Bloemfontein

S.A.

April 14th 1900

Dear Mother

I got another letter from you today glad to hear of all being tell Dan I am very much obliged for all his gushes I am very sorry to disappoint Billy Marshall about the turnips business but I am afraid we will not see home before October of course there is no saying it all depends on the advance of our forces or the quick settlement of affairs the war is far from being Just now but there is going to be only Just one big fight and that takes quite a while to get everything together & troops Mobilized I hope we are not in the next general advance that about being Lord Roberts bodyguard I am not blessed with that honor I was once chosen as a guard of honor at Belmont as he was passing though that was all Lord Roberts guard are all mounted men not infantry the cook house has Just blown for supper so I will quit for a while until after supper and see if I can rake up some news Well I have no fresh news only a rumor of us going to be moved back to DeAar and if we once move down the line good bye for scrapping wont that be Jolly but I think it is too good news I wrote to steve. if uncle Henry sells out it will be the worst move he ever made but you will see it all end up in a wind storm, our officers had a foot ball game with the officers of the Gordon Highlanders & knocked the spots off them thee scotties had not a ghost of a show Tell Maggie that the country is one big level plain covered with large hills all stones that is what they call a Kopje and all the rivers away down in a hole Modder river means mud river tell wille eggs cannot be had very easy in a country overrun by a lot of soldiers we are having a little better time Now new clothes New everything More than a man can carry I wish I could hear the old saw run once and I would feel at home one has not time to feel lonesome bands all around you and them everlasting Highland pipes the wild cat band the boys have turned well it is so dark I can hardly see so good bye love to all
Noble