Series 1 Oliver McNaughton

8 over them as not worthwhile arguing about. I am No 2 in a Lewis Gun section; my No 1 is a Roman Catholic ( his parents are German born). He and I have had many a talk on religious subjects, generally. I have been receiving Orange Sentinels; now those papers are alright to those who believe them and have private rooms or homes in which to read them. We have no private rooms; papers especially are read by everybody; and I tell you it looks bad to open a lot of Orange Sentinels when the man who sleeps next me is an R.C. and is doing his bit here as well as I; in fact he has done more than I. Well , Sis, I guess you think I have a preaching spell on to-day which apparently I have, and I apologise for it was the last thing I intended to do when writing you

9 this letter. I can imagine you and Charlie settled in your home with the honeymoon over, and the receiving of inquisitive ones beginning. Happy you will both be; happy you must be, always and everywhere; but remember the secret of happiness lies in unselfish love, mutual trust, and frankness. If you both are free thinking human beings there will be, occasionally, differences of opinion, and thank God we do not always think alike or this would be a dull old world. But, if there be a difference of opinion, for Goodness sake, don't resort to Prussian methods, but learn the value of a conference and the value of the "Give in sweetly" spirit. Suppose there be a "Fall out"; then as Tennyson says:

10/ "Blessings on the falling out, That all the more endears, When we fall out with those we love, And kiss again in tears. You see Tennyson did not believe in spite. A propos of what I have been talking about, I have often heard cousin Jack say that he could not stand anyone who agreed with him in everything; they were either very soft or very deceptive. And I can say that Jack has the courage of his convictions. I'll be blowed if I am not preaching again. I think I had better close this epistle and go out and rave to the trees. I could picture you in the (pearl) gray dress of Crepe material (it is soft material is it not; I always did

11/ rave over a dress like that) with the shimmering of blue silk, gray shoes, and [here an arrow to the margin note] I presume gray stockings although you did not say, and the gray, separate coat, and gray hat, -- [crossed out word] wish I knew its shape. Then, again I can see you in the suit of navy blue, for I have seen you in that color before.

While I have no details of Charlie's make up (the bridegroom is scarcely ever mentioned in a ceremony he is as much concerned in as anybody. I wonder why?); still, I can picture Charlie, spic and span, gallant and aristocratic. I wonder if Charlie remembers when he and I used to have a wrestle every time we met, and I don't think we ever fell out with each other in our lives.

[sideways in the left margin] On reading this letter over I was struck with the fact that the skirt of a wedding dress is long, and so now I see the stockings need not be gray.

12/

I hope you had a lovely trip to Blyth. Aunt Jessie [crossed out word] would be the very person to see; you would be thrilled into the brightest hopes and good cheer by her electrically, contagious laugh.

I forgot the wedding dinner; I hope it went off well, with a sinking of differences and a turning over of a new leaf, and the birth of a new harmony which is the soul of music and life.

Jack is going to write you and so look out. He is not feeling well to-day, being inoculatd yesterday. I do not get mine for a few weeks yet. In the advance stages as we are in now, the dose we get is much more severe than we got in Canada.

I am going to write to Jessie this afternoon and also to Mabel B. & Bessie M. (I see me getting it all done). Did you & Charlie get the cards I wrote on the 12th? Heaps of love to you both, Oliver