[Envelope addressed: Rev. John A. Cairns. Scotsburn Pictou Co Nova Scotia Canada. Postmarked: Moose Jaw Assa Ja 23 92. Three cent Queen Victoria stamp. Before Saskatchewan became a province in 1905, the southern part was known as Assiniboia Territory, part of the North West Territories. The postmark on the envelope indicates this letter was written in 1892.]
Moose Jaw
Assa
N.W.T. Jan 22nd
Dear Bro
Your letter of Jan 15th [he probably meant December 15] to hand today, and I am pleased to hear from you to know that you and family are well.
I am up around again but not working yet. I have been laid up with Lagrippe for over 3 weeks (in bed). With regard to the farm I do not know what to think of them at home as
Christopher [brother of Robert and John Andrew Cairns] told Bell [Robert Cairns’ wife] they would give us over $2000 and several times he told Bell to be sure and give them the first offer. I wrote to them a few days after Bell arrived here and have not received any answer. Bell had a letter from Mary Jane [sister of Robert and John Andrew Cairns] a few days ago saying Mother wrote to me the week before she did, well that letter did not get here yet. It is strange to me those letters do not get here, It strikes me as if they were playing a game of put off with me. If I had known that was the way they were going to answer the first offer for the farm I can tell you I would have acted very differently as Christopher seemed to want to buy right along. Well I would have advertised the farm last fall and had all winter to sell, I might have got my price or nearly so. But the time is short to do that now, as I expect to need money in April so if I do not sell I will have to mortgage
If you can pay the $2000.00 cash in say by 15 th April I think I had better accept your offer, as I might advertise it and then not get it sold by that time and have to raise a mortgage on it. I might not use all the money then, but there are chances of sales of stock in which a person could make 50 percent on his money there was a sale of 60 head of cattle last spring they brought $1000.00 the offer was open nearly 3 weeks but as cash was scarce the offer stood that long the cattle at the time they were sold were worth an average of $26.00 per head those bargains are not an every day occurance of course, but a fellow might see a good investment if he has the stuff
I can send the deed to you and you can copy it if you have time and send it on for our signatures
Hoping soon to hear from you
I remain yours Robt S Cairns