No. 58.
France
20/2/18
Dear Dad,
I recieved yours of Jan 27th to-day, and that is going some for present conditions. I also have your two letters of Jan 6th & 14th, which I have not answered.
We are enjoying a nice quiet evening to-night, as it is raining, believe me, that fellow who said “Let your light so shine,” did not live over here. I have had several letters from Walter Barnard, and he seems to be getting along O.K., and enjoying life as much as possible. Sorry to say tho that I have not been able to locate Claire Denton, but expect he has gone further up the line. I have not heard anything from the other fellows, except a field card from Frank Darrow & it was sent to Eastbourne, so I suppose he has not received a couple of letters I have written him.
Say, there is among my books a red or maroon covered book published by Hazlitt & Walker on watch and jewelery work, with several receipts for producing black and bronze finishes, and oxidizing brass and copper. I wish you would please have Miss Stover copy them out, as I want them. I often want to color badges & buttons when they wear bright.
Very glad to hear you got the pin back, that sure was some stunt, but of course you have no proof.
I wish you would send me that gold filled Sivade wrist watch of mine, as the one I am wearing has no glass & is likely to give trouble. The next time I send anything home, I will send the bezel & you can send me a dozen. It is impossible to get glasses of this kind here, and very hard to get any kind. Twenty-five calibre Winchester automatic ammunition for pistols like that little one of mine costs 50f for a box of fifty. That is ten dollars. Other things are very cheap, I got a dandy pair of tweezers for 1.75f which is less than thirty five cents, & an aluminium eyeglass cost about the same. Paper is, I think the worst of all. To get this paper I am writing on, I bought 200 sheets of type – writer paper, and had it out. It cost nine francs which is $1.80. At the same time I took down a sample of a bond I used to get in England, but they said they did not have any paper that strong and that if they did, they would have to keep it to make their books. It is a wholesale stationers. A note book of the grade & thickness of those green & brown M.S.S. books in Canada, costs 2.50f or 50 cents.
You have certainly had some real winter this year. We are experiencing some cool weather and damp, but not really cold. For about two weeks of each month. There is hardly a night but I have to leave my bed for an hour or two, so I have started wearing pyjamas over my underwear & it is a good stunt. I can get dressed in half the time and can keep much warmer.
The local elections were rather a surprise all round for me & I would rather have seen Doc get it as I think he would make a good one.
I do hope Alex Toogood does not have to come back here again, and if he is wise I don’t think he will.
How did you get along with the stock & what is the result? You had better reduce as much as possible during the year. We take stock and write off surpluses & deficiencies monthly. The stock can be taken in two hours tho.
Mc Gillvery is foolish not to have come over here. They get good experience and often under the best men in the country. Treves used to come to the Canadian hospitals in England for spinal surgery etc. I think all the M.D.’s of military age in England, were called up last year. Usually too, they are not overworked, and have a pretty good time.
Sorry Grandad is not well, but likely he will feel better when the warm weather comes.
Who is this Glass that Frank is with, is he the chap who has been teaching him all along? What has he done with the feed business?
Your affectionate son,
Worth.
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