My dearest Calvin,

This morning we received your letter of the 4th which is the most prompt of all the letters. Ruby received her birth-day letter last Friday the 8th for which she is much obliged, the one you wrote on an upturned pail. The crocuses came in good shape just as I remember them, the prairie must be very pretty now and I am glad to know your horse is not disappointing you. Mrs. Mullin would have liked to peep in and seem you that morning reading your letters whilst the other chap cooked the breakfast.

On Friday I had a treat in the shape of the first taste of asparagus and Ruby was at Mrs. Thomson's to lunch to-day and had the first taste there. Last week on Monday, Edna went off on one of the steamers to Toronto to visit at the James's and it was a fine day, but Wednesday and Thursday it rained steadily all day long, and she did not return on Saturday, but we expect her to-night. The rain was fine for our grass and the violets but very unfortunate for our W.F.M.S ladies the Annual meeting was going on just those days, poor Mrs. Ketchen was down and said it was just miserable for everyone's clothes.

In Edna's letter she told us a very funny story, one of the best I have heard for a long time. Nellie James heard it. It seems that Dr. Peter's little girl was very fond of riding up and down the elevator at the hospital. One day a stout man got in and after gazing at him for some time she said "Has he got the rheumatism?" "No" "Sciatica?" "No" "Female weakness?" The man escorted her to her father and told him his daughter had a gift for diagnosing for she had struck his weak spot as he had a weakness for females. Aren't children funny? Tom and E. had been having great amusement with Mrs. J.

We have got on the new gate and it is a very handsome one. Once more I am to lead a retired life, the Anniversary services were rather too much and Dr. Arnold says I should not go to Church at all, so I am to stay at home for a month and try. I am not really any worse you know but I want to gain... Lorna Culham has just been in and said the storm at Oakville on Thursday was tremendous, you will see accounts of the damage done all along the lake front.

Prof. Kilpatrick stayed at the Manse and they were just delighted with him in the house, he was so genial, admired the Manse so much and everything else, even to Mrs. K.'s spring hat, so different from other people Mrs. K. says. Tom got two boxes of violets one for the lady book-keeper at his own office. I met her when I was down last time a very lady like person whose father is English, and brought up in an old English garden, of course they were much pleased. The other box was for the old mother (about 100 years) of the book-keeper at Henderson's. She is English too, and equally appreciative.

I suppose your next letter will tell me what to do about the stove at Dennis Moore's of which I send you a cut. I shall make inquiries about "those collapsible egg boxes" you mention. The only kind I know are just paper things inside a wooden box, or paste-board, such as I gave you at Oakville. I see "the Record of Christian Work" strongly recommended Robt. Speer to be the new principal of Union College New York, to succeed the late Chas. Cuthbert Hall. I should think it a wise proposal. It does not propose to take him altogether from his present position, but have others attend to the detail work.

I am glad the cake lasted till your birth-day as Hilda intended it for your present, she still intends writing you a letter. I hope you are not suffering for want of stove. I do not know if that dilatory boy Tom has sent on the Presbyterians but you will find "the Settlements" worth reading. That little rascal Edna did not arrive home this evening suppose she is enjoying herself. Our Crowning[?] lilies are extremely handsome this year, the flowers so large and fine. Well, I must close with much love from all.

Your loving Mother

M. B. McQuesten