Dear Mr. McQuesten

I guess that you will think that I have totally forgotten you, but I have been so busy that I could not find time to write. Well in the first place I have shipped your car and as you very likely wd [would] like some money at once. I am getting an advance on it. As I told you before the shrinkage was very great this year on tough wheat & the weighing very light so your share comes to a few bushels over 1000. 1014 I think but cannot say until I get weights of car. I shipped a car of my own share & all I got was 4. Tough. This means that you get four and they dock you 1% for shrinkage which [same?] clears you 58 cents. So you see how you stand. About $580 will be your amt. of share. Not bad but it should have been more. But we can't kick as No 4 wheat was a good grade this year. Now I will give you a statement of expenses etc & then you will know how much you may expect.

14 acres of summer
fallowing @ 80 c = $11.20
Taxes on land = 8.10
Hauling of wheat @ 7 c per bu. = 70.00
Total 89.30

As I couldn't get a car until spring the roads were in such a fearful state that I had to pay 7 c to get it out & I thought that you wd [would] sooner have it out than wait till after seeding. So I acted accordingly. I hope you will be satisfied with this as it was the best I cd [could] do for you. My own horses had the distemper or I wd have hauled it for 6 c although the running wage was 7 c last winter.

Re your hail insurance on the growing crop. It now amounts to $64.50 & they are getting rather pressing. So I will take out this amount from the advance on your car & pay them off. I will try to get an advance of $350.00 so you see $64.50 + $89.30 = $153.80 which will leave you a balance of near $200 which will tide you over until the returns come. I have another car of wheat to ship for myself but it will have to wait until after seeding as the season is advancing & mostly everyone is on the land. I have all the land ready & intend starting this coming week am using the engine so one week will finish wheat if I have good luck.

Well I guess I have told you all the business news that there is so will swing to the social side. I suppose you know that the Glendinning family that is (from Ethel down & father & mother are in B.C. now & Bob has the place rented). Of course father will come back in September & do his homestead duties on his purchased homestead. They are all sick with the measles, but are recovering. All are well around here.

Gertie is well & happy & so am I. Your wheat was preying on my mind all winter but now I am satisfied you'll never see me wait till winter to get threshed again.

I enclose a picture of self taken in Saskatoon. I was getting my teeth fixed & buying repairs for the engine. I haven't failed much.

I can't give you any news of Glenhurst as I never go there. I suppose you knew Nellis George who taught Glenhurst school. Well he has been practicing med. in Bounty for over a year. His team ran away & broke his leg. Compound in two places but he is getting along nicely.

You will please excuse this scrawl as I am in a hurry & have a poor point on my pen. We are having lovely weather now but prairie fires are frequent & do some damage. Vera Fisher is sick & the Dr. says that it is consumption (Rapid). So there is not much hope. It will be a terrible blow to her mother she being the only girl. However we hope for the best.

Well I must conclude this rambling & erratic epistle. With best regards from Gertie joined by myself, I Remain,

Yours sincerely,

[SCG] [Glendinning]

Ardath, Sask. 25th April 1912
Dear Mr. McQuesten
Below is statement as I promised.
Hauling 1010 bu @ 7 c = 70.70
Plowing 14 ac @ 80 c = 11.20
Taxes on SW 1/2 - 22 = 8.05
Hail Ins. on Same = 64.50
Total 154.45
On order for 3 Drafts = 1.05
Draft sent to you = 294.50
Advance on car = 450.00
[Total = $450.00]
Trusting that this is satisfactory & that you get the draft alright.

I Remain,

Yours very sincerely

[SC] Glendinning

P.S. Please notice that I have changed my P.O. [SCG].
[envelope]
The Revd Calvin McQuesten
Bracebridge, Ont .