My dearest Cal.

Although your letter did not reach me on my birth-day, it came very soon after. As you say the passing of the years is making us all older, I feel that I will soon be quite an old lady, but it is one of those things one cannot help. Our only trouble now is that Edna has tonsillitis, the unfortunate child seems fated to have something, but will hope it will be better before Thanksgiving. It is such a nuisance coming so early in the season, no turkeys to be had, and the weather so mild one hasn't a sharp appetite. Tom spoke of bringing Grey up, being an orphan, but have just heard he cannot come. Have invited the Uncle, his coming is doubtful, as he has never come near us since May. He is a queer one.

Last week had a busy time, my own auxiliary Tuesday, Wednesday down to St. Andrews where little Mr. Wilson introduced me with quite a puff referring to you too. Then Thursday, I went to Waterdown. Lady Taylor's daughter Mrs. Dr. Gordon met me at the station it is two miles from the village. Had dinner with her and then went to the church for our meeting. Mrs. Vallance and Mrs. Fenwick drove out. It was a cold drive though it had snowed the night before; down at the falls it was very destructive many fruit trees being broken down and tons of grapes frozen. With us not nearly so cold. I felt sorry for poor Mrs. Gordon she seems so young to be by herself with three children, no servant, and things looked poor; she even put in the horse herself, and she is a mile from the village, but she says she likes it and it is very healthy for the children. When I saw her and heard of the way other women had to work out there, I came away thinking how comfortable we are and how grateful we should be! Such a bright little boy too "Charlie" Gordon and a dear little girl Margaret and her step daughter, Mary a nice girl of 15.

But O, I am deadly sick of meetings! I could never be a minister, one gets tired of making talk. To-morrow morning I have to start off at 8 a.m. for Listowel. I reach there at 1:10, speak in the afternoon and have to stay all night and take a 7:40 train next day home. But one must try and not lose sight of the motive, if one does it is drudgery. This Ontario Bank failure is a bad business for many. Mr. Mackay is one of the Vice-presidents as you will probably see by "The News" with $ 12,800's worth of stock. The Gzowski estate too $129,000. It is very sad too the death at foot-ball of two students this season, but Tom says the last one had heart failure and should not have played, it will spoil the foot-ball at Varsity this year, as the parents are forbidding their son to play, and no wonder. I am thankful you and Tom lived through it. Did I tell you Carscallen did not leave more than $13000 to his family? He had spent everything on himself , a selfish bad man.

To-day a letter from "an old college friend," J.B. Smith, city solicitor of Calgary asking some information. Had never known your father was dead. Mary was in Toronto last week, and called on Mrs. Whittemore in their new home Rosedale a very pretty house for which they paid partly. Harry is feeling very well and weighs more than he ever did in his life. He is also doing very well in business. Mrs. Marshall, my old friend from London took tea with us last night, she is attending Women's National Council. Hilda's Birth-day is to-day and we have endeavoured to cheer her up as much as possible and make her forget her advancing age. You would see about the students now too. They seem to have less sense with each generation, one would think they were drunk.

Central's new minister Rev. Thos. Sedgwick was inducted last week, he is said to be very nice indeed. Some of the people over there are objecting to building the new church elsewhere, but must be looking at the question from a selfish point of view, for it is undoubtedly the wisest thing to do. In both our churches the Sunday Schools are small. We are having good congregations, many strangers. Well Calvin, I am glad to think you are keeping [end of page, possible page missing].

[New page] The time is flying on to Christmas. Well, I must close. With much love from all. Should have said I had a very pleasant birth-day, fine presents, one was a covering of cretonne for my camp bed making it look very well, from Hilda a sofa pillow from Mary, tray-cloth from Ruby, and candy from Edna. Once more with much love.

Your loving mother

M.B.cQuesten