Susan , I am determined that I will send my boy off tomorrow with a smile . He shall not carry away with him the remembrance of a weak mother who had not the courage to send when he had the courage to go . I hope none of us will cry . '' `` I am not going to cry , Mrs. Dr. dear , and that you may tie to , but whether I shall manage to smile or not will be as Providence ordains and as the pit of my stomach feels . Have you room there for this fruit-cake ? And the shortbread ? And the mince-pie ? That blessed boy shall not starve , whether they have anything to eat in that Quebec place or not . Everything seems to be changing all at once , does it not ? Even the old cat at the manse has passed away . He breathed his last at a quarter to ten last night and Bruce is quite heart-broken , they tell me . '' `` It 's time that pussy went where good cats go . He must be at least fifteen years old . He has seemed so lonely since Aunt Martha died . '' `` I should not have lamented , Mrs. Dr. dear , if that Hyde-beast had died also . He has been Mr. Hyde most of the time since Jem came home in khaki , and that has a meaning I will maintain . I do not know what Monday will do when Jem is gone . The creature just goes about with a human look in his eyes that takes all the good out of me when I see it . Ellen West used to be always railing at the Kaiser and we thought her crazy , but now I see that there was a method in her madness . This tray is packed , Mrs. Dr. dear , and I will go down and put in my best licks preparing supper .
I wish I knew when I would cook another supper XXXXX Jem but such things are hidden from our eyes . ''
as at for if in of since that whether with