To Lieutenant Ford
ID 163322
10th Battalion
CEF,
France
January 28th 1918
Kenneth
Life is unbearably mundane here, though speaking of colds, we have all had a variation of one. Seffie as well, she was coughing so hard it broke my heart. Croup father called it, but thankfully not the diphtheria kind. Father had a few cases of it, we thought for a moment that little Jim's had it, but thankfully it never progressed. Minnie was beside herself naturally, it's an entirely awful feeling watching your child be sick and not be able to do anything to help it. She came over with him, and we watched the children alternating between night and day. At least one of us could get some rest if the other watched the children.
Susan has been cleaning the house from top to bottom trying to get rid of the germs since then.
Minnie has been trying to figure out what to do, or at least that is what it feels like. Mr. Anderson was killed in action and she is now a war widow. I feel for her though, her marriage to Mr. Anderson was not as pleasant as it appeared to me. He hurt her, Ken. I don't know the details. I didn't ask, but I heard people talking and I think I understand why we became friends. She understood what I was going through in her way. It made it easy for her to say the right things, but also to encourage me to heal.
I feel sad that Little Jim's won't have his father around, but maybe it will be better for him, it will be better for Minnie that is for sure.
Either way, there has been a line of men showing up at her door since the news broke. Older men, of course, looking for housekeepers essentially. She just shakes her head, though one did propose marriage as both of their spouses were gone and it would be easier to marry again.
I was there for that one and I was so shocked by the man's audacity Kenneth. Do men really think that women are that helpless we need a husband at all times? Or are they that helpless that they need a wife to keep a house for them and would marry a total stranger?
Do ask around for me, please!
Back to Seffie though,
Some nights she was so congested I just sat with her in the bath, trying to use the steam to help her, ( though it helped both of us ). I ended up having to rinse out her sinuses more than three times with a squeeze bottle Father gave me. Not a fun task I can assure you of them.
She is back to running around these days and talking more and more words each day! She is almost two years old now, it feels strange at times, not so long ago she was a helpless little baby who meant the world to me. Now she is a sweet little child who means everything to me. She is toilet trained and fully weaned by now and has all her little teeth which is common for her age.
I will say while it is nice to have my body to myself again, I do miss those moments when she nursed. How those big grey eyes looked up at me with such intention, learning more green from my hazel. It is such a pretty colour, everyone compliments them.
I got some new dresses and skirts this spring, I am more or less the same as when you left me! I truly thought I would never have my waist back down to twenty-three inches! My hips are slightly wider of course I can't help that, and I am sure you won't complain if I am a little more endowed than before, I am far from fat though! I have grown into my limbs seemingly well if I have to say so.
I did write to Bleaker's wife, and she wrote back she seemed like a lovely woman, she thanked me for the recipe, and then thanked me for having a brave husband who keeps her husband safe.
You know at eighteen, I feel womanly enough to not feel entirely strange about being a wife. Girls my age are married often enough that it doesn't seem out of place. Well, almost, the illusion shattered when Seffie comes barreling in demanding my attention, but I love her dearly so that is all that matters.
The newspapers are quiet these days for news about Canadians in the war, but it is full of women suffrage of all things. All the women in Glen have opinions, and it wasn't until Mary pointed out that Miranda and I could already technically vote in the election as our husbands were at the front that I did think about it and I was awfully confused about it honestly.
We were all quite happy with the last election, it took forever to get the news of course but the union won out, I am sure you heard though. I find It interesting, but to actually understand everything sometimes goes over my head. Still…I feel like if I knew about what I was voting for, what it all meant and that I could make a difference…I could see myself voting. Would you allow me to vote? Do we have to vote the same? Do you want women to vote?
Women's suffrage is intriguing either way, though I am not particularly keen on burning corsets. I rather enjoy the gentle hug it gives me. Though I also love the memory of you learning how to unlace it….
I suppose I will see what this government decides is right for us women. Though Di thinks it's the least they can do for us, she is all for women's suffrage I have learned. They are both helping at make-shift hospitals since the explosion while finishing up the last year of their schooling. They weren't far from the blast zone as Redmond is more on the outskirts of Halifax proper. Nan is harder to read but I think she supports it as well, she is just unsure about how Jerry feels about it all being a minister's son and all.
Anyway, I love you, Stay safe and keep well. Here's a photo taken not too long ago of both of us.
Rilla
Rilla Ford
Ingleside, Morgan Rd
Glen St Mary, PEI
Canada
March 1st 1918
I am trying to write this without coughing too much, end of winter colds are raging right now. Sweeping through the battalions and divisions, one person gets sick and the rest follow. It will pass though, it's just a cold after all. It would be nice if my nose stopped running but at least we have hot tea and sugar and whiskey when the day is the worst.
