serious in Canada too. I saw in a paper some time ago that there were cases in different parts of the country, but didn’t think it was so bad as it really is. Hope it has been checked by this time. It was very serious here too a while ago, especially in + around London but seems to have done its worst. You would be awfully sorry to have to give up your teaching for two weeks (I don’t think). Which is just one more illustration of the truth of the old proverb “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody good.” The flu gave you a couple of weeks holidays, but it cut me out of mine – all leave has been cancelled until the epidemic has been swiped out. I rec’d a letter from mother last week informing me of the death of Ross E and Will Craig. You can imagine what a surprise it was when I read it. I didn’t know that either of them had been ill. They certainly will be missed in town and especially in the church.

So you have seen Lawrence Bobier. I’m glad to hear he has arrived safely home at last. How does he look? Does he seem very nervous? Mr. Asbury was telling me his nerves weren’t any too good. I do hope his leg is improving. And Henry Buller is home too. The lucky beggars. Oh, well, they say there’s more pleasure in anticipation than in realization so I’ll content myself with dreaming about that trip across the briny for a few weeks longer.

Accept my congrats on your success at the fair.  $300.00 is mighty good I should say. Lady Lemon seems to be quite popular this year. But it would be advisable to make the most of her now for she’ll be out of date next year. 

Yes, we have been having quite a bit of rain here lately but the last few days have been fine and it is turning decidedly colder. Looks as if winter were setting in early this year. Maud sure does think the world of that new kitten of hers. She told me all about it in her last letter. And speaking about cats makes me think of a little incident that happened in the ward the other evening. The night sister brought a little black kitten and put it on one of the boy’s beds. Some one told him to throw it on the floor so we could chase it around + give it a little exercise and he pretended he was going to do so. The sister let out a scream, snatched up the kitten, kissed it a couple of times + started off towards her room with it. Naturally we all laughed + then one of the fellows called out “Just like all the old maids”. Well you should have seen her she stopped for a minute, turned red as a beet then swung out of the room. We didn’t see her again that night + next night we had a new nurse. You see she’s not exactly what you call a spring chicken and I guess the remark went home. It was rather a rotten thing to say all right but it certainly was amusing just the same. There would likely have been trouble tho’ if she had reported it. 

Well Cath. I haven’t any news to give you + can’t think up any more dope to write down so will call this a letter and go at that. Hope it finds you in the pink. And feeling top hole myself.

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Yours

             Les.