France
Feb 19^th 1916

Hello Essie:-

Is ou seepy, I am, but I am on picket at eight oclock, untill ten,

Sure all soldiers have moustaches but I aint one, just a volunteer, or in other words taking the place of a fighting man, we all had orders to grow one but I would look nice with one, wouldnt I, why I could’nt kiss the girls.

I was not Grace that told me you was getting married, it was Gladys, gone, but not forgotten, Gee I wish I had never answered her letters, but I have another her name is Muriel, had a letter from her yesterday, and she is a nice little country girl, I havent got her picture yet but I have the promise of it and I know her word is good as gold ha ha, but girls are not very trust worthy, Gladys promised me her picture, but you can congrulate her for me.

Poor Billie Crispin he must sure have been in love, love is wonderful Id like to have the feeling once, then I would understand, why, they do such rash things.

I have not had a letter from Jessie I guess she as got a few more fellows and clean forgot me, but if she dont want to write she can quit.

Say Essie I have a picture of a nice little Belgium girl, her name is Alice, I had an awful time getting it but I finaly succeded, she has gone to England now, so I dont see her any more, tough luck eh Kido.

I hope all Old Soldiers will be allowed three wives after the war, but say young fellows must be getting scarce around there, with what had gone west, and what have enlisted, it dont take many to have them missed in the small, places.

Say Billie, and I are playing a little game on Grace and Norma it is our turn to write, and we are both trying to cut them off in a polite way, getting tired of writing to them; so we aint going to answer and if they do write we are going to write and say we never got their last letter, dont you put them wise, or it maybe wont work

So poor Ab has got his walking ticket that was always my luck, I am glad our friend Tom has got the pleasure of coming up the hill,

Min sure must want to get married when she is going Home Seeking.

The Weather out here is altogether different than Ontario, instead of snow we get rain, and lots of it, but it is not to cold, we had a snow storm one night.

I have a few girls Essie, but of all the lot I do hate to strike Gladys of my roll, but what is to be will be, and I wish her the best of luck, for I know what it is to have a step mother, and a half-brother, and not to be able to stay at home, it is hard for a boy and far worse for a girl it doesnt matter so much if a boy goes astray, but God pity the girl what gets on the downward track.

Every body getting married I guess, I will hear of you next, I dont think.

Say Essie what is the matter with Jessie Hoy, I hear bad reports about her is it right please tell me, I like to know I hope what I heard is not right, for she seems to be leading rather a fast life, and maybe I know more about her than you do.

It has been kind of unhealthy around here today old Fritz, dropped a shell, just a hundred yards down the road, and killed three fellows.

We have been innoculated again, for the tyhoid fever, my arm is a little sore yet, but it did not make me sick this time.

Well Essie how do you like the new teacher, is he a sport or is he not.

I have just come of picket, it is a beautiful night, the stars are shining, and the rifles are, cracking sounds just like a war.

Grace must be a kind of a cheap sport when she is sending her own Xmas gifts to the soldiers.

Essie I think I will have to close, as it is getting late about half past ten, and news are getting scarce these are big pages, and it takes a lot off scribbling to fill them.

The bloody lice are kind off biting, say I have so much coal oil on my blankets that I can hardly stand the smell.

Well I will have to thank you for the xxx as Grace never sends any thats why I am going to quit writing can you blame me for all young boys like a few so bye bye from you loving cousin

Nelson