1915 Letter 27
France
July 7th, [1915]
My own dear Mother,
Your short note and your letter of the 17th arrived safely, and both were very welcome.
I am glad Mamie and you had such a nice visit together. Papa said you talked nothing but socks and relatives.
I had such a nice letter from Allie West which I must answer. Tell her how much I enjoyed it and that I hope she won't weary of well-doing.
May seems to be still the queen of society. Her Petrolea friends have not been up to the advance reports have they? Kathleen Jenkins & that divorced woman were certainly lemons. May's geese are all swans, aren't they?
I am awfully glad everyone is dropping in. For gaiety comes easy to those not mixed up in this business and it's well there are some left to whom life is something more than a mere existence.
How is "old Liz" getting along? Her temper seems to be fading with her hair. I haven't heard anything about [roues] from you for ages. There are times when we all wonder how in creation we'll ever be able to settle down to the daily round of life at home again, but there are other times when home news and gossip of the mildest sort is most acceptable. Your long letter was a godsend and I'll send it on to Eric. If you refer to Jean you might do it in a little postscript for I usually send on all the home letters and Don's and Aunt Teddy's to either Eric or George.
Aunt Teddy is a darling. She sent me a couple of volumes of Kipling which have been worth their weight in gold. Every one begs for one of them for a day even. I am glad you are returning Aunt Lauder's money. If she sent Eric a book or some new magazines - that would be fine but money is money. Certainly her rug has saved my life many times it is so warm and pretty. Not that we haven't lots of blankets but it is so soft and besides it adds tone to our room being the most admired rug in camp. For a long while we had only grey blankets on our beds and no white spreads and then it looked so nice. The fringe was quite badly scorched in our famous fire and at first I didn't notice it but now it is beginning to ravel. It is such a pity - though it won't hurt the rug.
Aunt Teddy's little gifts are far more, though, for you feel the love behind them.
Jessie Jenkins sent a box of taffy which the men enjoyed very much indeed and Mrs. Thomson sends such lots of papers. The socks from Peterboro and the Norwood boxes have not arrived so far. Squire knows about them. Don't worry so much, Mother dear. I don't care who takes them, and Squire doesn't either.
I really should number my letters again to see if you get them all. I don't believe you do.
Eric hasn't written often lately. The child is dead tired and needs his leave. I am hoping to see him soon. Don't worry though for no matter how tired they are twenty-four hours good rest and a trip to London and heaps of fun makes new men of them.
Had a nice letter from Geordie yesterday enclosing two dear little snaps of Toots. He is well. Had been in the trenches but there wasn't much doing. A day or two and we'll all be busy again, as the paper to-day says there is another big dash on Calais being planned by the Germans.
In your letter you said you thought Don was making his decision, and in Aunt Teddy's letter written the 20th, she speaks of his having gone to [Pelly]-[Sask.] as Manager. So I guess you were not wrong, and that he has decided to stay at home a while longer. If he feels satisfied he is far better there.
You must be awfully lonely at times. When I think of it - we seem very far away from you all.
Am enclosing Eric's last letter which though not long is interesting also another one which shows a dash of temper again - which we have missed out of Eric's letters since he came to France. He is tired and righteously indignant and one feeling is an antidote for the other, so we won't worry. I wrote his O.C. asking if he could possibly let Eric have his leave soon as we were moving to Abbeville. I haven't heard from him yet but hope to in a few days.
I asked Eric if a little night cap at night mightn't help him to sleep, as they all get so that they lie awake when they get over tired and will send him a little flask of cherry brandy, which will not hurt him and which will be better than anything he can get up there. It will quiet him down and he can stand it in moderation. Sent him cake and taffy, cigarettes and a lot of odds and ends and plenty of magazines so don't worry. He wrote a very blue letter - a while ago - the kind you have to write to someone when you think you are the most abused person in the world, and I guess it had a good effect for the last two are much brighter.
Geordie is a dear boy - and I'll send you his wee letter too. It goes into considerable detail but perhaps you'd rather have it than none at all. They have to tell things sometimes in order to forget them. Like the man whose brother was "blown to Adams" (atoms). That is a standing joke now. After you reach a certain stage you get hysterical, I suppose and some very unamusing things seem quite the funniest you've ever heard.
Am enclosing some snaps. I think they are quite good. The ones of our fire weren't well developed but you can make out the main objects of interest. But for heaven sake never print any of these.
Well, dearest, I must stop. Have not decided about that trip to Scotland. Will see what Eric wants to do. Love to Papa.
Yours always,
Helen
Does that $18 per month still go in Tell me if it ever misses for there are apt to be mistakes.