Search The Archive

Search form

Collection Search
Date: August 28th 1918
To
Helen Davis
From
Fred Nickle
Letter

H.M.S. STORK,
c/o G. P.O.,
August 28, 1918

Dear Helen,
The last letter I received from you was dated July 10th and written from Hamilton. It is as yet unanswered so far as I remember so I had better get busy - am I right?

To-day is raining and is also cold and consequently disagreeable. How would you like to go for a stroll to-day in Queen's Park? Very nice, eh?

I am very glad to hear you have received such a congenial appointment. It's also very nice to be so near home, and Hamilton is not strange to you either. With the Sunshine of your Smile and your zeal for work, what an adjunct you must be to the hospital. Wouldn't I be just delighted to drop in on you and find you hard at work,

Your little incident of "Negro Introduction" was certainly quite amusing. And so you object to such romances? Familiarity misplaced on the part of your servant. It does seem at times that even democracy may err and that there is a place in the scale of humanity set apart for different degrees of social development. The lowest, in my estimation, are those whites that can be satisfied with such relations as marriage with blacks. Some taste, believe me. But you worked the camouflage very nicely indeed.

I am indeed glad you have taken such a keen interest in 'Medicine'. Operations cannot be said to be one of the least interesting phases of our life, can they? I expect to hear that you have become so enamoured with the profession that you have decided to take it up.

Wouldn't you really like to be a nurse? Or even follow in Rae's footsteps and be a doctor? Say, how is the little Russian "Doctoress"? I see she has been successful in passing her
exams. That means, should I return next summer, that I will be in the same year as she is, 2T1. But by that time all our friends will have almost forgotten us, and we will be like new students to them.

But we are all like one big family over here now. This trip and service have done more to weld us together than three years at Varsity did. And when we return we will no doubt continue the family compact. There are enough of us to make a year in ourselves. It will be the "Navy" Year. So probably it won't seem too odd after all.

Thank you for sending me the list of graduates in Medicine at Toronto. I hadn't seen it before. It should help to relieve the need for Army Doctors some. There is certainly quite a scarcity.

Well, what do you think of the War Outlook now? I Certainly continues fine. I like the word "continues". It's such a-]: long time since we could use it as a pleasant reminder in that connection. I hope Marshal Foch still carries on the good work. Clemenceau seldom speaks about the victorious side of affairs. But he certainly appeared very optimistic in his speech the other day. And I go more on that than anything I've yet heard. When he or Lloyd George say it, they generally have a great reason. I hope he is right. Then 1919 ends it. Can you realize that?
What will it be like without a War? Almost become a part of our lives.

Must close now. Best regards to all,
Fred.
P.S. 'STORK'. Yes, you got it right. Fine bird too. - F.