Oct 10, 1917

Dear Mother:-

This is the third day of our pass and I am going to tell you about what we have been doing.

Yesterday we went to the museum and saw many things ancient and modern. I saw many ancient Egyptian records which I have seen pictures of in my History and stuffed animals of every description. We saw some Egyptian mummies 3000 years old, one of them we could see the original flesh on.

The afternoon we went to the castle. Iam enclosing post-cards with written notes on the back of them concerning the Castle. But one thing I will describe- the banqueting hall. It is a hall such as you have probably seen in old histories or books all furnished and finished in massive oak and the walls fairly covered with ancient spears and arms, also shields. Around the wall on the floor are many complete suits of armor. The whole looks just as if some old knight of the 14th century were ready for a banquet. That is not all, tho. At one end of the noon is place the gun carriage which bore the body of Queen Victoria from Osborne to Cowes, and again bore the body of Edward VII[?] at his funeral. But the most interesting thing of all is a charter conferring the commanding of the castle and bearing King Charles I's signature. Just think, with the handwriting of a medieval king on it. Above the hall were the standards of Scottish Regts which had many times led their men on to victory.

We went then to St Giles Cathedral but I told you about that on a card.

Today we went to the Forth Bridge in the morning. The story of that is on a card also.

This afternoon we went up Calton hill and went to the top of the Nelson Monument. We also saw what is called the "Disgrace of Edinburgh"- a group of pillars looking somewhat like the ruins of Rome.

We then went to Holyrood[?] Palace and looked all around the outside but we wont be allowed in until next Friday and I don't know whether I'll get a chance to go in or not.

That is all up to date. I expect to spend a couple days in London so when I write again I'll have plenty to write. I will close now, I guess.

Your loving son
Ludlow