My dear dear Cal,

It seems a long time since I wrote you and we seem to have been in a sort of whirl between getting Ruby and Tom off and everything else. Ruby went Monday morning and then we set to work to get the house in order as I was expecting Miss Jamison for our Presbyterial next day. Just before twelve came a telegram from Miss J. saying she was ill, so I tore off to Janie James to find out if there were any of the China Inlanders to be got hold of. She suggested a Mr. Cooper and failing him Mrs. Stott, So I telephoned Toronto. Mr. C. had another engagement so had Mrs. Stott but she let another lady take her place and consented to come, so after spending an anxious time at the telephone my friend was relieved for we had left the whole meeting for the one speaker. In the evening went up and said good-bye to Janie. They were all excited of course but Janie kept up well. Next day (yesterday) was our meeting. It was a lovely day & a large attendance of delegates, we took to them to Y.W.C.A. for lunch and everything passed off well. The visitors were delighted with the building, domestic science arrangement &c. Mrs. Cawlthorpe Smith was here too and in the afternoon we were thoroughly pleased with Mrs. Stott. She is an excellent speaker perfectly at home on the platform and most telling. When her address was over, Mary took her down to see Janie James off at G.T.R. Then we had a great time at home. I had asked in to tea Mesdames Fletcher, Steele, Leitch, Vincent and Loron[?] with the missionary. Then Mrs. Dr. Ketchen of St. George came down to see our meeting, she is president of Paris Presbyterial and I asked her. After she came she said she must go by G.T.R. at 6:50, this was at six o'clock. Well Mary had gone off to station with Key of silver closet. Next we discovered we had no tea, so Edna had to tear off. Happily M. soon appeared with Mrs. Stott and tea was got on, so that Mrs. Ketchen got something and went off. She is a sister of John Charlton and went to Mrs. Dr. Burns' school a year before me. Last spring at London she stayed with me at Mrs. Marshall's who was one of our governesses. She invited me to St. George in the autumn but I could not go. Well, we had a jolly tea, after the work of the day was off our mind. Mrs. Stott is very chatty and interesting and the ladies were delighted with her, then she went off at 8 o'clock train with Nellie James. Every one thought it was a good plan to have the lunch at Y.W.C.A.

Tom went off Monday night, so now all the festivity is over and we have to settle down, to the old quiet routine. Did I tell you Mrs. Mackay sent me present of "Ten"? It came in just at the right moment and Mr. C.'s [Chisholm] fifty started Tom. Saturday's "Tatler" was very good. That was a fine story. Too bad that wretched man kept you in New Year’s Day, he had no right to do it. You would probably have been taken home by some one for dinner. Didn't Ken go home? Well my dear boy, I see Montreal is reviving all winter sports, a good thing if not overdone. Take good care of yourself.

With much love from all.

Your loving mother

M.B. McQuesten