Aldershot, N.S.
Dear Annilea:
Just another hot day. Over there you actually don’t know what heat is. No wind, no nothing. A blazing hot sun on sand, like a desert & as if that wasn’t enough , no water. After getting the large tank all fixed it goes & breaks down this morning & leaves the whole camp high & dry. To add injury to insult, I am camp orderly officer to-day. Talk about complaints. You’d think by the way some of them talk that I was responsible for the whole mess. They were even minus coal this morning in the men's mess, which of course will be looked after immediately. What a nice report I’ll have to pass in to-morrow. If it ends up like its started I won’t have enough paper.*
Well, I tried six different fountain pens so far, we’ll see how long this one can act like a gentleman, I call it a gentleman because all well behaved pens are masculine.
Except for half an hour last night, when I went into town to get a film, I haven’t been out of camp since last Thursday. We’re settled into work now so play time is at an end except for the week ends. Why the devil do you have to live just out of arms reach of weekends. I suppose you haven’t got any relatives living anywhere near here or friends that you could wrangle an invitation out of to stay for a few days before you go back to teaching school? I I detest the idea of you doing it, but I’ve got to wait a few months yet before I can decide just how you & I can get the most out of life, but of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t see you before then.
Never mind. Look at the break the kids are getting in having you teach them.
Time 9A.M.
Now starting on my rounds. If anything exciting happens, I’ll continue letter. Orderly Sgt. now at door.
Back again. Dinner finished. Well they got their coal & the water is running again so everything’s OK, except for the confounded heat. “A thought.” Just as soon as I finish this letter I must finish that fifth roll & send it into town. By the way, do you know Harold MacLeod from Springvalley? Met him in the hospital on my rounds.
Well, Sweetheart! Time to say so long for the present, although I’d like to go on writing everlastingly & try to describe in some small measure just how I feel about you.
Incidentally, (hello! Where did that word come from) I was quite put out when you told me you never got the least thrill being out with me the night before I left. Your letters don’t speak that way even if you did say it. Now that I come to think of it, have you found out what “Love” is & have you decided whether you Love any particular boy or not? Well Darling, I really must say good-bye for now.
Ever thinking of Love,
Arnold
P.S. You are reading “The Eyrie,” What does that stand for?
*The ink was getting inconsistent here.