Elsinore
27 Spring St
Balmain
Jan 30th 1918
My darling Norman,
I see there is a mail leaving tomorrow so must write you a few lines by it. I have received your two letters, one yesterday and one today.
The one yesterday was dated 24 November and the one today 19th November so you see I got the last one first and the first one last.
I don't know if Bob .....took on the YMCA work or not. I never see him now. He never comes to church. He was there one night and I suppose it was his girl with him. He sat in the audience, didn't go in the choir and as for Archie Beard, I think he is here yet. The boat he was on was sold and he wants to go on a transport and have a trip home if he can. He was here on Sunday, but he wasn't here on Monday night. We had a social in the school, giving prizes to the sailing men and it was very good. Such a lot there. They had a nice concert first, then the presentations and then coffee to finish up with. Mr Gooud got his medal, but I suppose he will tell you all about it.
I am glad you got all my letters, but what about the papers? I send the papers every week and some since week four.
Yes, Norman dear, your farewell was the best we have had here yet. Wait till the welcome back comes, that will be better still. I didn't hear any talk of Mr King's concert coming on again, but I suppose they have had such sorrow lately about poor Stan that they may have forgotten it. She is playing again at the Church now. She didn't play for about a month after hearing about Stan's death. She played Monday night and Mr King had the boys all singing.
I believe Cecil Miller has been wounded, so we heard last week. Mr Gillanders sent me word about your arrival Norman, about two weeks after I got your cable. I had word from Melbourne before I got his, of course i wrote and thanked him for sending me word and told them I had a cable from you, more than a week before.
I hope you have got the parcels and draft before this. Don't go short of anything. Let me know what you want and i can send it. I have heard no more of the parcel you sent yet. He might have forgotten all about it. Did you put the address on it yourself or leave it to him to do right?
this part was written sideways
........ ....... got what had you in it? I suppose you won't remember. Pa has his beauty sleep yet and takes his papers with him. I am sleeping out for some time now, Pa won't come out. I couldn't sleep in these nights. Although we have had no summer yet, its more like winter than summer. I expect you feel it cold over there now.
The fowls and Freddy are well. Gave him your love and he watches me every morning now with his whistling. It is lovely (Is Freddy a budgie?)
We lost the referendum here again which I suppose you know. What a lot of shirkers. Poor old Hughes, I pity him.
I heard all about your promotion dear Norman from Mr Gillander. Oh the girls were all on to me Monday night about you getting a girl over their and said if you brought one back they would tear her to pieces. I suppose you knew Mr Mackay was married. It appears he went home to be married. Mr Gooud says he must send you a photo. He was here last night and read your letters. He says you are a good boy to think of the Church and Sunday school as you do and thanks for the money, which he has not received. Now mt dear boy, this is the letter for this week- so must say goodnight and best love from Pa and your ever loving Mother - have you not received Pa's letter yet?
something lost here, or the page may be from another letter...will continue on and try to follow the story!
.......is at the front and at home and one daughter.the rest are married - 3 sons and 3 daughters. I enjoyed myself very much there. Only stopped from Saturday till Tuesday. I don't know how it is. I can't stop away from home for long. Pa told me to stop a week at least, but I couldn't. I think there is no place like home.
Mr Gooud thinks my brooch is very pretty, a nice little boat. He says i ought to get ....que on it, instead of Halifax. I think the ring is very pretty. I hope it fits Illma. Illma and all her family are well. I had a letter from her yesterday.
Well Norman, how are you getting on? You are away 6 months now on the 8th of this month. Doesn't the time fly? 12 months wont be long going by will it? You might be home then. The war is to be over this year and I hope so. Have you seen any more of the boys since and what sort of work have you to do there? Anything like you had to do before? Have you seen anything of Arthur Harvison yet? In a letter from Aunt Maggie she says she had a letter from you and was coming up some day to see me, and I suppose to show me the letter. She has not had her affairs settled yet. There won't be much left when the lawyers get their share. That is the worst of leasing property that way. There is such a lot of expenses over it.
Do you ever hear from any of the boys at the office? Bert or Ern or any of them? I never hear a word from any of them now. Dear Norman, I never put your address on your photos, which I should have done, although they have all nearly got in now. Have you heard anything from that young fellow an the YMCA. I sent it to the address you left., also to Bella Walker. I suppose they got them all safe, received one letter, i think from Mr Gillanders, about your class- will enclose it for you. He mightn'e know you were away.
Well dear boy I think all your friends are well. Miss back was in one day. We were at service on Ash Wednesday, it was raining so she came in for a while and had a good look at your photos and one thing and another. She thinks your photos are really good. She was quite surprised at our yard and said she didn't think we had near so much room.
I gave Miss Holman your diary to read. I think she is going to have her photo taken and send you one, won't that be nice. You will soon have a table full.
love from your Mother
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