[Envelope addressed: Revd. John A. Cairns Scotsburn Pictou County N.S. Postmarked: Lacombe Alta Au 15 93 on front, Calgary Alta PM Au 15 93 on back.]
Lacombe Alta N.W.T. Aug 13/93
Dear Bro
Althought it is your turn to write I thought you may have written and your letter gone astray, or you may be very busy and not have had time. I saw by the paper you and Mr. Thomson exchanged pulpits on the 6th if so you will likely have seen Bell as she expected to arrive on the Island on the 3rd and she would tell you all the news and about the country but you will have to come and see it for yourself to know what it is like. We have had a very beautiful summer. the crops look splendidly there has not been any frost at all, we had heavy frost every month last summer. We have 55 loads of hay saved I want to put up 70 or 80 loads more Mary Jane has 1 horse and 5 cows, one of them lost her calf (I think the man that drove them down must have drove them to fast) they are all nice large cows one of them is a very large cow and if she is as good as the man told us she was she is worth $60.00. I paid $45.00 for her, she will not come in till the fall, she is an excellent winter cow. I was away yesterday looking up my band I did not get them all but they are getting quite fat and the calves are growing fine but if you was here you would say so well they might grow some places the grass is over their backs. Mary and the children seem to like the place very well they do not seem to be lonesome. How are Alice and the children. How are all Aunt Mary’s folks how are Johny Bells folks Remember me to them when you see them.
I will close with love to Alice and your self
Yours truly R. S. Cairns
[Written across top of page:] Mary says to ask you for a receipt [recipe] that you gave Mother for a cough syrup.