My dearest Calvin,

It seems a very long time since I wrote you and also since I heard from you, tho' I accepted Tom's letter as to me also. I was particularly glad to hear Miss Robinson was so efficient, I trust you are not over-doing yourself and getting excited over enlisting.¹

You will miss the girls in one way, but then again you will not be interrupted at your work. We were very busy last week with the dressmaking &c. I went with Tom to see the chicken show, a mild form of entertainment. There were some beautiful varieties of chickens, ducks, geese and lovely pigeons, Belgian hares too.

There was great excitement too over the soldiers arriving and departing on their way through from Niagara to Toronto, but I kept home, cannot bear to see them. So Dr. Montague has avoided all further trouble in this world. Over the phone this morning Mr. Fletcher told me, Anne had got a beautiful letter from him this morning, telling all the news and the keeping of the sons' birthdays on 10^th & 12^th inst. He had written to each of Annie's children a short time ago. Well, it is a sad thing, when a man who has many good points cannot be honest.

I was quite upset too on Friday when Mrs. Joe Thomson called to say that she must resign the presidency of the Presbyterial.

Sir Thos. and Lady Taylor have determined to go out to Vancouver for the winter, starting next Saturday and she was afraid to let them go alone. They are to stay with their daughter Mrs. Dr. Westbrook, who has a fine house, with Chinaman, and Motor, and Sir Thos. cannot go out in the winter here at all.

It is getting to be very serious matter, the scarcity of women for offices in Church work, plenty of them for Red Cross and Daughters of the Empire &c. but none prepared for Christian work. A letter came from Jean Maclaren mentioning a book. Hilda has just told me you know about it, to return it to Jean when you are through. I suppose you get the B.W.'s all right, I only put a cent stamp on them.

I am trying to prepare an address for our Aux. to-morrow, but do not feel very bright about it. It must be a hard business having to grind out sermons whether you feel like it or not; you must arrange to have a holiday at Christmas and H. says you will need a fur cap.

It has snowed to-day for the first time, and for the first time in my recollection, it did not snow in October. Well, I must close. Hope you are taking good care of yourself. Kind regards to all inquiring friends.

Your loving Mother

M.B. McQuesten

¹ Calvin had applied to enlist as an army chaplain, see W-MCP1-3b.024 and W-MCP2-3b.031.