1918 Letter 4
Can. Officers Hosp.
Matlock Bath.
April 26, [1918]
Dearest Mother –
Your letter has just come and I could thoroughly enjoy a good cry if only I had a chance. It must have been very hard for you, arriving in the midst of strangers at such a time. Your letter was wonderful. I can see the while thing. How beautiful the flowers must have been. They surely loved Aunt Lauder there. Miss Hillcoat used to tell me all about her and what a very great deal she had done for the hospital. I saw Miss Hillcoat the day I first heard and it was such a relief to have someone to talk to.
I think it was the way Aunt Lauder wanted to go, don’t you? But oh Mother it seems a terrible loss – she was so useful and such a power in her little world and with such a lot of good years ahead.
However had she been a hopeless invalid it would have been worse. She would have had to live in seeing her place filled and changes introduced and perhaps it would have hurt her worse.
It was strange her saying she was a Canadian Girl – Grandma had the same vivid ideas of a literal heaven and we all have too I think – your story of the endless doors you saw when you were so sick is the same. It certainly is strange – surely she must have seen something to make her speak like that, and how characteristic of her. She was always so proud of Canada.
I wish I could have seen her again first, but you did and I know that everything was all right. I sent your letter to Eric and will have him keep it until Don is settled and sure of getting it. I haven’t heard from either of them this week.
I must stop now. Do you want me to go home Mother dear you need only to say the word you know. I wish you were in England with us. How you would love it.
Good-bye now dear –
Yours lovingly
Helen.