853 Nassau St Winnipeg. Canada.
August 12. 17

My dear Will:

Well, dear Will, I rec'd your first 2 letters, on Friday, & one yesterday, & the trench card saying you were wounded. As usual the last written came first. I had not begun to hope for a letter, so imagine the surprise and excitement - I had the Chaplains also. It seems there were 5 lots of Foreign mail came in last week - lucky for me. The first word, I had was from Mrs. Hargrave. She had just got "Eric's" letter, & read part of it to me over the phone. He had it that you were slightly wounded - 3 pieces of shrap. in the flesh of the back. Our postie came in about 10 minutes and I had your 2nd letter dated July 24. & the Chaplain's July 22. I don‘t suppose you saw what he wrote - just a short note - said you were wounded slightly in both legs, & arm you were well, I & in good heart, & would be sent to England in a few days. You were in a good ward & quite comfortable, & "How splendid of him to have done so much for the great cause." - That you sent love to the two children; of course Loads to me & "don't worry" - (of course.) Needless to say I interpreted each sentence - correctly I guess too - The wounds are not so slight - the telegram said severely. & the bit of praise - to spur my pride in you etc. The suspense is broken at least and as it is now 3½ weeks - and no Further cables - I am darning to hope that the danger may be about over. There is one thing no one has mentioned - which you will notice- In my letters, is still my great worry will you have to go back to France, or will you be sent home. I don't think I could stand another siege such as the past but I shall not talk about it now: only tell me if you will be soon home. Mr. Quinsey & Edith (Nurse) McIon & Ret'd soldier Foreman, all say you will be home. Edith had come in just an hour or so before I got your letter, & stayed till last night. She saw the item in the paper, & so she was having her holiday was free to come. She is a lovely girl - was always nice - but this experience & training (Hosp.) is just putting on the finishing touches.

Well, dear Will, I have had practically no rest since I got your first letter, I phoned Mrs. Hargrave & Mrs. Kennedy - & Mr. Smalley - at least left my no. & he called me. It was just Fri. p.m. you see. So he said he & Mrs. S. would be out in the morning, & he came quite early & I got them lunch at 11- a.m. so they caught the 12 o'clock to train home. They are going to Shoal Lake Monday for a while so will take the word up there They were not in 10 minutes till she & Billy were down on the floor at the end of the parler & Shirley, W.C. at the other end, having a game of marbles. The W. C. & the two kids had a regular "Jamboree" - tumbling & clicking - tell he was just "sweating." Shirley worked in a few of her big words to help in the fun. Then, when they left (they had 2 big suit cases & a club bag) Billy pulled one down to the car on his little waggon & Shirley carried the bag part way. We had to have a meal about 3 p.m. as Edith & Shirley just had their breakfast at 11. & then I got the letter of 19th & the trench card, and in about 10 minutes Mrs. Wm Clarke phoned in from Emerson to hear about you - & invite us out for a week - She says Mrs. Pryor is very miserable - looks as thou getting over a sever illness. I told her all you told me about Mr Pryor & asked Mrs. Clarke to go over & tell her, also that I would write, which I intended to do after this. I don't suppose she has got any word about him. Rev. Kaye preaches at Broadway to-night, and I shall try to get speaking to him.

I managed to write a line to Mother, & Lena, & Ruby - Fri. night & will write Hattie & Mattie to-day. Hattie may be in Hospital now. I told you Lena & Hervey were quite upset over you & wanted us to go out & stay the rest of the summer. They were at Regina Fair & a Fire broke out on the Grand Stand & I guess they had a narrow escape. Lena said she would tell me of it again - & warned me against "grand stand"

I wonder if you got my letters yet - 4 are on the way since the telegram came. I sent 2 to the Hosp. In Roueu - 2 to the Army p.o. Land on & I am sending this to Rose, and will continue tell you tell me where to send them.

Well Mrs. & Mr. Parkinson (Sadie Reid) came in there, and stayed about 2 hours and have just gone. She looks very thin - and I noticed the little cough more than before. He makes one feel sorry - is quite elderly and as deaf as Father. - could not hear a thing we said I think. She had to get right up close to his ear to tell him anything. She seems happy - & very devoted to him, so it is all right. We have to go over there some day now. - not for a while I am feeling rather tired just now. - the suspense and worry - and the great amount of tea I've been drinking - and the excitement of the last two days - I feel like "denning up" a while till I get my mind "re-adjusted." We may get more English mail any day. And I shall be anxiously waiting to hear how you stood the operation - taking the piece of shell from your thigh. I shall be waiting to hear about the "18th of July" too, when you are able to write it.

Oh, Leslie Pryor and a Woods boy have just come in and they & Billy and Shirley are playing with the Tinker toy, in the parlor so I am going to write on. He says his mother does not yet think Mr. Pryor is dead - They had not his right number - I told Leslie all you said so he can tell his aunts. He says his mother is coming up before long, and is coming to see me. Mrs. Clarke will have told her yesterday, all the particulars we got. It seems hard to get any quiet to write, but it will be over soon. I feel so sorry when I look at the poor little chap with the crape band on his sleeve. He is growing fast and will soon be quite a help to his poor mother, - if he just takes the right tracks I guess I'll have to ask them to stay to tea, it is nearly 5 p.m. & if we go to Church we must be away before 6.30 or we'll be late.

I have till 10 A.M. to mail this so I shall not Finish till later, and may add a line; (What about all the others I was to do?) Just while I think of it, this morning , Stewart - the boy across in the brown house- was in the kitchen with Shirley & Billy, & I heard Billy telling Stewart that "Our daddy is a brave soldier, and he is going to be the Village hero in Winnipeg when he comes home." The like to tell that you are to have a gold stripe on your sleeve. 10 p.m. we )(Olive Cleudenmin & kiddies & I) went to church & heard Mr. Kaye. Leslie (did not stay to tea) - & Mrs. Pryor's 2 sisters were there. I spoke to one coming out then Mrs. Bath came & asked who I was & she talked about you & Mrs. Cooke (was so nice & was so sorry to know about you & we walked out on the street - then Mrs. Kennedy - & I suddenly remembered I hadn't seen Mr. Kaye & started back when I heard him up in the hall saying something about Mrs. Mayse" - so we met on the inside steps & his wife and Mr. Kaye got my telegram first - they sent it to him to get my address - The Batchleor girls" were there and he (K.) started the topic about you - and I stood there, & told the whole lot - Mrs. Both - & some I did not know & all the whole story. It was so still, & others slipping up to see what was going on - & staying to hear. Olive was describing the scene to me after. Mrs. Cooke is coming over again. Mrs. Pryor wanted to come in here to me, it seems Mrs. Kaye told me she (Mrs. P.) thinks so much of me. Poor woman, she is much in my mind. I asked her Kaye to tell her all we knew, & he is going to. I sat & though of you in Church, & wondered how you are, & began to fear again, least anything went wrong. They sang, "God save our nobel men" and it was too much for me to hear will the worry be over!