My dearest Calvin,

I suppose the time is not as long as it seems, but it seems so long since I told you that we felt doubtful as to R.'s being able to go to Arizona and your letters do not yet refer to it. Hilda has been away all this week in Hamilton doing up tomatoes, &c., and she and Tom have been looking about house on Mountain. A letter from Tom this morning, and they are thinking of a house on the brow. It is next to the Mountain View Hotel, but we think in winter there would be no disturbance and it would be so very convenient for us going backwards and forwards. It would be almost impossible for me to go a long distance every day. The house belongs to a syndicate of which Mr. Chisholm is one, and the tenant's lease expires on Oct. 9^th and it is only $19.00 a month. It is just a frame house. There was another owned by Mr. C's sister-in-law, a new fine brick house, but it is $40 a month and there would be the heating &c. of a large house.

By-the-way Harris has resigned the Church on the mountain. Beamsville will want a minister, Mr. McIntyre superannuated.

You will notice in the Globe that poor Mr. McMahon died on Labour Day; and did you notice Mrs. Binci's sudden death, the doctor was with her, so she must have been feeling poorly, but no one else, Mr. Binci, Stewart and Ernest were in the old country and Walter at Ottawa. It seemed so sad poor thing; the employees were her pall bearers and only Walter and Uncle John of all the family at her funeral, a few old friends Col. Logie and officers of 91^st. Tom went.

Uncle has sold the [Alexandra] Arcade and Tom says seems in great good humour.¹ On the whole Mr. C. felt satisfied. There was always a trouble about it on account of some agreement with the city as to the back entrance. It is to be hoped the money will be well invested. I do not wonder Uncle is pleased, he bothered himself and the tenants so much, that they had nearly all left. He takes his Sunday dinner at a place down town where Tom goes too, when he is not asked out and T. says he eats tremendously. Tom had Eadie of St. Mary's down over Sunday.

Ruby has been very comfortable this month, fever down below normal one day and only 99 several days, and then she always eats well. She is up again this afternoon, but hope like the last time, it will not go high and come down very soon. She fully decided herself that she would not go so far away from home and was also inclined to think the warm climate might not agree with her after all. You know she is far better since Sept. came, the summer is really her worst time so far as I can hear. I am not giving her up, because I feel that if it is best God will heal her, in spite of any doctor's opinion.

Edna and I are getting very tired of being here, but at the same time I am sure, it is far easier for us to take care of Ruby here than it is going to be in city. But I am trusting in God to give us strength for whatever lies before us.

There is a British Weekly, which I marked specially for you to read. It is one of Alex Whyte's addresses on the Land of Bua's book, it just seemed to express so exactly my own experience. I would like to keep that paper and I also want to know, if you ever got the number I sent to Knox College with Robertson Nicholl's full statement of affairs in England before the Election. If you have got it please take care of it.

I think this place has just been the thing for Edna, quiet and rest are really the thing for her, and R. seemingly so much better lately has helped, for sometimes I was afraid E. was depressed, but on the whole it has been the thing. She weighs 133 lbs, a great weight for her size.

Saturday Night

Hilda was just returning having put down 36 bottles of tomatoes, 14 bottles of green grapes and 15 of Damson jam.

Were not able to settle about house as owners are away.

Bertha Steele and 'Jim' Keagey were married on Thursday. Poor Mrs. Bruce had managed to get into Millie Scudding's and just died.

Well I must close, with much love from all, and hoping you are keeping well.

Your loving mother

M.B. McQuesten

¹ For more on the Alexandra Arcade, see: W1652. We have no record that the Uncle Dr. Calvin Brooks McQuesten ever gave any money to the family except after his death when he left $35,000 to mother Mary. He was a bachelor, had a profession, and a steady income, and might have been able to assist the family when they were impoverished after is brother Isaac's death in 1888. We have absolutely no record that he ever helped Tom or Calvin with their education. Ruby sent her salary to Tom for his education and helped with other expenses at home--and Chisholm helped occasionally.