Witley Camp 17/12/16

Dear Jen:

Received your letter of the 11th Nov. Last Wednesday but haven't had time to answer it until to-night as they have had something for us to do every night. On Friday night they had us out on post duty until after nine o'clock and last night I had too go on quarantine pisquit.?

There is one hut here quarantined in with measles and another they think is meningitis but aren't sure yet. I was on the measley bunch, so I didn't/ have to be so particular. Tey are allowed to talk to any one if they keep a piece away from them. This morning I had them out playing leap frog in front of their hut for exercise. None of those boxes have arrived yet. I had a letter from Dwight yesterday and also one from Mary Bissell. She said that she had sent a little box before she wrote the letter but it hasn't turned up yet at least not here, maybe somebody else has turned it up. We have been shifted around quite a lot before we get it so there is lots of chances for some one to swipe a box. We are now in the 124th battalion since a week ago Friday. I think it will soon be time for another change. We are getting so if we stay in one place more than a week or so that we get anxious to move. This battalion is not as good for feeding the fellows as the 109th was, but Ithink it was Sam Hughes that kept that better going like it was, at any rate it didn't last very long after Sir Sam fell. There is still quite a lot of talk here about the 16th being reunited but I am getting so I justs let that stuff go in one ear and out the other. I think if it ever reunites it will be what are left after the war is over. I suppose there is the usual Christmas peace talk over there this winter. That is about all that we hear around here, but I take it the same way as the 156th tal.

Things seem to be taking quite a raise over there this fall. It isn't much wonder that we only get cheese once a week here when it is selling for 25c a lb in Canada. We used to get it nearly every day early in the fall. The stuff that we get here for butter is n ot quite as dear as the butter over there. It is about eight pence a pound. I don't know what it is made out of it is a little the color of butter but I guess that is all the butter there is to it. They call it margerine, but they dish it out as thoug it was diamonds.

If you ever go to hire a cook you ought to have quite a few to choose from, as you have a new one ever time that you want anyone to help you feed a gang of men. You had your usual luck this fall of having them for an extra meal even if they only had half a day's threshing.

By the way I seen by the "Prescott Journal" the other day where Miss Jennie Bennett of Spencerville spent the weekend with Mrs. C.G. Montgomery of Pittston last week, although I am a long piece away I still get the latest news sometimes. Some one in our hut gets a bunch of Prescott and Brockville papers ever week so we get a little of the news. May was saying in her last letter that furniture had taken another raise in Spencerville this fall. She didn't say wether they were going to raise it or not. Stuart Holmes was saying that George Connell's had an addition to their family but it only lived for one day. Real estate seems to be taking quite a start around Spencerville this fall from what I hear.

Well I think that is about all that I have to say this time. My pen is pretty nearly dry and the point is getting pretty nearly used up from everyone writing with it. Did Garnet get my assigned pay yet? It ought to get there about the twentieth of this month. I am well now. I had a sore throat for a few days a week or so ago but I only lost one day's drill with it.

With love to all from Jim

P.S. My address is "B" Co. 124th bttn. I have a new one about every week. Am enclosing a few snapshots. I haven't taken many since I came over as I never get a chance when it was light enough. I took a roll in London but when I sent them away they never returned.