Exhibition Camp
Toronto, Apr 1, 1916

Dear Cath:

It seems rather funny to be writing letters in a lead pencil, but that's what I have to do now because I can't keep ink down here for fear of getting it spilt all over my belongings.

We moved into our new quarters here Tuesday afternoon and by this time have become quite accustomed to camp life. But the first night was enough to jar anybody's feelings. You see we sleep in wooden bunks arranged in long rows and each man is supposed to have three blankets but the first night there were not enough blankets through somebody's mistake and we only got one each. So we had to sleep on our bare bunks (they are made of nice soft pine) with one blanket over us and a kit bag for a pillow. Besides that to make matters worse a lot of silly mutts kept singing & yelling nearly all night so you may imagine how much I slept. I know I was awake till 3.15 and then I dropped into a snooze which lasted till a few minutes after 4 and after that I couldn't sleep because of the noise around us so I got up. Believe me, I never felt so stiff & sore in my life - you have no idea of what sleeping on a board is like till you try it. But thinks are O.K. now. We have our 3 blankets & the men know enough to keep quiet at night. I sleep right through now and feel as fresh in the morning as though I had slept on a feather bed all night. It's all in getting used to it and it hasn't taken long to do that. It might interest you to know what our daily routine is. Well [reville?] sounds at 6 A.M. every man has to roll out. By 6.30 we have to be dressed & have our bunks made-up and then we line up for roll call. Then breakfast at 7.00 (Bread & butter, porridge, bacon, coffee). We are then free till 8.15 when we fall in for physical drill. After physical torture we have military drill till 12. At 12.30 dinner (Bread, beef, potatoes, sometimes beans, water). Then we have more drill from 1.45 till 4.30 when we are dismissed for the day & allowed to go uptown. Every man has to be in by 9.30 but we don't have to be present for supper unless we wish. Supper is served at 5.30 (Bread & butter, cheese, jam, tea). The meals are the hardest thing to get used to for I never feel satisfied, no matter how much I eat, unless I have a piece of pie or something along that line to finish up with. But I suppose I'll get used to that in time, same as everything else.

We have had lovely weather since we came into camp up till today. Today however it is raining and I don't know whether we will get any drill this afternoon or not.

Well I can't write any more at present for I have told you all the news I can. You see a description of what is going on down there is all I can write for I don't get out enough to pick up anything that might interest you.

I must say the Ridgetown Quartette & their elocutionist certainly are getting popular and I'm glad to hear that your wonderful talents are at last being recognized & appreciated.

I forgot to tell you that Lawrence saw Miss Byron on the street the other day when we were on a route march. I didn't notice her but he is positive it was she.

Well au revoir for the present - Don't work too hard at your Botany, Cicero &c for I may be home at Easter & you mustn't be laid up. Aux arms!!!!

Leslie (over)

This is my present address
No. 799147 Pte. L. Scherer
D. Coy 13 Platoon,
134th Highlanders C.E.F.
Exhibition Camp
Toronto

I made that as short as possible - you notice I left out the "Ont." - but if that's not all there I may not get my mail.