[Letter addressed: Mr. John B Dickey, Poplar Grove, Assa. NWT. Postmarked Middle Musquodoboit, N.S. Fe 9, 03. Back of envelope postmarked Wapella, Assa., Fe 14, 03. Two cent Queen Victoria stamp. Spelling has been left as it was in the original.]
Musquodoboit February 8th 1903
Dear John and Annabell
I will try and write a few lines to you both I am almost ashamed that I have not written soonner but it is so easy to put off doing a thing thinking to do it another day. Well John I wish you a long and happy life for both of you and I sincerely hope you have made a wise choice but dont know what to think about you wishing you had got a wife soonner. I am afraid since George read that it will put him in the notion of getting one why he went right of with one for a drive last night and aint back yet, sometimes I feel as if he needed one here to help me with the work but I get along, now I want you to plan on bringing my new daughter home to see us as soon as you can find it conveint to do so I dont feel that I have lost a son but gained a daughter. I would have liked to send you a present but did not know what to send they dont keep anything in the shops here worth anything. thanks for the piece of cake it came all right
I expect Aggie home on a visit next summer how nice it would be if you could come to but I suppose you cant leave in summer, aunt Laetitia has got well again Add Fleck was here last week he is going out to Calgary in the spring he is not verry well and the Dr told him to try a change and if he likes the place out there he may take his family there sometime. there was a man here last week from Manitoba he likes out west better than this country his wife is a sister of our neighbour Mrs Redmond
aunt Eliza Colback was buiried yesterday she died in New Glasgow and they brought her here to buiry her did you see in last weeks News the Add of a Mr Murphy about his wife, she was Emily McComell I think you went to school with her, she went off with Ed Keef you mind Old Mrs Keef that used to travel the road here it was her son she left five small children
Mr and Mrs George McLeold celebrated their golden wedding a short time ago I had the pleasure of being there Angus and Willie were home we had a nice time Mr Mc is getting quite frail he has to sleep in his chair cant lie dow on account of Asma [asthma], Add McLeod dont get any better he has not done any work now for about a year and a half. we got the paper you sent I cut out the piece about your marriage and will keep it. I got the account of the presents you received Mrs W Archibald wrote to me all about them and also how you have the house fixed up I almost fancy I can see how cosy you look. when you write again tell your wife to write and let me know what she thinks of one of my little boys by this time. dent forget to get the photo and send home and dont forget to come as soon as you can afford to come there will always be a welcome for you while I am here, We did not see Frank Dean when he was home, now wishing you both a happy home with health and wealth I remain your loving Mother
Aggies address Mrs B E MacKeen Eds address
84 Seymour Street 66 North Avenue
Hartford Conn Natick Mass
[Mrs. B.E. MacKeen is John Bates Dickey’s older sister, Agnes, who married Bedford MacKeen. Ed is probably his younger brother Edward.]