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Date: August 1916
To
Catherine
From
George Leslie
Letter

Borden
Fri. Eve.

Dear Cath:

I've no particular news to give you but I just received your letter and want to thank you for your kind wishes. You may be sure I won't forget the many kindnesses you and your mother have shown me. And Margaret too, - tell her that if she felt any more silly than I did last Monday night she deserves a medal. I'm afraid I acted more as if I were at a funeral than at a picnic but I couldn't help it either. I'm glad you didn't mention the subject for it wouldn't have helped things out any. I feel ashamed of myself every time I think of the way I acted though, for as you know I'm simply doing what 300,000 or so other Canadians are doing. We are going to see the thing through to the finish and I only pray that I may be given strength to uphold the ancient honour of the uniform I am wearing.

Mrs. Shaw wrote a lovely letter addressed to Lawrence and me and gave it to me just before I left. You know how good she always was at expressing herself and I can't help taking the letter out and reading it every now and then. She enclosed a number of passages from the Old Testament which were very well chosen. Mrs. Shaw always seemed to take an interest in me - I don't know why - and I think she is a fine woman.

Well, Cath, time is getting short for I've got to get back and pack my kit before dark: we break camp at 4.30 tomorrow morning.

But by the way before I ring off I don't want to forget to mention that I saw the middle school results this morning and noticed that Margs and Ine both got through. Heartiest congratulations! I'm certainly glad to hear that they made it, especially Ine for she was so sure she had failed and I know she felt pretty badly over it. It didn't surprise me to see Margaret's name in the list.

Well, best wishes to all.

Sincerely yours,
Leslie

P.S. Here's a cutting I took from a paper some time ago and intended sending you but the book I was carrying it in got lost and I didn't find it again till yesterday. Someone picked it up and left it at the orderly room where it got mislaid and was discovered only a week or so ago by the orderly corporal. Perhaps you've seen the piece but anyway there's no harm done in sending it. I think it's pretty good.

G.L.S.

P.S. We surely have enjoyed that honey. I've been taking it to the mess tent nearly every meal and the boys who were fortunate enough to get a taste of it were tickled half to death. There's one more cake left but it will meet a speedy fate in the morning.

I can't help mentioning it every time I write - it has been such a treat after the usual "jam and cheese."