My dear dear boy,

I will begin my letter this evening; we received your letter again on Friday, so your letters are coming more swiftly. It was quite remarkable about Mr. Marshal being from Hamilton but still more so to think of Mrs. McNeil going so near to where Tom is. His last letter is full of the amount and variety of grub he was able to stow away. I hope you have not been suffering with the heat, the papers spoke of great heat in the north-west. We had two or three days of heat but since that most comfortable weather. We have had the sewing girl to-day, doing Ruby's dress and are preparing to go off, for a few days. Hilda is going to Bessie Gilbert Richardson's at Walkerton for two weeks and Ruby & I are going the Mrs. Mackay's for a few days. I rather dread going but Mrs. M. wants to see me, so I must. Edna is still away at Mrs Gartshore's, she must be having a fine time as she sent Mary a card of Brock's Monument, where she was spending the day. It is so fortunate, that she made the acquaintanceship of the Gartshore's, thanks to you. There is absolutely nothing to say. Between Uncle Calvin and Mrs. Bruce, we have a great lot of magazines but they weigh so much, I can only send you one or two.

You spoke in one letter of coming home, you have never told me what your plans are. Do you think of going back to University? If so, how do you mean to manage it. Tom's law-fees have made me so short, I can scarcely know, what to do. If I only could get a good price for this place! But I seem tied hand and foot.

I see Mr. Gilroy is supplying for Mr. Unsworth here just now. Willie & Lillie James have gone to Muskoka. Tuesday Morning. Mrs. Steele has just been in & she heard from Mrs. Jaffary, a short time ago. She had told how well you were getting on and that you were most acceptable to the people but she was most astonished at the way in which you could ride, she thought it most wonderful, for at one time she had almost determined, she would write me to forbid you attempting it again for she certainly thought you would be killed. You need not mention this to Mrs. J. as she might not write so freely to Mrs. Steele. I wish you could afford to bring your horse home with you, it would be such fine exercise for you and a great help to your health. In yesterday's News, saw the marriage of Mat McKichan to a Miss Brandon of Beverly St. Toronto, it is in the East Toronto News & speaks of his having built a house on Don Mills Road, so he must be getting on. Cannot think of any thing more to say and am very stupid. In yesterday's News, there is a good take-off on Beckles Wilson about Sir Wilfrid. Canada has done well between Scholes & Perry.

If Tom now had just got to Oxford! Cannot quite forget it. Farewell with much love.

Your loving mother

M.B. McQuesten