[Envelope addressed: John A. Cairns, B.A., Country Harbour, Guysboro County, N.S.
Postmarked: Freetown, P.E.I. Jun 10. Receiving postmark: Saint John, N.B. Ju 10 80
Two cent Queen Victoria stamp.]
Freetown June 9th 1880
Dear Brother
I received your very welcome letter a few days ago and now hasten to answer it, we were glad to hear you were well as this leaves us all ver well at present. We are done the crop all but the buckwheat & turnips, Christopher has been hauling mud this week we shore our sheep to-day, we have thirty-two sheep & twenty-six lambs. We have two foals, Tom is Robert’s & Belle Christopher’s, none for poor Jannet. We have had a very cool spring I think there was only three hot days. Aunt Margaret was down Monday afternoon she is very well now, she is going to Broombush Friday or Saturday she told mother she is going to help Uncle William with the hay and harvest and then she is coming to Uncle John’s for good, I don’t think she likes the idea of it very well but thinks she will be better away from the children. I had a letter from Tillie McCallum last week she said she wrote to you in the winter and never got an answer she did not know whether the letters went astray or not the Brackley Point friends are all well. Netie Taylor was married to Rash Bownef [Editor’s note: f is the old form of ss] about three weeks ago (look out for squalls in two or three months) she walked out to Bowness and was married there, the old man made him take her. Our school is vacant now. Mif Eliza Fergueson (Second Claf) has applied for it, also Mif Milligan that taught in Lot 19 1 think Mif Milligan will have the best chance for she will take lef supplement than Eliza they wont know who will be engaged till the July meeting. Mr. Craig opened his store about three weeks ago he appears to be doing very well so far he is selling very reasonable, Em is in the shop every day as primpy as usual. Old Mr. Henderson in Bedeque was buried last Monday he has been very poorly all winter with his stomach it was something like cancer Mr. Patterson is pretty smart again he preached last Sabbath, next Sabbath is Sacrament. Mrs. Dan McLean has a son over a week old she has been very poorly, hardly expected to live she is something better now I don’t think any one is allowed to see her yet. William Rogers has tore down his kitchen and is making it larger it will be a good deal larger but no higher on the roof
Mr. Robert brother Stephen was on from Minnesotta this spring he had been away thirty years, he gives great accounts of the place he says it is a great farming country. Will wants to go out there this fall I don’t know whether he’ll go or not the girls are home yet I don’t hear any word of them going to Boston again. Mrs. W. Reeves told Christopher last night that Jacob Schurman is out of his mind, she said Will told her, I hope it aint true, I heard Mrs. Schurman has been afraid of that this good while. We shipped oats at the Station last week for 42 Cts per bush we had 598 bush besides over two hundred we sold for seed. I am very tired after shearing. Good Bye I remain your loving Sister
Jannet Cairns.
[Written around sides and across top of the letter]
Annie Thompson and the two youngest children came up Saturday and staid till Monday evening. Have you heard from Aunt Mary’s since you went to N.S. They are all well at the mill.
You did not tell us how you liked your new place. Robert and Mother heard Mr. Quinn preach at the Town Road two Sabbaths ago they liked him very well.