Emma to Joe, 16 September 1918

Maple Lane Farm

Hampton R.R. 1

16th Sept 1918

My Dear Son,

Beulah wrote some to you yesterday and Ted undertook to also but I guess I had better say a few words to make sure the others get their share posted.

Well, since I wrote the whole question has been threshing. Three or four steam (tractor) threshers travel the neighborhood - everybody belongs in a certain ring of men who have exchanged with each other since time was - and it took some figuring to determine where Papa had best join in. Finally three threshers converged at our corner so that Armours, Pascoes and ourselves were threshing at the same time - which kind o' balled things up. However we got through at last. Had a rainy day so they were here for two dinners, four lunches (14 hands or rather mouths counting Ted) and two breakfasts for two extra men ("Bert" Northcote & his helper -'twas his mill we had.)

One thing I fed 'em was baked beans from our own beans - which are most all ripe now, and will be a first rate crop if we get some bright warm days to days to dry them up.

Between threshing & silo-filling, which is to follow shortly, Papa would have twenty-odd days to "return" just when he'd want to be plowing so he hired a man - a soldier on leave - belongs to the cavalry, used to live back here at Jepson's on the 8th concession - before he enlisted two years ago - so he knows all the Eldad folks - name is Charles Nelson - He expects to be called and probably sent to Siberia any day.

Aunt Ella and Beulah took some "snaps" - I'll enclose a couple - one of the house will show you our new front steps (also Aunt E's white boots in B's window).

She took one of the 4 generations again with Jackie posed so beautifully but of course it proved a failure.

I am hoping you will resist the temptation to go to "the bush" again Joe. That's one thing against that work - it gets a fellow so he can't stick to any other job. And I like the J.C.S. course idea. You stick to it and master that much while you have the change. I'm not so keen to see you become a trainman for life - but Shaughnessy will be quitting his job by the time you are old enough to take it - so start to climb. I'll back you to win every time you try.

 Your loving Mother

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