73rd (Overseas) Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada
(Allied with the Black Watch)
Canadian Expeditionary Force: Stationed at E.S.

1916.05.02

My Dear May

The mail man is very kind to me in that he brings the mail in a piece at a time, and not in a big shock. March’s came yesterday and yours accompanied by your fudge today, and oh yes! Dad’s card Sunday as well as a card from [Gav]. The fudge was much appreciated by the signalers (as much as we ate of it for [MacCam??] and I are saving the rest until we go to our cots tonight. Then we’ll talk and finish the good work. But then, May, postage is so costly that I don’t know if you had better spend it so. We appreciate the candy as we never did before though. The signalers vote you a splendid cook and a good sister.

It is queer to think that before another day goes around big bro Al will be a married man. Now, May, you’re next, but you must wait for me to come home first eh. From the look of things Dave will soon have to share his for it looks as though his remaining single [?] are nearly the same fate as overtook Allie. Is he (Dave) wearing wooden shoes yet. I’m not in Kingston to tell till an hour so I suppose you don’t know. But he’s got to remember that one Lil MacD is enough in our family. I’ll bring a nice little girl from France for him if he chooses.

I hope you had a good visit in Avonmore and gave a good splash of my love to Grace Hambliu (“dreamy eyed pretty little girl that was at MacIntosh’s Sunday night” as Catt and Howell said).

It was a blessing that Al was away that Sunday that Ewan took the Sunday School class for he could only talk on one subject, I’ll bet. And those poor kids! My! But wouldn’t I love to{ [jidle] the papers to those SS classes when Al was teaching there. Bet he’d teach about the last pass of the prodigal son.

Imagine the shock I got when beginning to read Lil’s letter “Dear Mac”. Gee whiz! I didn’t know what was coming but luckily it didn’t last long and I am back to normal once more. They both have it bad enough to justify a warrant. Al has that in his pocket now.

I’m glad word of our arrival came so promptly for we were OK and the worst part of the [thing] was to think of you all at home worrying. That’s the worst of it all right through.

We are finished Musketry and are starting signaling out on the hills. The drill hall is no place for signaling compared with green hillsides where we can hear the cuckoos and robins about. There besides those there is a bird which has a call exactly similar to the first two bars of “In the Shadows”. I don’t know the name of it.

Yes, I got Marion’s letter in good time and she is a good letter writer as you know. The letters haven’t begun to come thick and fast yet, but Oh Say! You’d better watch the next Mail boy for an extra mail bag for Uncle Dudley.

How is the calf? I forgot to ask for it on the working up I got over Allie’s rash actions. I have no doubt that you are all getting fat on loads of fresh milk. I’m not pining away from the lack of it, but a glass of milk would be good just now. I haven’t weighed since enlistment but guess I’m about 14S (avoir du pieds).

If you can send me any more of Al’s old letters – or rather