From John Andrew Cairns to his daughter Janet Cairns Dickey (December 31, 1919)

by Chris Evans | December 31, 1919 8:02 pm

[Envelope addressed: Mrs. J. B. Dickey, Langbank, Sask. Postmarked: Kerrisdale B.C. Jan 1

20. Three cent King George V stamp. Receiving postmark: Langbank Sask. Jan 5 21.]

2085 45 Av. W. Dec. 31/19

Dear Janet,

I must write you at once, or else I will forget the half what I have to tell.

Last Saturday I went down to Port Coquitlam to preach for Rev. Mr. Cameron my old class mate in College and found there Dan Stewart (Martha’s brother) of Scotsburn. He is married and has a daughter Melba about 18 yrs old and a son about 16. His wife is a sister of Rev. Mr. Campbell of Merigomish when we were at Barney’s River (Mr. Campbell is now dead). I did not know that his (Dan’s) mother was dead in Scotsburn. He has a nice comfortable house. Mr. Cameron and I were there to tea Monday night and I am sure I was glad to hear all the news. After Church Sabbath it was arranged for us to go to John Robert McKenzie’s for dinner & tea. He is a brother of Mrs. John A. Matheson of Plainfield. Well, he was married to Ina Murray of Plainfield, & she died after a year, leaving a baby girl 2 days old, who has been brought up by Mrs. Matheson & who is now teaching school at Lower Barney’s River. You remember I married Ina [he conducted the marriage ceremony]. Mr. McKenzie married a 2nd time. Dr. Margaret McKay of Plainfield (a sister of Rod’s) They have a nice comfortable house (they call a 1 story house a bungalow) and seemed very happy, altho Mrs. McKenzie has been ailing for several years with nervous troubles.

On Tuesday morning I came by train to Westminster and laid my plan to stop off there to see the town For a half day—and took a walk around thro the main streets making a circle tour of about a mile. When nearly around I was going along a beautiful residential street and as I came to a corner, a gentleman was coming from the other side of the street & turned down the street abreast of me. I said to him “Pardon me, but I think you have a beautiful city.” He said it is better than we used to have in the East. I said where? He said, above Middle Musquodoboit. I asked him his name & he said Bryson. He asked me my name and I told him & he said Why you used to preach in my fathers house. It was a remarkable co-incidence. He was on his way to a Council meeting of the Aldermen and I think he said he was Mayor of the city [a Bryson descendant says he was an Alderman, not Mayor]. He told me that his mother and your good man’s mother [that is, Susanna Bates Dickey], were sisters, and he said if that is so, you & I are partly related.

Well, nothing would do but I must stop over at his house for at least one night and come with him to a gathering of Nova Scotians. I was easily persuaded and when I got there I met a Mr. McKenzie (a brother of McKenzie who went to Korea). He is principal of the King Edward High school in Vancouver. Tell Mama I met a Mr. Rice of Bear River who has been out here about 30 years & who knew Captain Waters of Digby. I also met Rev. Mr. McKay (cousin of Jessie & Bessie McKay of Scotsburn) & who was at one of our big Missionary meetings at Scotsburn. I am going to preach for him. I have been asked by quite a lot of ministers to preach for them, but always try to get clear of it. I intend to preach for several of them, if I stay here long enough.

Well, I am forgetting about that gathering of Nova Scotians. There were College songs & speeches & speeches & songs for the 2 hours of the gathering, then lunch was served and the gathering dispersed. It was “foine etoirely” as the Irishman says. The next meeting is Tuesday the last week of Jan. and I as a good Nova Scotian am invited to attend, which I will do if I am here. I met a lot of persons who knew other persons whom I knew. When buying my ticket yesterday the man at my elbow said something about Nova Scotia to his wife at his elbow. I asked him where he was from and he said he was from Noel, you remember it was in the Noel church near Maitland where Rev. Mr. Campbell dropped dead while preaching, and it was at Noel I was preaching when the 2 sisters of Fielding were drowned and I was the first to help to get them out of the water. I knew a lot of people there & enquired about them. And this morning I got home here again and I told them I had the time of my life. Rev. Dr. Smith called yesterday to give me a drive in his Auto & show me all the sights of the city. You know Smith taught in Back Meadows and I gave him lessons in Greek & Latin.

Another man Mr. Lightheart sent me word he was coming some day to give me an auto ride & show me all that is to be seen in the city. He is married to Louise Cairns (Christopher’s daughter) and they all live together in Vancouver. Lightheart is wealthy. He has buildings that brings him in, in rent $4000 per month. Winnifred is secretary of the school board & gets $100 a month. I was over to dinner with them last week and they are very comfortable.

I have a lot of names (persons) to hunt up from North, South, East & West. Miss Grace Burris of Upper Musquodoboit is principal in one of the schools here. She was the 1st child I baptized in Up. Musquod. I have to hunt her up.

Tell Mama, one of Mrs. Robert Chaplin’s daughters of Woodside Musquod. is married here & I have to find her, for the sake of old times. I am having the time of my life. Give this letter to Mama. I was going to write to Susan, but my letter is full for this time.

Your aff Dad,

J. A. Cairns.

Tell John [Dickey] that Mr. Bryson has the piece of Wedding Cake that John sent to him when he was married to Miss Wickam. He has it safely wrapped up & put away. They were very glad to hear of Lu Guild’s marriage to Elmer Cowan & were rejoiced to know she has such a comfortable Home.

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