My dearest Calvin,

Here I am still. When I came down on Saturday it was with the intention of just seeing how Mary was and returning. When Mary left home, she was looking so weak and miserable and feeling so nervous about herself after having the ulcerated sore throat, that she had made me nervous. But I found her very well and picking up rapidly. I myself had got so worn out with the heat noise of the city, that I could not resist the temptation of staying on myself, as the place exactly suits me. It is a very comfortable house with nicely furnished airy rooms and a pleasant lawn where our hammock is hung under the apple trees. Then we are perfectly quiet, no other boarders and just Miss Davidson, the lady of the house, (who lives alone since her mother's death), a nice lady-like person, who gives us very nice meals and plenty of milk. Mary brings up my breakfast and we are much at home. For which the charge is only $5.00 a week. So I feel it would be foolish not to stay and try to get up my strength till September.

We take lovely trips on the trolley. I was tired and afternoons warm so we have not gone far yet, but we mean to. So far we have gone after tea down to Victoria Park. It is most beautiful, I can give you no idea of the flowers, they are just in masses. Just now there are the tall phlox in all shades of pink and those golden glow daisies, these are against a background of shrubs evergreens and trees and amongst them those lovely Japan lilies, some with gold spots and stripes and others turn caps with pink and brown, beautiful begonias with immense flowers some double in all colours. Such pretty picturesque buildings too for the lavatories and the "Refectory" where you can get ice-cream etc., and rustic seats every where. It is a wondrously beautiful spot, the soft spray from the Falls keeping everything so fresh and green.

Before I left home Tom had succeeded in getting on as one of the reporters at the election for which he is to get $10 a day for four days, so he was much pleased. Have written him to send you the money. I hear that E. is most happy and well, so I am quite care-free, not for many years have I felt so and must try to build myself up, and thank God with all my heart.

Just at tea time yesterday we had a terrific thunderstorm. I never saw the lightning so close, and it struck twice quite near us and set fire to a barn not far away; it seems of late years the storms are very severe here. Miss Davidson wonders, if it is the electric works so near that attracts the lightning. In the afternoon we had gone to an auxiliary meeting one of the ladies had a cousin visiting her, who is a missionary at Sante Fe, New Mexico, and she gave us an account of her work and then we had ice-cream and cake, both delicious. Mary is having the time of her life reading stories and sleeping as much as she likes.

The weather is very comfortable, warm of course in the sun, but I do not like it chilly in the summer, it does not agree with me. Chippawa itself seems full of large old deserted houses. Well, the time passes and September will be here all too soon. Hope you are still enjoying Staney Brae. With much love from us both.

Your affectionate mother

M.B. McQuesten