to hospital with fever. Mr. Laing,
whom your cousin M---- D---- asked about, is now in bed with the same
sort of complaint....

_February 3rd, 1915._

We are off to the trenches this evening, worse luck! but we can't
complain, for we have had a most comfortable 3 days considering
everything; actually sleeping until 8 o'clock in the morning, washing
ourselves and clothes, and generally doing ourselves well by buying
eggs, butter, and wine of sorts. White wine appears to be the most
plentiful in this locality--why, I cannot tell. It is a sort of Grave,
and not at all bad as things go. Major B---- and I rode yesterday,
despite the rain, and on the way we went to a place I have rigged up
where my pioneer sergeant is making crosses for those who have been
killed. Very nice wooden ones, which have little plates on them, also
of wood, with name and so forth painted in black, standing about 2 ft.
6 in. high. The men admire them very much indeed, and I fancy that
they like me to take an interest. It raises their self-respect. I
found that, although some have already been put up, 16 crosses were
standing there waiting for white and black paint, as we had run short
of it, and these sort of things are difficult to get. The sugar I
bought here for the men is 7d. a lb., and it is greatly appreciated by
them. Of course, it is not allowed to be imported from England during
the war, otherwise we might get it cheaper. I am glad you had a nice
day for your first outing; as you say, "Flu" is very nasty. I wonder
if I shall be able to run over again in March and see you. The Colonel
of our gunners has just dashed in to ask me to luncheon before I go to
the trenches. He says that he wants cheering up. I suppose he thinks
me an optimist! What time would suit you best if I could get a week at
the end of February or beginning of March? I know you said something
about running across to Ireland again, and I do not wish to interfere
with that. I do not know whether I shall be able to get it, but it is
an idea. I see the Kaiser is in Berlin--the newspaper says "with his
throat." I believe he is really there seeing if he can raise another
loan, which will tax his ingenuity. He will announce in the papers
that he has succeeded all right; but I think it will only be paid up
in his own banknotes, which, of course, unless he has gold to redeem
them, are worthless....