From Alice Waters Cairns to her daughter Janet Cairns Dickey (February 11, 1906)

[Envelope addressed: Miss Janet Cairns, Kenzieville, Pictou Co., Nova Scotia. Postmarked: Wapella Fe 13 06. Two cent King Edward VII stamp. Receiving postmark: Barney’s River NS, Fe 21 06.]

Poplar Grove, Sask.,

Feb. 11^th, 1906. Sunday eve.

Dear Janet,

Reggie went for the mail on Friday and brought back your letter, and very glad we were to hear from you and the LOVELY time you had in Montreal. Did you see Dr. Cumming? We never knew Queenie K. was dead. Is the silk crepe de chine dress in the style at all? Or will you have to alter it? You must try to eat and sleep all you can to get fat. I expect you won’t come across a bath-room again till you get to Aunt Jennie’s. Papa went to Wapella on Friday, & had dinner at F. Dean’s. Mr. Potter came home on that day too, he brought 3 cows, 4 horses, some pigs & sheep and a rooster. Wilbur was over to-day. Tetley was down too. Miss Dickie & the Wickam girls went to Winnipeg on the excursion, but not B. Wickam. John has a boil on his (ahem) which makes sitting down a painful act. He walked up to F. Gravener’s to-day to get some of that wonderful salve F.G. was telling us about; the place of the boil made it too painful to ride on horseback. He is not home yet. Feb. 14^th Wednesday. Tom went to school to-day, the first time since you left. He lit the candle this morning after the sun was up and forgot to put it out, it was burning away till 2 0’clock. Papa had $15.00 loose in his pocket to-day in Wapella and must have pulled it out when he paid his livery, and dropped it, anyway he cannot find it now. John’s boil is troubling him a good deal, but he has gone to Wapella to-day. We are having our coldest weather now. John broke the little kitchen looking glass that Annie Thompson’s mother gave to Amy, it was a pure accident. Tom broke a lamp chimney this evening. I put a nice pot of meat out in the porch to cool on Sunday, with a big tin on top, those wretched dogs knocked off the tin and took the boiling meat out, I hope they burned their noses and tongues. I have just mixed bread and I feel tired and out of sorts, hence this chapter of accidents. Papa stayed at Angus McDonalds last night, I ought to have sent your letters to Amy. We posted you two “W’wood Heralds.” I roasted some wheat and barley, Tom ground it all, so now we are going in for postum at a great rate. I cleaned the boys room to-day. The coldest night this week, the henhouse door was left open till 9 ‘clock, then Papa happened to be in the vicinity and noticed it, the water and turnips were frozen solid, but the hens seem all right yet.

Thursday

Papa is going to Wapella so I will send this because he will bring the mail home to-morrow evening.

Your loving

Mother

Alice Cairns