Whiteern
Saturday Oct 23rd 1902

My Dear Cal

Thank you very much for your birthday present. It was really too much. You will soon be poor if you give such fine presents. Hilda have me a dime but regretted it when your present came. I had a very nice time on my birthday in spite of the fact that I was 17 year old. It isn't possible for me to look seventeen not with freckles & a short nose. Besides it tires me awfully trying to be old.

He invited Mrs. James to tea on my birthday but as Jamie had decided to go away to China in December Mrs. James was feeling too blue to come. Alice Ward has gone down to toronto to the Concersatory of music for a year to be with Evelyn. Mama didn't intend you to pay for the handkerchiefs as she got them at a bargain quite cheap. We are having lovely weather here only yesterday it was rathjer too warm the hive lit our furnace for the house got so cold. Mary is staying with Florrie Bell for a week while her mother's away as their girl is such a thief someone ahs to be in the hosue to watch her. Mary was looking forward to stealing whisks grapes, he won't bless her.

We are to have domestic scienece taught at the collegiate. I think it will be fine fun. The family are delighted. Manual training is to be taught to the boys. That doesn't sound half so interesting as domestic science does it? We are to have a laboratory all fitted out for it. Old whisks greatly objected objected to it where it was brought up befotre the schoolboard. I should think that when he is so particular about his food he would consider it a good thing. Mama has sent Ken's things to Hedley to be pack and he is sending them whichever way is cheapest up to one hundred pounds it is cheaper by express. Mary gave me some peanut taffy for my birthday and I have been doing my best to keep do-head from making herslef alow it. How is your syndicate. When I learn domestic science I'll make you some dainties. We haven't finis-hed our Thanksgiving cake yet. Tom sent me a quarter to which he had got for selling a book & said he had been over to see Herbie Bell because he hadn't come in to tea. The Charlie Locke had wakened him up by slamming books on him on the furniture they had skipped. Well I must close as I have to write to Tom before tea.

Your loving sister,
Edna.