Belmont, South Africa
February 7th, 1900
Dear Mother
I am back again at Belmont we only went a short way up the line and stayed a couple of days I guess the move was for a change well there is no change in the country but a big change in the position of the enemy they are hemmed in on all sides and are howling for mercy but none will be shown only an unconditional surrender so far as I can hear and that means they loose their independence home & country and become British subjects and if they dont like that they can go some place else the people at home kneed not be anxious about us for I think the canadians fighting is over and unless we are carried off through sickness or accident we will all see home by the twenty fourth of May and I hope we do for we are only camping around in the sand & burning sun it is not very enticing but we have lots of fun especially with the Irish regiments men from Cork & Limerick Kilkenny Dublin all over that wonderful little Island we get along fine with the imperial regiments they use us fine be sure and take good care of that choclate box that black thing on the outside is a belt for Joe I know he likes style and where it came from I am going to get some ostrich feathers I can get them cured curled & sell for two & six. I expect to be on our way home in six weeks I hear we have to go to England on our way home I hope we do but I dont want to stay very long but I think they intend to keep us our 6 months & lets us return I hope they do I have seen south africa active service and all I am quite satisfied and willing to go how are all the folks getting along at home is it very cold is Joe getting out many logs what is the principal thing he has been getting out how does he like letting the job of the cutting & skidding I believe he has done a wise thing & he has less bother it seems queer you never got word from me before this I have written two and three times a week home I have only got two letters from you none from Joe or Maggie & I am only going to write to them that write to me no news good bye write soon love to all
from Noble
