[In same envelope as previous letter from Amy Cairns Mulligan, dated May 1, 1901. Assigned the date that Amy’s letter finished, which was May 11, 1901. Envelope addressed: Miss Janet Cairns, Normal School, Truro, N.S. Postmarked: Barney’s River N.S. My 13 10, Receiving postmark: Truro N/S. PM My 13, 01.]
Friday evening.
Dear Janet,
I got the pattern last evening. Rupert Reid was here to tea. I went away with Papa at half past nine this morning. We went up to Mrs. Alec Sutherland’s (brother of the Groveland man) and had dinner, she gave me a beautiful white knitted petticoat and jar of strawberries then we called on the Sutherland man who lost his wife and baby, he keeps house with just his little boy he gave me quite a large cake of maple sugar, then we called on Minnie Kate McLeod, had tea there, Mrs. McLeod gave me a good sized roll of butter, perhaps 2 1/2 lbs., we then called on Mrs. Black Alex. Bannerman. When we came down to the store, Annie came from Mrs. D. R. McK. and told me she had sent up 2 duck eggs to Bobbie. Annie was in on Wednesday afternoon and promised them. Maggie B. was in too on Wednesday and stayed all night. Nellie, Katy, Alice & Sadie were in the same evening and made the temperance badges, Papa got the ribbon in
Antigonish. Amy made some very nice butterscotch to treat the girls. Amy went up with Maggie B. last night. Yesterday afternoon they had a kind of arbor day and cleaned up the school grounds, and set out two lilac trees, this afternoon they cleaned some dirt out of the inside of the school-house. John & Amy locked up the house and took Bob to school. Bob did not mind as long as school was not going on.
When we got home to-night there was a letter from Deacon Mr. Angus McDonald, asking Papa to come right up as soon as he got the letter, because his sister-in-law Mrs. John McDonald had a stroke of paralysis, so off he went and won’t be home till morning. He did not mind, because Sandy McLeod was going to be at the Endeavour this evening, and his absence would give him a clear field, and Papa had a perfect excuse. Tom caught a large string of trout this afternoon good large ones, Amy took them to Mrs. D. R. who likes them, she is a little better, able to sit up a very little while. We have only had one bottle of maple syrup since you left. I think Sandy Stirling has cut Papa out at E.R. St. M., I do not care much, because it is more out of the world there than here. Papa was at Presbytery on Tuesday. Johnny Irvine was married Tuesday, they were to have been married a fortnight ago, but there was typhoid fever where her dress was being made, and it could not be made & she could not get the dress from the place in time; if possible we will call there next week. Last week Mr. J. Reid gave us a lovely quarter of veal. My toes are much better this evening with the rest of to-day. Sandy McLeod preached at Avondale on Sunday afternoon, the collection for him was $3.00. I am leaving the housecleaning till you come home but of course I’ll do what I can before that. “They” say Mrs. Lauchlin Blair & Mr. John Inglis (Ross’s father) are going to be married soon. Grace Inglis who was married to Jim McDiarmid or Dermot last November 6th has a son. Annie & Adam intend to get their own house fixed up to live in before Fall. She says Adam and his father do not agree very well, but that she gets along beautifully with Mrs. Campbell. Mrs. Campbell is so kind and nice, but that Cassie is trying. Papa bought me new gloves, a lot of very good flannellette, factory cotton & cottonade for the boys’ blouses. Their arms are nearly well, the scabs came off John’s & Tom’s. I think Amy will send you her scab so you can vaccinate yourself again. Papa, Allan, Charlie & John have fixed the fence all around the place, so I hope the sheep will not profit by our planting this year. Here it is half past nine and I have not sewed a bit and I intended to finish Tom’s blouse, & John & Amy will soon be back from the meeting. This pen is scratchy and sputtery, and the table is buttery as you will notice by the state of the paper. Annie said she and Mrs. A. J. would come and help me with your white dress when I started to make it, I was glad to say you were going to get it made, but I told her for them to come along, there was always sewing to do. I baked 9 loaves yesterday, and two ovens full of cinnamon rolls. Amy hopes you will send a parcel before the 23rd of May, Maggie B’s birthday. Amy has just come in, she says there were an “awful” lot at Endeavour and ‘he’ preached about home, the collection was 25 cents. Amy is assistant treasurer till Annie recovers. Mrs. D. R. has a girl, Hannah McLeod, she is a good one, I saw blankets hanging out and carpets to-night as I passed so I suppose the house cleaning will be done. I set the two duck eggs to-night, when they are hatched you will only have 3 weeks more at the Normal. I think this will do for to-night, Oh, yes, they gave Johnnie Irving quite a chivaree last evening we heard the horns here. Monday. They did not give Johnnie Irving a chiverie, they met at a distance, blew horns and went home. I suppose you have the measels by this time, Eppie Robertson has them, so Annie did not come home; if you are not better and think you have ’em, come home at once, if you can. I hope we will get a letter today saying you are better. Mr. D. Robertson and I conducted Sunday school yesterday.
Your affectionate
Mother Alice Cairns.