Medicine Hat, Alberta
Drauer 899

Oct. 10, 1917

Dear Sister, Brother, Nieces and Nephews,

It is impossible for me to express in words my deepest sympathy to you all in your trouble.

Hadden's death I feel keenly so I have some idea what you are all suffering quietly, but you have something to be proud of Hadden proved himself a hero, he willingly offered himself to do something grand to help the cause of righteousness in defending helpless women and children from the unspeakable horrors of war as the Germans have made it.
"Greater love hath no man than this, when a man lays down his life for his friends" and while he is splendidly sleeping in France with the world's greatest heroes, his spirit has triumphantly entered Heaven where Christ dwells who gave his life for us.

I believe his time had come, and if he had been at home he would have been called and perhaps not such a glorious death. It seems better than if he were a prisoner and being tortured, or wounded and missing or gassed and returned with his mind effected when I see some of these poor boys in the Hat it seems death would have been preferable.

Although I had always planned on Hadden's return and what I would do for him but to-day he is better off. I had gotten everything for my fruit cake, trying to get his Christmas box away before the 18th, it is still partly packed as it was when you were here, some other poor boy will now share & I was reading his letters (I had kept all the soldiers letter) and the last one written July 22. Sunday afternoon he said he had an easy time but his time was coming. I expect he was in Gen. Haig's Big Drive.

Here is some poetry I had marked a few weeks ago. It seemed to apply to so many thousand homes to-day

Heaven the cross, the meaner heaven
No cross without, no God within -
Death, judgement from the heart are driven
And the earth's false glare and din
Oh! happy they with all their loss
To him God, hath set beneath the Cross

Heaven the cross, the heartier prayer,
The bruised herbs most fragrant are,
if sky and wind were always fair
The sailor would not watch the star,
And David's Psalms had ne'er been sung
If grief his heart, had never wrung

May God sustain you all and help you to be brave in your bereavement.

Good-Bye with deepest sympathy and love,
Laura

Father is fine, but is feeling keenly Hadden's death, glad he is with me at this time. I received two letters yesterday, one from Nettie yesterday.