My dearest Calvin,

Your very welcome letter came this morning and I was glad to hear you were just resting yourself, for you needed a thorough rest very much, and sometimes indeed generally these dull places are the only ones where you do really rest.

I do not understand, but [?] is not mentioned at all on the folder we got of the St. Lawrence, and as you went by rail, I wondered if no steamers run to it. [?] used to be more heard of than any place else.

The hot spell seems to have been all over; Kate Mackenzie wrote Mattie D. it was fearful up there and I had a letter from Maggie White from Orillia, they had never experienced any thing like it, and none of the fresh fruit and vegetables to be got as other years. Then the Culhains came back from Norway Point where Olive McNeil has a cottage and report fearful heat, so we have concluded that we were just as well off here as further North, where they also suffered from smoke. That is one of the advantages here, we get fresh fruit every day and the early vegetables, but I am afraid the getting of vegetables is going to be an impossibility that is home grown. The continued rain early in the season caused every thing to grow to top, great growths above ground and the long drouth following, there are no roots. It is very serious. When we first came down we had Californian potatoes, now we have our own, but the later potatoes we hear, are not to be got. I told you, I had written Mrs. McCallum to let us know, when the Manse would be required, so we could let you stay at [?] as long as possible. We only stay here till Sept. 30th, so we'll wait awhile longer as I have heard nothing. Must close for the present.

I was not worrying about you, as I just knew you had nothing special to relate and it is very hard to write letters when one is holidaying. I try to write you for fear you feel neglected but do not feel brilliant. With much love your mother.

[M.B. McQuesten]