My dearest Calvin

Do hope this letter will not miss the night mail but I was not able to get my letter off on Saturday as I generally do. Your letters are coming on finely now, as they just come in a week, yours of the 18th reaching here the 25th. I was so glad to know the supplies had reached you so soon, weeks quicker than last year, I think but H. is terribly anxious about the packing, she didn't have such good stuff for packing and was afraid of the box. Tom just started to his office a week ago Saturday that was on the 19th. It really seems scarcely possible that he can be there, but it is certainly going to mean a great difference to us.¹ Mr. Chisholm goes off with his sister to the old country this week.²

We have had extremely warm weather for over a week the roses are out in full great quantities of all colours, last week the gardener cut the hedge and put every thing in apple-pie order and it certainly is a most beautiful garden, it is such a long time since you saw it. The grass edges to the flower borders are so particularily trim looking on the gravel walk. The strawberries are in great plenty, but the weather is so hot, afraid they will not last as what we got on Saturday were almost too dead ripe. Last week the young men gave Mr. Ketchen a surprise party to which an invitation was sent to Tom gotten up by Mr. Grow &c.³ It was printed and at the bottom "Bring your pipe"! You can imagine my wrath. A smelling concert at the Manse! Mr. Maw would not go to it and others were disgruntled but what can be done when the Minister smokes.

Will send you the paper. Rev. Jos. Nite Cory (brother of John) of B.C. preached yesterday morning.⁴ Isn't it too bad that Prof. Kennedy is going?⁵ What did you think of Prof. Seyas ⁶ proposition to have Prof. McFadyen take his place and get someone else for Prof. McF.'s place?⁷

On Friday evening Tom, H.[Hilda] & I took the cars up to see Mrs. Mullin and then walked home, but it was the most tiresome jaunt, when we reach the place, we have to mount those steep steps and when we get inside have to go upstairs to sit, either in the sitting-room or on the back verandah and then there is not a chair big enough for Tom, so altogether it is not a joy.⁸ I hope by this time the Presbyterians have reached you, I thought you would rather see the papers from April, as you would be back here for October. I often wonder how you stand the heat in your little shack, it is a mercy you have your screen door up.

Did you notice May Mewburn's marriage at Port Arthur on 15th,⁹ Ruby has heard nothing since she left May when M. was in very poor health, and it always made her very ill to travel but she had intended coming to Toronto early in Spring for shopping. So perhaps it was thought wise for her not to go home again.

Thanks for the paper, it was most interesting to see they were moving mail to Glenhurst. Poor little Laura has been very miserable with asthma, it came on again before she left La Coma. You would notice her little bottle of marmalade tied up with blue ribbon "true blue". It is just a pity of poor little Laura and Mrs. T. [Thomson] too, so disappointed to find her in such poor health.¹⁰

It is just so warm I cannot think, Tom will take this out to post. It is after dinner and he is fanning himself on the sofa. The British Ladies are getting the idea of Canada as ....... snows well melted out of them. In my last letter we were just expecting Maggie [MacKay] White but she never came at all have not heard from her. Well Cal hope you will not get sunstroke. Will give Tom his letter on 30th. With much love from all.

Your loving mother

M.B. McQuesten

¹ Tom began working as a partner in the law office of James Chisholm for $1000 per year. Chisholm had been his father's junior law partner. Mary had been urging Tom home to get him involved in politics which he also desired, but was somewhat reluctant to return to Hamilton (W6318, W8176). In Mary's letter to Calvin June 19, 1909 she commented: "Tom came home last night and started to the office this morning, think it will be quite a change to settle to regular work; has had a lazy time of it up north" (W6458).

² For James Chisholm, see W2520; Alice Chisholm, W5876.

³ For Rev. Ketchen and family, see W5359.

⁴ I have found no record for Rev. Jos. Nite Cory of British Columbia.

⁵ Prof. Kennedy was a teacher at Knox College. Tom reported to Calvin that Kennedy was going "across" to take a post-graduate course, likely to Glasgow (W8212, W6336).

⁶ I have find no record for Prof. Seyas

⁷ For Prof. McFadyen, see W-MCP1-1.025, W5283, W5794, W6446.

⁸ For Mullin family, see W4521.

⁹ For Mewburn family, see W4521. Ruby had been with May in Calgary when both were convalescing. Ruby had tuberculosis and May likely the same. May recovered but Ruby did not and died in April 1911, see W6135.

¹⁰ Likely, Laura Hostetter and Mrs. Thomson, see W4415.