Item 01: James Wilkie letters, ca. 1914-1918 - Page 35

[Page 35]

We have football matches & boxing & concerts but at least they are held but I have been far too busy to attend. I've been going eyes out for the last three weeks. Even my outings have had a business bent & they have been few.

I am not living right with H.Q. at present. I did for a night but there was not room for us all to work so I & my assistant moved & we have this nice old French farm practically to ourselves. It is run by an old man, a dear old chap with the face of a saint, he has four daughters & they graft harder than anyone I've ever seen & yet they are splendid women & so jolly & full of fun. They go at it from 5 a.m. till 9 p.m. & all sorts of work we wouldn't dream of women touching. And yet they all cook & sew. They'd make a fortune on an Australian farm in a very few years. Two of them are quite handsome. I'm hoping we'll stay here for ages. I have a nice room & a bed with sheets & also an office. The days are so short, dark at 4.30 & the day is over at 3-30. Not light till 7.30 but the turning point is pretty near.

Very heavy frosts the last three days & of course very cold but better that than rain & anyhow the days are bright if not warm.

Our old Colonel is gone & I'm grieving muchly. He was a sport, & such a wit & I understood him so well. I could have followed him to Hell, he'd do me. His successor is quite a different sort. A good solid kind man & I suppose I'm queer in my