From Alice Waters Cairns to her daughter Janet Cairns Dickey (January 31, 1931)

by Chris Evans | January 31, 1931 7:49 pm

[Envelope addressed:  Mrs. J.B. Dickey, Langbank, Sask. Postmarked: Victoria, British

Columbia, 1 PM Feb 2, 1931]

Victoria, Jan. 31st 1931

Dear Janet,

This letter & contents are for you. Papa has gone to a kind of dinner or supper to meet Dr. Oliver [Edmund Oliver], moderator of general assembly & head of theological seminary of Saskatoon. He was at a luncheon at the famous Empress hotel at noon, the luncheon at which Dr. Oliver was a guest of the Canadian club, price $1.00. This evening at the school house of the Metropolitan church the price of the dinner is 50 cents. Papa is to be the guest of Dr. Wilson, only men are to be there, at least pretty nearly only men, as it is kind of a missionary affair for canvassing the city for money. I am glad I do not have to go as my fancy work is not getting done very fast. So the reception was! I’d like to hear your report of it with all the little undercurrents (gossip) of remarks, the atmosphere, so to speak. Sadie’s letter came this morning with the paper. I mean to write to Amy Dickey next, then to Janet. Papa has written to Mr. Robinson. Last evening Papa I were asked to go in to Mrs. Ellis’s room & sit with her for awhile, she treated us to candy & raisins. Mrs. Ellis has the best room in the house, & pays the same as we do. She is slightly garrulous, & when Papa is too, I do not have to talk any. Mrs. McKenzie lives the other end of the hall, & between the two is a wide gulf of dislike. Mrs. Ellis is a would be delicately nurtured and reared saint of the baptist variety, every prayer meeting faithfully attended no papers read on Sunday, horrified by bridge playing, very exacting about all the comforts she can get in this rooming house, must have the best, & always saying so different to what she has been used to. She said some people are always willing to take anything, but she looks out for the best.

That’s Mrs. Ellis. Mrs. McKenzie is a big hearty scotch lady, her father was a Presbyterian minister, & her two brothers are Presb. ministers in Scotland. Her husband was a lawyer, died three years ago, & I think she feels his loss yet & ever will, she is about 55 & weighs 200 (Mrs. Ellis is no taller much than I, & weighs perhaps 120) & nearly as tall as Papa. She had two children, died about 2 or 3 years old, of whom she cannot speak without tears in her eyes. She plays bridge whenever & wherever she can, & nearly always comes home with the prize, a cup & saucer, box of soap or such like. She takes on anything she feels worth while, like $2.00 for Bobby Bums’ annual Victoria birthday dinner, quite an extravagance for her. She came in before she went to show us how she was dressed for it, black satin, & a bunch of scarlet geraniums which were over 20 years old she said. Being so big she can dress a lot. She just says she does not like Mrs. Ellis. Mrs. Ellis says she does not care for Mrs. McKenzie because she is so gossipy. Mrs. McKenzie is one anyone would go to for advice & help. Anyway Mrs. Mac. Is most companionable, & has a circle of friends of some social standing of whom she does not brag. Mrs. Ellis has daughters & sons here & there, in England, New Zealand, & Calgary, all married, but she is not on very good terms with her in-laws, she lost a son in the war, & visited his grave in France. Well, that’s that. So last evening when we came back to our room at halfpast nine, Mrs. MacKenzie came in, I make no remarks to either of them about the other, so am able to be friends with both. Life in just this upstairs place is just like a community large or small. There’s the girl of the Plymouth brethern who never speaks to any one, nor does anything, but broods over the fact that her father left nearly all his property to his second wife, who has gone to Europe to enjoy it, while she, the daughter lives in a tiny little room with no stove, only two gas rings. Then there is the business girl who lives most methodically leaves every morning at half past eight, washes her clothes on Friday morn & irons on Sat. morn. before she goes, and I am nearly always in her way in the morning for we seem to want the bathroom at the same time. Then there was Mrs. Gibson who had been here seven years but went out of her mind last summer. Then Miss Grieson, a nurse, who met & knew Ida Glenn, who knew of us, to every ones surprise. Ida was looking for stenography work. To-day was a lovely day, & yesterday was better, had the windows to the top open all day. There are lots of flowers nearly in bloom in the garden patch by the front door & chickweed everywhere. It is fine all day but very foggy mornings & evenings. Papa & I went shopping on Thursday, that is my day out. We bought 80 cents worth of mutton, meat does cook so nice in the waterless cooker. Papa would much rather have had his dinner out of the cooker to-day as to the relish & taste, but he wants to get as much of Dr. Oliver as possible. Mrs. Wilson came upstairs to our room & brought his ticket. I think everything is dearer here than at Eaton’s, I don’t see any bargains.

Feb. 1st We just came back from Dr. Wilson’s church. He gave lantern pictures of the life of Christ. Seems such an innovation but nearly all the churches are doing it; even in England. Dr. Wilson’s church was only half full, but Clem Davies City Temple was over crowded had to turn a crowd away, although the Temple will hold over a 1000. Papa ate too much yesterday, and we had no soda so he did not feel well this morning, and we stayed in.

We had a late dinner, so I won’t have toast tonight. I do hope the family are well. Ronald seems to keep clear of colds does he wrap up as much as ever. I must send Elizabeth a hankie some time & a letter.

Your loving mother

Alice Cairns

P.S. Feb. 2nd Your letter & Amy’s came this morning. Amy’s letters are good. I will write Eliz. some time. Just finished my washing so therefore my hand shakes. Papa says he “dunno” about going to Wickam’s. This year we are on the C.P. so it may not be possible to go there. Reynolds live in Vancouver. Papa is waiting to post this. A.C.

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