Bustard camp
Dec 31^st 1914

Miss Essie Douglas
Orchard Ontario

Dearest cousin.

Hell sport how is you and all the rest. Those are pretty good pictures of you and Gracie dear and also of Norma.

Say how did that consert come of, I hope every body made a good showing.

I received six snaps in all you [?] the camera as much as you like, and as long as you like. you wonder what the flying around for they are just practising, they are army ones not private, I saw eight up at once today.

Say why do I wonder so much about Willie? because I love all my cousins, see kid I guess he is going home for Xmas no longer he could’nt love no other than you, for you know what, he told me this summer.

How do you know news are not scarce I guess some one else is telling you, pretty good dig’s but you find out nothing across the road, Billie writes to Norma, thats the news you get ha ha I guess Billie is some sport, he wont take you around to many ice cream parlors eh kid.

Please dont write about sleighing, it makes me home sick, who got your box, and who got Grace’s, she said she was going to help Alvin to get your box, but dont tell I told you, Norma wrote to Billie told him this and he told me. You tell on Jessie now tell on your self, Some woman Jack has got.

I got of on pass six days, you dont think I get drunk do you. thats right kid I will be back to Orchard as soon as old bill is dead, if I aint crippled first.

I wrote to Jessie my sister a long time ago but she has’nt wrote yet.

Say kid just keep on writing trash its awful good news to me.

Well I guess I have told you all you wanted to know now I will tell you what kind of a trip I had.

Well first we went to London stayed there overnight, next morning we went to Selby, we had no trouble in finding Billies Grandfather, Say they are fine people they had us to the English church on Xmas day, some funny way they have we came home had goose, and plum pudding, wine, so Xmas was’nt to bad after all eh kid.

We were up to Osgoby at night, I saw most of Billies aunt, and uncles.

Boxing day we went to York, we were all around the Walls, that were put up over three hundred years ago, some wall about four feet thick and thirty feet high all over and some places more, great to stand where the old yeoman used to stand and shoot with there bow’s and arrows.

Next we went into York Minstrel Cathedral some great old buildings we saw a lot of the tombstones in there where, some of the great knights and barons were buried, then we climb the tower up the round stairs, Gee it was hard work, the day was rather misty so we could only see York but if it would have been clear we could have seen for miles.

Some old streets they have little narrow bits of things. in an old curiosity shop we saw some of the old war tools helmets and coats of male such as the knights used.

Essie if I keep on writing stuff like this you will be wanting to come over, say that would be a nice honeymoon trip for you and Billie eh, kid ha ha.

Well on Sunday we wanted to go to Scarbourgh to see what damage the Germans did, but we could get no train, so we just got another and went to Leeds it was raining so we did not walk around there but caught a tram and went to Bradford it was still raining so we did not see anything only a street car, run on rubber wheels two poles to the power thats some [writing obscured] in Canada.

On Monday we came back to London first thing we done hired a takie just fancy some style, went to St Pauls Cathedral we have been seeing all the old churches, next we went to the Kensington museum, it wasnt much alright for girls.

From there we went to Madame Tussauds it was fine, all wax figures, all the old monarchs and right up untill now, I would just like you to see them, you cant hardly tell them from real their is a wax police man, lots of people rub against him, they say excuse me, but oh he looks real, they have wax forms of all the war Generals, they also have one of Queen Mary going to the block, the men with the Axes all her maids weeping, and Mary praying. another the finding of Harold on the battle field.

I also saw the wax form of Doctor Crippen a sly old fellow he looks. there is also another form of man lying on his stomach hands tied behind his back his head through a board that fitted tight around his neck, and above him was a big knife that is dropped with a weight that was for beheading people, and a bucket to catch the head, another of an opium den in fact a wax form of every important murder, I think when I get married I will spend my honeymoon in England.

Well Kid I think I will have to close for this time as I have told you pretty near all I know so you will know as much as I do

Say kid I sent you a parcel, I want you to write and tell me if there is any duty, if there is tell me how much it is. I dont think there will be any there is a box of cholate and a handerchief holder.

Well kid I hope you are well I am fine, but say it is hard to come back to camp grub after getting pies and cake for a week.

This is new years day and a dirty wet day it is.

Well Essie if you dont here from me for a while dont worry I will write as long as I am able, but we may be moved out anytime, but just address it the same if we do move, the war office will send it on.

Well I think this is all for this time as news are awfully scarce, but next time I will try and do better.

 But after all I think I always scribble more than you so I will say goodbye with love from

Nelson,

also please excuse bad writing, I remain ever true to the best little cousin I have.