My dear Calvin,

I had intended writing earlier in the week, for it is somewhat difficult to find material for two letters in one week to the same house, but I was very busy Monday getting my paper ready for our Auxiliary yesterday and so it is Wednesday morning again. The subject for our Mission study this year is "The Islands of the Pacific" and as the London Miss. Society was the first to send Missionaries to the South Seas and as I had heard that it had published a report of its work from the beginning at the time of its Centennial, I determined to-night for it hoping the cost would not be much. So on Jan. 8th I wrote to Rev. Wardlaw Thompson the Secretary whom I met at Ecumenical Conference. So on Friday I received a very nice note from the Ass. Sec. and on Saturday the book, a very nice one bound in cloth and illustrated for one shilling and six pence for postage. I was just delighted. There was the full account with portraits of Capt. Wilson who commanded the Mission ship, having been converted under Rev. John Griffin at Portsea Chapel (Grandpa's Church) and Dr. Bogue who was principal of the Missionary Seminary grandpa attended and full of names most familiar to one in childhood.

It was very sad to death of young McKay. Mary thinks he was at Knox Church Mission here, this past summer, a great trial for his parents. I am really not suffering from the cold, our house is comfortable and am feeling particularly well. I am wondering if you have to go all the way to College before you get your breakfast, these cold mornings it is very disappointing about the snow-shoeing and we have continual falls of snow too, it seems to me. With best love from all.

Your loving mother

M. B. McQuesten

[P.S.] Think that letter from Campbell of Montreal a particularly good article on Union.