Thurs Eve Jan 24
(Postmarked January ? 1917)
My dear Brother:-
Well I don’t believe you have any idea what a lot of rejoicing there was in the Whittemore family this afternoon. Speaking for myself, I could hardly wait to tear the envelope open. You see we had imagined all sorts of things – finally hearing that you had pneumonia. We knew, of course, that you would write if it was at all possible so we were afraid you were too sick to write. Jen got her letters today, from you and the ward master, and Ed received an answer to his telegram this afternoon from the Y.M.C.A. I wrote last week to Dr. Washburn at the hospital there but have received no reply as yet. (I don’t care now). But I guess they will make up their minds down there that they can’t hide you without having all Washington Co. out to look you up. If we’d been sure he could see you, I don’t know but Ed would have gone down. Well it’s done now and I’m more than thankful it was nothing worse than indigestion and measles. There isn’t anything else you can catch down there is there?
I started to write you a letter last Sunday but Baby was taken quite sick and I had to give it up. He is some better now but tonight he wanted to get on the floor so we put him down and he walked one or two steps and fell – he was so sick. He had a hard cold, then worms and teething had to get to work to, so he had quite a time. I think he is going to do all right now though.
Probably some of the rest have written you about Mr. McDougall, Bessie’s father’s death so I won’t go into details. He had a shock last Friday morning and died about eleven at night. They all have my sincere sympathy.
I hope you get out of quarantine before long but you’ll have to be very careful not to take cold when you do get out. And must it be almost like commencing over again – the drilling etc. I mean – when you go back? You have been out of it so long I should think it would be pretty hard on you when you get into it again.
Well I must get to bed as it is getting late. I’ll write more in a day or two. I can’t tell you how glad I was to hear from you.
Lovingly
Minnie
You’d better take good care of yourself for you can see what a storm it creates when we think anything has gone wrong with you. We’ll set the whole camp to looking after you next time.