The Earl Campbell Story - Life in King during the war

May 31, 1918 letter from Earl's sister Merle voicing her opinion on Earl's upcoming marriage and the conditions at home.

"My Dearest Bro,

I have been thinking so much about you lately that I just have to write to you. I have been sick in bed for three days so am pretty shaky yet, but hope you can read this letter. I just heard yesterday that you were thinking about getting married, but my dear brother don't you do it for married life is hard- even if you do get the best girl in the old country she is not good enough for you. You were always such a good hearted kid besides if you come home single we can all help you along for a year or so you know if you are crippled you would have lots of homes to come to and welcome but if you had a wife it would be different then after you are back for a while and get good & strong then take some good Canadian girl. I have lived among so many English, Irish & Scotch girls in the West and there is not one as good as a Canadian. Now my dear brother take your big sisters advise and don't get tied up. Look at Harold he is worried to death trying to make enough to pay for two rooms, if he wasn't married he could often be at home for a rest but you know Daddy never did like strangers around long. We have always tried to pay for our board in some way when we are there.

It is for you own good I am telling you all this for times are so hard in Canada now we haven't made a cent since the war started and you know Henry always was a good rustler. Of course we have had so much expense, doctor bill, moving and everything costs so much to live. Just think we are paying 50 cts a lb for butter, 50 cts a dozen for eggs and 2 dollars for a piece of beef that lasts about too days and they will not sell anyone living within a mile from the store any more than 25 cts worth of sugar that is just four cups full. Just yesterday Henry was in Toronto to the Dr. and he was talking to a returned soldier & he was awful mad. He said he got married in England just a month before he came home to the nicest sweetest girl over there then last week she gave birth to a baby. It belongs to some other man, but the poor soldier cannot do anything it is too late now. SO he will have to dig into the work & support his wife and someone else's kid. It seems too bad for a soldier certainly deserves an easy time – after they come back if- any one does. Harold could have worked with Henry or Colin this spring & had a far easier time than in the city if he hadn't been married. Now my dear good hearted brother don't be vexed with me for I think far too much of you to let you do such a foolish thing without trying to stop it.

I suppose you know that Archie is at Niagara we don't know if we can get him exempt or not yet. I hope so for Mother's sake. It will go hard with her to loose another boy. And Daddy intends selling out if Archie has to go and the girls will have to get positions. Pauline & Floss will be good for office work or anything but Merelda is not very strong. I don't think she could stand a steady job. Pauline has been staying with me since I got sick. I just caught cold & it settled in my side & I couldn't walk but I am getting along fine & I guess Pauline can soon go home for they are milking a lot of cows & Dad needs her to help him since Arch is away. I will close now for you will be tired of reading this. Please write soon. Henry joins in love to you.

Merl

Jul 1, 1918 Letter from Earl's mother

Dear Son Earl I was so glad to get your letter and the card you sent to Arch and Pauline. I got the mail out of the box today and I opened the letter so I though I would answer for them this afternoon. I am all alone today except for Buster and 4 horses and fifteen pigs and seven cattle and about sixty hens and chickens and three geese and twenty goslings. The rest of the family are gone to Aurora to the Sports. I don't thin they will have a very good time as it is very windy and cold today, rain this morning.

Well Earl I hope you are well. Harold is home with is wife a few days. Harold does not look very well to me. But he says he feels well, I think if you were at home Harold would soon be all right. Harold tell sme to tell you that you better stick to your old Company. He says the Highlanders are very dangerous, they are rough lot of men. They get the roughest to do. Can't you get some office work if they can't let you come home. I wrote to you about two weeks ago and sent five dollars to you I will send you another five soon as I can get it posted. They tell Harold wrote a letter for you yesterday and sent you a snap shot picture of him selft and Kate with his uniform on they are both laughing. Dad and Arch started the hay last Thursday, hay is not very good this year – the other crop looks not to bad. Well Earl you will no before this that conscription is trying to talk our last boy away from us, but we have appealed his cases to the Head Commanding Officer. He says we have a sure case if any one has. Se we are doing all we can to keep Arch at home. Arch don't want to go he nows Dad can't get along without him and Harold is not able yet to do all the work you see. Dad will be sixty three. Now my Dear boy you must take the best of care of your self. I hope you will soon get home to take care of me. I will help you all I can. I am thinking times are going to be tough until our boy soldiers get home. If thye take many more away that is if they take many more of the farmers, the people are going to try to get the eimigrants out of the country and keep our Canadians tht is the famers.

Well Earl Dearest I will have to stop as it is near milking time and I am alone to-day. SO you write me often you can write nicer then I can. So good by from your Mother.

Take care of your self, by, by Love

Jul 2, 1918 letter to Merelda from Earl – p. 1 is missing

p.3 "Did you capture the den of foxes yet. Floss said she was watching the youing ones one day. She had better watch the young gosslings. No wonder the game is getting plentiful, the best hunter has left the Country. But he will be home again. D.1 is what I am, that is as good as A.2 in Canada.

Jul 7, 1918 letter from Merle to Earl

p.3 Daddy has quite a lot of his hay cut & in. Henry hasn't started at his yet we haven't very much & it will be a long time before the harvest will be ready. He has been making fence & having the root patch. Today he went to Kleinburg and bought eight hens. Road-Island Reds. Walter said they are just like old yellow skin. I hope they lay well for eggs are 40 cts. a dozen. The center-piece you are sending to Ella will sure be worth having. I am going up to see it if she tells me when it comes. It will certainly be a great souiveneir.

I don't think any of your letters written in England have been censored. Are ours censored when you get them? I guess I will close now for I done a big washing & the bed looks tempting so will write more next time. Hope you are real well & will not have to go back to the Front. From your loving Sis, Merle

Jul 8, 1918, King from Hazel age 9 years of age is the daughter of Earl's sister Merle.

"Dear Uncle Earl,

I received the hankerchief and the letter. Thanks ever so much it is a beauty. You must have known when my birth was. My holldays have started now. And I passed with honner into the Sr. II. My theacher is leaving. So will have a new teacher. The 1st of July we went to Aurora and I ran 2 races but did not win. I ran in the boat race and came in third but there was just 1st and 2nd prize…. And came in first and got 75 cents. We were picking blackcurrents today when I go back to school I will have a new room. For they are tareing down my room. When we go over to gramma's they want me to stay and I was over and stayed 3 days. Marshal and I are going over to gramma's some day soon. Marshall and Ruth were down Friday. It is getting late so will close. Write soon as you can. By Hazel Hambly, King, Ont.

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