Dear Mr. Calvin,

About a month before Christmas I made a list of my friends whom I wished to remember & you were among them. But I am a fearful procrastinator. By the way I have had two or three, I think three dreams when I thought the judgement day had come & I wasn't ready, something left undone. I was telling my uncle & he said I think it's a warning, perhaps. Well I left my cards until the last week & I took a cold & wasn't able to go out until after Christmas.

Monday Feb 1^st.

I am afraid this letter will be in diary style as I am acting in the capacity of nurse. I have two patients -- both Joe and Aunt Annie are down with Grippe. Aunt Annie has been in bed since Friday & Joe was taken down today. I was much surprised to hear the Dr. tell me that cold will not kill germs. They even thrive on ice just fancy, horrid things! Nothing affects them but heatt [sic]. I am really writing shockingly, please do not imagine I spell heat with two t's.

Wednesday 3^rd

If I weren't kept so busy I should begin a new letter, but perhaps you will excuse this, at this moment the Dr. is here & I have left my patients at his mercy. From your home letters did they tell you that Ruby was looking lovely at Christmas? Hilda has returned from Toronto & they were all out Sunday but the absent ones. I see Mary occasionally at Mr. [?]'s meetings, I greatly enjoy them. I never before saw the freeness & & richness of God's grace in such a way, he does make things so plain. What an amount of preaching there is that counts for nothing

I do hope & pray that God will greatly use you, did you ever read "The people of the Abyss" by Jack London, an American, it's a frightful picture of the east end of London. Talk about the heathen! No heathen I ever read about were in so truly a horrible condition as those poor souls.

We are talking of having Monday meetings with the factory girls. Fifteen or twenty minutes, just a very short talk & a few bright hymns. Oh I do so little, nothing in fact & when I began my Christian life I was so full of enthusiasm & thought to do such great things, but alas, looking over last year I cannot truly say I was the means of leading one soul into the light. I am a coward, I fear I am talking so much about my own affairs.

I had the pleasure of having two of your interesting letters sent to me by your dear little mother. I very much enjoyed them. What a splendid climate you must have. We have had such heaps of snow Joe remarked today. We will soon not be able to see the coach house if it continues. Actually we had to engage two men one day to shovel, Frank gave out.

Thank you so very much for the sweet card you sent me. I began this about noon it's now evening. Aunt Annie is sleeping but I know without asking that she sends kindest regards, perhaps love, & also thanks for her card. Joe sends his heartiest best wishes -- his very own words -- for your success & he misses you very much. He has just made the remark that there's nothing as bad as a church now. I hope he doesn't think I am giving advice to you. I am sure you will excuse this miserably written & worded epistle but I am busy & a little tired. I am interested so much in your work.

Believe me ever yours sincerely

Laura Hostetter