Bayview, PEI,
Dec. 26, 1915

My Darling Son Harold,
Christmas is passed and oh! It was a lonely one for us, with our beloved son absent for the first time on Christmas day. You were continually in all our thoughts. I know very well you would be thinking
about home too. Last year you were helping wrap the presents and make our centerpiece and everything. This year the country could not afford presents. Everything is being given to some patriotic fund. I think that is as it should be. I hope you would enjoy yourself dear by doing something to help someone else who was less fortunate than yourself. I will tell you about our Christmas. We got up in the morning a little later than usual. Oh! It seemed so lonely, just the three of us. We had breakfast.

Then I went over to Art's and left the men doing their work. You will wonder what I was doing over at Art's. Well! I'll tell you. They have a new son of their own who will be two weeks old on Wednesday. That is why I am later writing your Christmas letter than I intended. Have been over there are quite a good deal since the baby arrived. Since Friday I have been going over morning and evening to dress the baby. This is our communion Sunday. Earle is in church, but your father was sick all night and not able to go and I could not go on account of having to go to Art's. Father is better now. Mr. Sterling was holding meetings most every night for the last two weeks. Earle and I were down Thursday night.

Sadie has been very ill, dangerously so for the last five days but is coming right along now. Well, back to Christmas. We had a dinner just three of us. Then we've watched for the mail. Had a letter from
Aunt Janie, Earle had a card from Lilla and Laura. And I had a picture of Chester LePage, and a letter from Clemmie and one from Aunt Maggie. Arthur Simpson and Irene each sent me a book. Irene's was by Gene Stratton Porter and our Arthur sent one of Gilbert Parker's. I had not read either one of them. I am going to send you Aunt Janie's and Maggie's letter. Your father went up to Walter's with one of your pictures and I sent your card in it. They were delighted to get it. Why shouldn't they be? Then in the evening Earle took me over two Art's, and when we came back Enid was here. she stayed on still 10 o'clock, then Earle took her home

I must go now and get dinner. Earle will soon be home. Have a piece of cold roast beef for him. Well dear you know my letters are always patchwork. So I am trying to write a few more lines. Dinner is ready but Earle has not come back yet. You know we brought dear little Gordon home with us when we came back from seeing you off. Earle took him back home last Monday, and came back the same day. Got home about 7:30 in the evening. My! we miss the little darling so much. The first thing he would ask in the morning would be, "Where's Harold?" or he would say "Grandmuddie, do you know where your big boy is and when God will bring him home.?" He come in "govment" boat and he would say "Grandmuddie, Harold got a Bandier (?). Is he in Barracks?" He was such company for us. Clemmie said in her letter yesterday she was going to have a Christmas tree for the little folk.

Oh! We were so glad to get your letter, my darling. I wrote to you and sent the letter to the address you left. Did you get it? Let us know when you do get one for there is so much uncertainty about the delivery system. Well do let me know about your socks. Were those all right? And would you sooner have them made plain or ribbed? Col.? has written home asking for 1000 pairs of good old-fashioned PEI socks for his mounted regiment. He says the socks they issue are no good. Clemmie is sending
you a box this week and if she expresses it I want to send some things in it. It is hard to find out which is the best way to send things, they are so many parcels lost. Dear boy, how we want to see and talk
with you. If you want socks to be easy on your feet put them on wrong side out. The right side is always softer than the wrong.

Friday night there were a couple of inches of snow, by the time we got up this morning there was not a vestige of it to be seen. It rained hard most of the day to day but tonight the stars are shining, and it will likely freeze before morning. I see by Friday's paper there has been a cable from C. Peake to the effect that he is returning to the
Island and would be in Halifax on the got 24th of December. He said in a letter to his wife just before that the battery would only be in Horsham two months.

Dear, I would like to know how your Bible class is getting along. I hope you will use your influence for good in every way you can. You can always be doing your little bit for the building of the "Master's
Kingdom" for we can all do our bit. There is no place safe for you where Jesus can't go with you. Help your comrades who need it along a lone narrow path. There is always lots of company along about way. Don't forget to pray dear. Prayer is power. The man of prayer is the man of power. It is what one tries to do that makes the soul strong and fit for a noble career. Prayer is the nearest approach to God, and the highest enjoyment of Him that we are capable of in this life.

I am going to send you some papers and am enclosing a letter in this that came some time before your letter did. I suppose you have been in bed for sometime. It is bedtime here and you are four hours ahead of us. Oh! I think so much about you after I go to bed. When I wake you are first in my thoughts. I pray continually for you that you may be kept near to a loving Heavenly Father and brought safely home to us unharmed in any way. May a loving Father be a wall about you to keep you from all harm. May His arms be around about you at all times to keep you safe. Write to us as often as you can dear. Your father and Earle send love to you and many loving wishes for the new year. Oh! May we have you with us it as we grow old.

Well darling son, I rather suspect that this is a mixed up letter but I have had to lay my pen down so often! Any way you know I love you in the same old way, and how I am longing to have my baby boy back to fill the vacant chair. I am going to keep hoping and praying for that all the time.

The old Kaiser is ill now, but I am afraid the hardening process has been going on in his heart so long that it is about calloused now, and not much hope he will repent of his evil deeds and try to undo them. Give my kind regards and good wishes for the new year to your old tent mates. We pray for them all.

Dear heart, you know that mother sends you are heart full of love and good wishes. May our Father's blessing rest on you now and always and may the loving Saviour be very precious to you. Oh that you may strive to do His will and just have Him as an ever present companion is my prayer for you.

Affectionately, Mother Nellie R. Simpson