The 'Goldings,'
Hertford.
June 18. '17.

My dear Lulu

As you will see from above I am at my new 'home'! And a fine place it is too. A lady - the Honorable Archibald A. Smith, daughter of the English peerage - at the beginning of the war opened her home for 20 wounded Tommies, & continues to do so. I have been sent as one of the modern 20 - an apostolic succession - & so am an inmate of perhaps the finest Convalescent home in England. I wish I could describe the beauty & luxury of this great hall with its great-hall & pipe organ, it library, paintings, fine windows & stair cases. The walls are partly covered with ivy & partly with climbing roses covered with blooms. If only you could be here to ramble with me over these smooth lawns, among the great trees, through the greenhouses, amongst the banks & banks of roses in the gardens! Or we might play tennis or croquet, & in the evening I could get permission for you to play the fine pipe organ in the house. What a great time we might have - if only! You would like to get acquainted with the people here too - they belong to that leasured, cultured class which makes refinement so beautiful. The two nurses belong to the same class, for one is a daughter, & the other a niece of Mrs Smith. There are I don't know how many gardeners & domestics employed, besides a large farm with the necessary laborers. I noticed that it took the proceeds of 14 cows to supply the house.

Before I left the hospital I appeared before the medical board, & I tried to get to Manchester, but found it impossible; they have to send patients to homes connected with this hospital. No comment there was made about my ultimate future. But afterwards, my head doctor, the Major, spoke to me about my arm. He seemed to agree with the Dr. in France, & said that he did not expect me to be here (Goldings) more than about three weeks, & then I should go before the board again at the hospital. After that he said that if a Canadian transport was being made up, I might be sent straight to Canada; if not I should be handed straight to the Canadian authorities "to do as they liked with". So dear Lulu, I may be with you sooner than either of us expected.

Since I began to write your box of candy arrived. It is just splendid of you to be so good to me. I do not deserve it.

I want you to know my friends, my Lulu, so I am enclosing a letter. I cannot write more for it makes my arm uncomfortable. I wrote to the writer - Charlie - telling him what the Dr said & saying that I was ready to be stationed at Conference; also asking him to save me from 18 months convalescence here. He took me seriously. Save the letter, keep it private.

With fondest love, Yours affectionately

Tom