Letter to Mother from Witley
Witley
1-1-17
Dear Mother:–
I received six good letters from home I spent quite awhile reading them this after noon, for there was some good reading in these six.
I havent done a thing today but read write and I slept about two hours just before noon. I am at the s.c.a. it is 7.30 P.M.
I just started to read your letter written in my shack. Well Mother some day I will be back surely God will see me thru Let use feel like Clive said in his letter today. Ever thing that happens is for the best to those who love the Lord. Mother if I come thru this it is one of the greatest blessings I could have, years will be all that will prove what it has done for me, and it an’t hurting me one bit and I am happy and can face nothing to worry about only to serve God and prove to men what faith in God can do.
The Cardiff box contained one $2.00 fountain pen that is a dandy one box of Waffers one great big box of bon bons that were dandy several apples and a an orange it cost a $120 to bring it and your cake it had the address you put on it so I new your hand writing, and it was a great cake we all enjoyed it. every one had a piece of it and Mitchel and I several.
Say Mother I never have had a good pall hardly since I left old Teddy but Burns and I are getting to be great friends and Bob Mc it is a shame for the young boys to be in the army but Bob an’t any worse than he was when he enlisted, I don’t know whether I have had any influence over him or not but he is keeping all right. Leeper is in the hospital with the mumps Burns and I look after each other just like we do our selves share up every thing. and it is great to be like that. I don’t need any thing at all now in any way and I have socks enough, I have only had one out of my spare pair of khakie socks on yet, If I see that my socks won’t last till spring I will tell you in time.
Well Mother here is where I left off last night, when the minister asked some one to come up and read the scripture lesson for his service before bible study, so I went. then we had a great hour in the devotional room studding the first chapter of the 1st Episel of St. John Just two of use and the minister who is a true Christian man one of experience with God.
I did not do a thing yesterday but read write letters and slept a cupple of hours
before dinner, then today I go on guard at 1 P.M. till 5. and the same in the A.M. then all day tomorrow off it is duck soup, and we have a hut to stand in or walk up and down, so if it should rain we would not care a bit. It is still with out a bit of frost and great. for I thot we would get some pretty cold weather for a while after Xmas the way we do at home,
Well Mother it just downed on me with a flash that I am twenty six short years old today, my how the time flies, As I look back over life I wonder where these years have gone, and look what a little I have acomplished for the cause of Christ and after all see how he still forgives and blesses my every movement.
I feel there is time for to do a great deal for God yet look how short Christ ministry was on earth but think of what he acomplished for use poor and unworth sinners.
Bob Mc is all right he has not been bothered with his feet any he is in our little hut here, Bob Banks will be out on parade again in a few weeks.
We have one machine gun section or detachment now but I am a qualified gunner and I were two letters on my left sleeve that I am qualified to wear, lots of the boys were them before they leave canada but they an’t entitled to them until they have fired there coarse with the Lewis gun.
You will notice as Horace did about me telling things in Warrens letter that I hadent mentioned in yours Well I wish you could of read all the letters I have written to everyone, for I don’t do like Bob Mc he writes a letter and then copies it as many times as he has friends to write to but I just sit down a scribble any thing thot comes into my head no matter whe I am writing to.
And now you know I can’t remember what I have told you and what I have not. About my different trips but I will be telling you folks in person not in letters before next Xmas I hope for the good of the world and civilization.
Well Mother I think I will have to quit for this time wish I could be with you this day but it is Gods will that we should be parted in this way so I rejoice that he is leading me and pointing out my duty
as ever your dearest boy
Laurie