Tillsonburg 10 Dec
Dear Mater;
I phoned Pater
on Sunday night and he told me you were off on a holiday. I hope you have a
good time. You certainly deserve it. However you generally manage to see a good
many things down there and get a pretty good rest, don’t you? So make the best
use of your time for rest.
Things are quite quiet here but always lots to do. Last
night I was out to a small card party at the Davis Davis
I haven’t seen much of them up till now for some reason or
other, but more likely I shall see more from now on. There is a son too about
26, but he is rather retiring as regards some things. He is not quiet, but he
doesn’t like to dance or play cards.
We had just eight of us there last night. The youngest Davis
I am going to keep this bunch together if I can. We ought to
have a pretty good time together. The girls are all the prettiest
you would want, and quite nice, and the boys are O.K. We played five hundred, last night and had great sport. My
luck seems to have changed at cards and I am doing much better. I always used
to have such infernally bad luck. About ten o’clock we had a sit down supper, principally of waffles, and maple syrup. Quite a unique idea, and certainly
very nice.
Tuesday night was our Home Guard night. We had about
sixty-five out, and we had our first
street
We are getting on quite well, and the turnouts have been
good we practice Tuesdays and Fridays.
Monday night we had a debate at the A.Y.P.A. [Note 1] Resolved, that Environment had
a greater influence in moulding the character, that Breeding [?] or Heredity.”
So be sure it is rather a mixed subject, as both sides in reality intermingle,
and neither condition is very clear cut. However it made quite an interesting debate and good fun. I
was on the negative. We lost, but not by very much.
My project of getting “Waits” [?] is progressing very well.
I have my quartette, and most of my orchestra.
It will be a male quartette, and the orchestra
will be, five violins, flute, cornet, and a slide trombone. All play well, and we ought to do pretty well. I have all
the parts but the trombone, and I am pretty sure of him. We will sing carols and perhaps a few Christmas hymns.
Sunday I was out at the Lukes for tea, and after
tea. In fact I have a standing invitation to tea there on Sunday or rather I
should say dinner (5 o’clock). The Lukes have been exceedingly nice to me, and treated me
very well.
Tomorrow after noon, four of us 2 girls, are going out shooting.
We can get some small shot guns for the girls, very light, and shooting small
shells, and a rifle, so we ought to do a lot of damage. Isn’t this mornings news fine, about the battle in the South Atlantic [Note
2]. Britain
No more word about the military.
Well Mater I must say goodbye. Give my love to the Smiths,
and Miss Lizars if she is there and lots for yourself.
Your loving son
Car
Note 1: Anglican Young Person’s Association.
Note 2: The
Battle of the Falklands, 8 December 1914, saw the defeat of a squadron of
German cruisers under Admiral Maximilian von Spee by a Royal Navy squadron commanded
by Vice-Admiral Doveton Sturdee.
