TCD MS 11274/23 folio 1 recto
18 March 1916
My dearest Mary. I didnt get a letter from you today so Im wriing in order to be “one up” so I can count against you next time I lapse. I dont think theres any particular news, today has been to all intents & purposes the same as yesterday or the day before. We were rather short of coal during the snow and I managed in the end to corner 300 lbs which I brought in 3 sacks. I then dug a cellar to store it in. Now we find it is nearly impossible to make it burn as it is nearly shale also that it is too warm to bother to try and so we use none & have no fires. I played Bridge last night till near one o clock. It is the first game I played since ever so long. I had a partner from Co Louth. I won of 80c from Vyall during the whole night. I dont think Id ever care to play Bridge as I used to in fact I don’t seem to be able to pay enough attention not to play abominably. My partner thought he was very good & that I was rather bad but I tried as well as I could to shew him he really didn’t know much about it.
Theres nothing to read now that all your books are finished Im trying a French Novel by Rêné de Bazin