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Transcription

[Page] 41
[continued from page 40]

In place of sugar, we occasionally make use
of dates for sweetening a cake or a pudding.
The event of last week was the entry of the
United States into the war. It is a momentous
occurrence the full effect of which in the
future course of history no man can foretell.
For the immediate future it means the
guarantee of unlimited sources of money
& munitions for the allies. Some 700,000
tons of German shipping in American ports
have been seized, and should at an early
date go to take the place of the ships the
U boats have sunk. Though there are
undoubted food difficulties, shortage of sugar,
high price of ordinary commodities etc, one
hears no grumbling and no pessimism.
We have reduced our establishment by
getting rid of the housemaid, and we seem
to be getting along quite happily. It means
that everyone must get into the habit of
doing more for her- or himself. no bad experi:
:ence. I have today had a
Circular regarding the corps of Special con:
:stables to say that as some 50 of the regular
police are to be temporarily withdrawn for
agricultural work we shall be asked to

give much more service. In fact it proposed
that we should turn out on duty on every third
or fourth day for a spell of four hours, usually
from 6.0 to 10.0 p.m., or 10.0 to 2.0 a.m.
In consequence I shall have to give yo the
work at the Rest Hut.

11th Apr. 1917
The cold is intense for the time of year. Every
night there is frost, last night there being 12½ °°!
While the road at this side of the Dean Bridge
was being watered during repairs about noon
today icicles a foot long hung down behind the cart!
The great battle of Arras was begun on Monday
Morning and has so far been successful beyond
all expectations. Over 4,000 Prisoners & over
100 guns taken!

22nd Apr.
Suddenly the weather has grown milder & the
snow & frost, both of which were with us till a few
days ago, have vanished. Today we finished
planting our 4 stone of potatoes in the allotment.

4th Augt.
We have had one of the finest summers on record
following on a long inclement winter. Warmth,
sunshine, and no excessive drought: The hay
-crop all got in in perfect order, crops looking
splendid though in places a trifle short in the
straw. The crops in the allotment have
done splendidly, we have been eating our
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  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

DANIALSAN, Moira L- Moderator, Jane F Jamieson, Nora Edwards