My dear Cal,

Have just received your letter of June 16th, it surely cannot take quite so long to reach us or else you must have fallen in love for all your letters have been dated June. However I shall hope for the best and conclude it is absent mindedness. I am sorry to say we did not see the launching of the Crusader, as we did not know a thing about it till afterwards. I was quite provoked, for none of us ever saw a launching. I have found out now where to look for the yachting news in the Globe, and so found that the yacht had to come here again on Tuesday to have alterations made and that Mr. Fife its designer from Scotland had also arrived with Mr Nicholls. We walked over to the Bridge and saw it on the Stays.

I also notice the Aemilius, Jarvis's beautiful boat which was burnt is to be brought here for repairs. Oakville seems to be quite a place for boat-building. These gasoline explosions are getting to be very frequent, the less one has to do with the stuff the better.

This week we have been having Eleanor Ross with us. Sydney Stevenson and Winnie Gartshore were to have come but have not. To-day a cousin, wife of a farmer near here came to see her. The young people are all invited out to a party at the Stewarts to-morrow night. They are invited for 8 o'clock and the entertainment is a tramp through their woods, but we scarcely see how that is to be done after dark, besides the walk there and back seems sufficient exercise, so Mary is the only one who is delighted at the prospect being a good walker.

Yesterday Ethel Greening called, anything to equal her tongue I never heard. We all like her too, she is such a good hearted soul, but she talks and laughs like a perfect gale; she had come out here to the wedding of an old friend Helen Jardine.

Last Sabbath we had Mr. Wilson from India, he looks old and worn out seems to have scarcely any life left in him, of course he never had much animation always very slow. He is only to have nine months furlough, and Mrs. Wilson's health will not permit her going back, she was a Miss Cavers. Mrs. Dr. Cochrane is here keeping house for her brother while her sister is away, it seems this poor brother is one of those unfortunates, who cannot have a cent without drinking it, so that his wife had to leave him. It is the saddest thing, he comes to church regularly, (the picture of woe) and she and her daughter do the same, sitting at the opposite side of the church. The wife is really lovely and the daughter too; it really is quite a remarkable case.

Eleanor has just been saying that her mother was looking for a horse and wondering if you would sell yours when you were coming home. I am just telling you, but I suppose you would be expecting to make some gain when you sell it after having it broken into harness, you ought to do so. Have you found out yet just how far Mrs. Ross is from you? she is 3 miles from Strasburg.

I am so very glad to hear you have "good crowds" at the Sabbath Services nothing could make you so strong for your work as encouragement! It is very cool just now and mosquitoes do not trouble us, for a few nights they worried us very much. We had some magnificent moonlight scenes, too beautiful for words the light on the lake.

I really cannot think of any further news, have been much interrupted by chatterers and am writing on my knee, so excuse the writing. With much love from all.

Your loving mother

M.B. McQuesten