December 5th 1914

My Dear Mother and Sisters

I have just read Marion's letter telling me that dear old Daddy had gone home. I have been looking for it of course still it comes as a shock. Oh how I wish I could have been there to get his blessing and his good bye. I looked for a Cablegram. Had you only known the cable address you could have sent me word for a word deferred message which would have reached me in 24 hours. However it is all over. I have cabled you just now. How sweet of you mother to gather your children around your knee and again, as when we were all little, read and pray with them.

A poor drunken soldier I gave a cup of cocoa I had just got for my self and to whom I spoke a kind word when others were driving him away said "Chaplain I suppose you had a good mother & father." I assured I had. "If I had had good ones I might have been different but my mother and father never cared. I'm a drunkard."

I had good kind loving praying parents and I thank god for them. We cannot grudge you your reward dear ones but Oh we will miss you. Mother dear you always wanted to outlive daddy and God had granted you your wish. You will be lonely but he would have been hopelessly so had you gone first. You will have the girls all about you. I am glad to know Daddy had so sweet & peaceful a death and I am sure he had learnt of the deep things of God. We shall meet beyond the river by God's grace & mercy.

I have wired to Mabel. She is coming here Tuesday I hope. I had such difficulty getting any place for her to stay that I wired not to come. Last night tho I got her a place for a week & wired. I hope she hasn't changed her plan.

24 hrs been a terrible wee this. For three day, a perfect gate has been flowing and rain is driven right through out tents. It is cold. I keep remarkably free form bad colds but there is a lot of rheumatism, bronchitis etc. in the camp. The storm wrecked most of the big tents & the post office.

Now dear ones I shall await your next sad letter telling all about the funeral and will say no more just now. That this should have happened when I was away at war is a strange anomaly. How I shall miss daddy on my visits home in the future but you Ma will miss him as none else. "God Bless & keep, you and face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you."

You long Lost Brother

Will