I'm all right otherwise. I promise. It's already warming up here, and flowers are even starting to bloom. A stubborn cough is annoying, but could always be worse.
A few men have helped a local farmer get ready for seeding in their spare time. I can only assume that pretty daughters also have something to do. Days are mainly the usual marches, parades, Sunday church and rest time.
I wish I had more to write about, but there isn't really.
We're either battling running noses and coughs or doing our usual work. At least I am clean and had hot water for my bath this week. I suppose the one upside of being a captain is warmer water for bathing and shaving. I won't lie, and I hope you don't think me too forward, if anything think of me as lonely, because I couldn't help but think about you, imagining you in the bathtub, droplets of water running down your skin and hair. God…it's intoxicating to even think about…
Though for the other half of your letter.
How much bigger are we talking about, like apples to grapefruit sizes? And before you scoff and tell me to either grow up or behave myself…I am…you brought it up yourself remember that. Ha ha. I apologize, I am sure you are beautiful no matter what size you are, but I am still
As for voting, you can do whatever you wish to do. I will not stop you or choose your choice for you. If anything, I am proud you care for the world around you, wanting to make a difference is a worthy pastime. It's the same reason I want to work in law after this war. Maybe I can change small pieces of the world around me.
Not just for you, but for Seffie as she grows older as I never want her to fear the world. I never want her to go through what you went through, even if it did bring me you, but that is a selfish way to think.
Maybe it started with you, wondering if could I make something better in the world by helping someone who needed me. Of course, we are in an entirely different situation, somehow through all the emotional turmoil we found love, but I think you understand what I mean.
I will close this now, I have to go yell at some men for goofing around I think. I look forward to your next letter, and hearing about home, Seffie, and how the spring is fairing on the island.
I love you and I miss you
Kenneth.
Rilla Ford
Glen St Mary
PEI Canada
February 28th 1918
Spider
Sorry, I haven't written in a while, been busy and all, and I swear being promoted took up some of my writing time. Dad wrote about Seffie getting the croup, but I am assuming she is better now. It made me remember when you had chicken pox as a child and we had to tape gloves to your hands so you wouldn't scratch up your fact.
I got the photo of you and Seffie, it's amazing how big she is and how much she looks like you and Ken in different ways. Minus the hair of course, who would have thought there would be a blonde in the Blythe family?
I know I know, Faith has golden hair as well, but it's not like Aunt Leslies, or Persis's, so I can only assume the day we have children it will have red hair, or light mousy brown with a hint of copper. We shall see one day!
Not any day soon, of course, have to get married, and before we can marry I will have to finish medical school.
Hope you and all of Ingleside stay healthy. Give Monday a good scratch and pet for me, he's getting up in the years, but I'm glad he has Seffie to help keep him young and play with him.
Love always Jem
"Mommy Sky?" Seffie calls pointing as they come home from running errands and visiting the bank on a cool burgeoning spring day in late March "Unk?" She asks next.
"Uncle Shirley is across the ocean," Rilla answers watching the aeroplane dash across the sky. "Like Daddy," she adds for clarification.
"Daddy?" Seffie says plopping down on the stairs of Ingleside. "Daddy far?"
"Daddy is far away," Rilla nods her head sitting down next to her. "Daddy will come back and meet you though, he promised."
"Jim-Jim?" Seffie frowned her little brow furrowing, telling Rilla that she had picked up on the fact that Mr. Anderson was not coming back home.
Rilla sighs and strokes the little coppery curls. "Different circumstances; but if Daddy says he will be back one day, he will do everything in his circumstances to ensure that he does." Rilla tries to explain to her.
"Clem?" Seffie looks to her.
"You want to see Clementine?"
"Cookie?" Seffie grins and Rilla can't help but laugh out loud.
"I will let her know that you expect cookies," Rilla tells Seffie with a laugh. "Now come along inside Miss," she hauls her daughter into her arms so they can go back into the warm house.
"Did you get the paper?" Father asks seeing them come in and Rilla can only nod her head. She hands it over as the invasion of Paris headlined.
"I can't imagine having to hide away underground," Rilla tells him. "Will there be anything left of Paris when it's over with? It feels like Hades is just out to destroy Europe. Everywhere is at war, the Russian Revolution and that family that is still under house arrest, the Turks and their war of independence. It's just war everywhere!" The outburst must have shocked Father who does the only thing he can think of in that moment was to pull her into a bone-crushing sort of hug.
