occasion which made it uncomfortable for the rest of us fellows during the service but we managed to pull through without disgracing ourselves and very unwillingly accepted the undertakers invitation to go in and have a look at Lee. Five returned soldiers came down from Simcoe to attend the funeral. They were a tough looking bunch. One had a glass eye and a stiff arm and another a game leg. They buried him in the Simcoe cemetry. I drove up with Lynn Waddle and Jack Maxwell. Lynn lit up his corn cob pipe just as we got started and and I don't think opened his mouth all the way up unless it was to make some coarse and ribald jest, one being that he thought Wess Boughner was damned stingy with his hard cider, as he hadn't offered us any. I came home with George Duncan as he was alone and could bring me closer to home. I transferred at his gate to Jack McBride's rig and when he turned in home I got in with Colin Ryerse & Frank and so got a ride home. To-night Frank and I went down to the J.F.I.A. and although we didn't have many out had a fairly good time. Everybody present performed in some way sang or read a poem out of my James Whitcomb Riley book it being Literary evening. We had some toast for refreshments. Very soft & mild. Snowing to-night.

Wednesday January 8th

Besides doing chores to-day Frank and I started to dig the straw out of the bottom of the west hay over in the old barn and put it up on the rails over head. Lorne Myers was in this morning to return Dad's probang. He borrowed it last night to take a turnip out of his cow's throat. He wanted to know if we would like to try feeding some dried beet pulp as he was going to send for some so I told him to get us ten dollars's worth. To-night Frank and I went down town. I went over to the Monteith's for the evening. Frank intended to go to a soldier's concert which the I.O.D.E. were having but it was called off on account of the Holdin girls being sick, so he went up to Huby's and took Lila to the show. Aunty Alice sent to a Boston publishing Company for some plays for us to-night. A little colder to-day but nice.

Thursday January 9th

Frank and I finished covering the rails in the old barn with straw. We intended to get some more corn in and some hay over but the weather prevented us. It has been very blustery and blizzardy all day. It didn't snow any more but the high west wind kept what little had