My dear Mrs MacLaren

I wish you a happy New Year & many happy returns of the season.
I expected to have been in Irvine this month but I find I can only obtain fourteen days leave. I have therefore declined going on leave until the end of this month when I will be able to get it until 10 March unless we are ordered on foreign service, when all leave will be stopped.

I hope to have the pleasure of seeing your nephew Francis before he leaves Scotland. Mary-Jane was very much disappointed she did not see him on board ship in London as she hoped he would have been able to stay a day or two at Carlton Villas. I fear this will be a most uninteresting letter as I have no news to offer you. We have had very little [snow?] but an immense deal of rain which makes the Camp very uncomfortable. However, I am pretty accustomed to Camp life now, having passed my third New Year in it - and I may state that the first New Year I spent in Camp was the most miserable of my life. I don't know where I may pass next New Year's day, but if I had my choice I should say in Irvine. I am sorry to say my Uncle (William) has not been spared to see another New Year. The "Almighty" was pleased to end his earthly career on the 16th of last month. I did not expect the melancholy event to take place so soon but owing to his great age (90 years) and according to the course of nature it was not to be expected he could survive much longer. He died after three weeks illness & although for some weeks before his Death he had been rather insensible still he recovered & became quite aware of his approaching end.

I must now conclude this letter & hope to have the pleasure of seeing you in a few weeks.

P.S. Remember me to all my Irvine friends
N Grahame

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