Bayfield, N.S.
March 2, 1916

Dear James:

You will see by this that I am back on the farm. I came home last Saturday night and have until the 12th to loaf. I am home recruiting for the Highland Brigade, but so far have not been successful. Most of the officers and men of the 85th have been sent all over the province . The object is to raise enough men for three new Highland regiments, which with the 85th will form a Brigade. About 3500 men are needed and we hope to have them in a month. Next week one of the officers is coming here and will have recruiting meetings at Heatherton, Bayfield, Tracadie, Linwood and farther East perhaps.
I was certainly glad to get home for a while and am having a fine time. The sleighing is good and I have done a lot of driving. We had a dance in the Hall Tuesday evening.

Harold Strople was home for a few days and went back to Halifax yesterday. His regiment (the 64th) expects to sail shortly so I do not suppose that he will be home again. I hope they wont leave before I get back in Halifax.

We have had some very cold weather and also some that was mild and almost spring like. The last snow storm was very heavy, and the street car company in Hfx was quite busy hauling it away. The night I left we had a big rain and the streets were deep with slush. The same evening here they had heavy thunder and lightning which was very unusual at this season.

Bayfield is as quiet as ever. There is hardly anyone left to have a good time. I suppose you heard that Sarah had taken advantage of leap year and snared a man. It is time Cassie did the same. Andrew will miss Sarah very much, as she did most of the work.
John Leydon was operated on for appendicitis about six weeks ago. He is home again but is not able to do any heavy work. Anastasia is going to business college in Halifax and Ella is teaching at Guysboro Intervale.

You asked about a cousin of your mothers in the 85th. I know him very well as he is in the same platoon and sleeps next to me. He was bank manager in the Bank of Commerce in some part of Manitoba before he came East to enlist.

The war has affected the price of nearly everything, but I cant tell you how much as I have lost track of the prices of various articles affected. On certain chemicals such as are used in photography, I think the increase was nearly 3000 per cent.
I started to write you a long letter, but I have forgotten some of the news items that I intended to give you so must close. I am mailing a Thistle which I brought with me.

Yours sincerely,

Reg Gass.

P.S. My add. is the same as before:
B. Coy.85th Battalion,
Halifax.