117 Station St.

Belleville Aug.

Dear Cousin Earl,

I really feel ashamed of myself for not writing in such a long time but hope you will overlook the delay this time. Trust this finds you in the best of health as it leaves us all at present.

I have received your most welcome letters dated June 9 and July 12 and surely was glad to get them. I bet those Y.M.C.A. tents are welcomed by all the soldiers, where they can have a rest and hear some music. It must help to break the monotony.

We have not heard from Alden Jones. He wrote us telling of Clare's death and we wrote back asking if he found out any particulars to be sure and let us know. He has not answered yet. If he writes us where Clare is buried, I shall surely let you know, Earl.

Ed is still at Petawawa Camp but they think camp will break up the last of this month then they do not know where they will go. They thought the West Indies but are not sure. He is tired of Army life already I guess. It agrees with him though as he is getting real fat.

Conscription is supposed to be put into force next week and I think they will have quite a bit of trouble over it in Quebec.

Well Earl, I have some very exciting news for you I know you will be terribly surprised to hear that I am married now. Thats why I have not written. I have been so busy. So now you have a new cousin. Harry Stewart from Paris Ont and myself took the car one afternoon July 23 and went to Napanee and were married. Sort of an elopement I suppose. We came back about tea time and told mother. She did not know what to say at the time because she was so surprised but now she is OK about it because Harry sure is one grand fellow and we think a lot of each other. I am doing the housework and it surely keeps me busy. I don't get much spare time. However I'll get the time to write you once a week as perusual and you want to be sure and write me as often as you can, because we like to hear how you are getting along over there.

Harry is the Assoct. chief of the Government Inspectors at the Munitions Plant. The Inspection Staff gave us a lovely oak clock. It is a beauty. The strike is a cuckoo Mother gave me $50 and Ed $10. We are going to stay with mother as long as Ed is away, then I do not know what I will do.

Well our car has not been running as good as usual. A bunch of us started for Frankford the other night and we got out seven miles in the country and the car stalled. The carburator was on the bummer so I hunted up a country phone and got the garage man to come and fix it. We were stalled just two hours, got home at 11 P.M. That takes the best of it all away, dosen't it?

Next Sunday we expect to motor to Warkworth. Have had a Miss Hjelm from Rochester visiting me for the past week. We used to take lots of spins. She fell dead in love with our Canadian soldiers no I guess it was the uniform that caught her eye.

Had a letter from Gerald Ward not long ago also a photo. Poor kid, I am afraid he is pretty nearly done for, the photo looked as though he was on the verge of consumption. He still has trench fever and they have now sent him to Scotland. He was wishing he would get back to Canada but I guess they will use him over there if they possibly can.

Mother is in the best of health, she has not heard from Cousin Ida lately. Mother,Ed, and I had a photo taken. We are going to send them one. They are pretty good.

Well, it is nearly bed time, I go to bed at 9:30 now because I get up at 6:30 AM and take Harry to work at 7:30 in the car. It keeps me hustling.

Well Earl, I must ring off now as news is scarce. Harry and I are going to Hamilton and Paris to spend Labor Day and week end.

Bushels of love and kisses from mother,Harry and myself.

Your Loving Cousin,

Laura

Mrs Harry Stewart,
117 Station St.
B