Poison ivy for toilet paper

About March the 15th, 1916, when six of us signed up for the Haldimand Regiment, the 114th Battalion, under Colonel Thompson. And “C” Company was in Haggersville so we started training there almost immediately. About July we went to Camp Borden, and the whole battalion then was together. We formed fours, learned how to fix bayonets and everything, connected under an old English soldier by the name Batreach who taught us all he knew about army life, but after we got to Camp Borden, why we did it all over again. We marched in the dust and went out on manoeuvres and poison ivy patches. The sergeant warned us not to make our bed anywheres near where the poison ivy was, but unknown to him or us they’d put laxative in the tea. And in the night, the troops got restless, everybody escaped the poison ivy but him. He used it for toilet paper. Being as he was an ex-minister, I happened to be passing his tent three days later and he was holding a looking glass and a brush and painting. He said, “Close, can you swear? ” and I was a little startled. I said, “On occasion.” “Well,” he said, “do some for me.” So, it was a very unhappy event.