[Envelope addressed: Miss Janet Cairns, Scotsburn, Pictou Co., Nova Scotia. Postmarked: Barney’s River, N.S. Sp 11, 01. Two cent Queen Victoria stamp. Receiving postmark: Pictou N.S. sp 11 01.]
Barney’s River,
Tuesday, Sept. 10th, 1901
Dear Janet,
We got your letter and card to-night. Our plans are to leave here on Friday 20th. If you came home either on 19th or 20th it will be all right. We will likely drive to Stellarton on Friday evening.
We were down at the shore Saturday all day, 27 of us. I baked a large white cake frosted, ginger cookies, sugar cookies and two apple pies last week, the frosted cake is yet uncut, we took the cookies to the shore, and 13 eggs and 2 two-quart jars of milk, a loaf of bread and pat of butter, left the pies for Sunday dinner. We had a glorious time, the boys were in bathing about ten times in the 7 hours we spent there.
There are four letters for you. Amy is much interested in one from Whycogomagh. Papa & I were visiting to-day away up at John Dugald’s, Kate gave me a pickle-bottle of strawberry preserves. We have had no company since you left. I churned this morning before we left, and we left at nine, Amy kept house in the morning, John in the afternoon. Amy cooked a chicken, and had warmed over potatoes. I plucked a chicken and hen yesterday and did the washing. So you see we are getting on nicely. Hope you won’t come home poisoned with arsenic. You must eat more eggs and I’ll spare you some cream, and give you pink pills. I gave Amy half a cup of cream all the spring for her cough.
The Threshers are on the go. Buckwheat is at the mill. Hope some one will give us some on our travels. I got a letter from England. Give my love or best respects or remembrances or some such speech to all enquiring friends but especially to Mrs. Marion.
Your affectionate Mother
Alice Cairns