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Father O'Niel is a fine host and his Irish humour comes in very nicely. We certainly have some fine talent among the soldiers here. Some good singers, etc. Will Garden, one of our band-men sang a fine parody on "When you wore a red rose", entitled, "When I was a raw recruit and you were an overseas Captain". He composed it himself. He was a varsity student, in English and history and has third year standing like I. He is a Catholic. A young man, Merrill Mollard is staying here with Harness and me. He is a school teacher and threw up a job in the west paying 12.00
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a year to come here to enlist. His home is two miles in the country from here. Now his only brother at home has enlisted, and that leaves the father, and old man, and mother and two sisters to run the farm.
Two young men, farmers outside of parkhill who each owned their farms, sold them and enlisted.
On the other hand there are those who ought to enlist but who don't. So you see how things go.
The English Church gave us a card party the other night and an oyster supper (of course I enjoyed the oysters). But you see how Parkhill uses the boys in Khaki. They use us too well. It will
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be a wonder if some brainless lobsters don't go and make us all unwelcome by their actions.
On Saturday night our hockey team played Ailsia Craig here, and trimmed them to the tune of 7 - 3. It was a good game. The Red Cross Society served lunch and coffee and did well.
Next week, a team from the 149th at Sarnia plays here, and a good game is expected.
A high school girl, Minnie Lovey, stays here. She is so bashful and backward, we have all kinds of fun with her. There isn't room in the dining room for us all and so she and Hazel York, a girl about 10 year
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of age, eat in the kitchen. We call them Mutt and Jeff and we sure get them going. Mollard and Harness are an awful pair of teases.
Whatever the past history of the Harness', Birt, my roomate is a good scout, and I am fortunate in having so good a roommate.
Well, Netta, I am writing this in the dining room, and Mrs. Bawden (Mrs. York's sister) and her children, and a Miss McInnis have come in, and writing is nearly impossible so I will ring off for the present.
So Good Luck, and Good Cheer to you, from your loving
Brother Oliver
May 9, 1916
[pre-printed envelope] 135th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force Stationed at] Cove Ranges London.
[postmark: LONDON, ONTARIO MAY 9 1 - PM 1916] [stamp CANADA POSTAGE ONE CENT]
Miss Netta McNaughton R. R. No. 1 Granton Ont.