[Envelope addressed: John Bates Dickey, Postmaster, Poplar Grove, Sask. Postmark WPG, remainder illegible. Receiving postmark Wapella Sask Jul 31, 08. Two cent stamp. Janet Cairns and her mother appear to have been in Winnipeg to shop for the upcoming wedding which took place on September 9, 1908.]
Wednesday, 1:30 p.m
My dear John:-
We have been shopping this morning, and I have bought my white dress ready made, also my suit. Begins to look like business, eh, Mr. D? This afternoon I have to look for a hat and about three hundred and sixty-nine other things too numerous to mention. We are staying at the Brunswick. We got in about ten last night. It was frightfully warm last night, so that through the night about all that was necessary was a smile or a frown, To-day, however, the conventions of city life demand more, so we are going about mopping our faces and looking like the martyrs that we are.
Later. It is now after tea, and we are mere wrecks. I have just addressed a post card to you, and I hope you will get it and this on Friday. We hope now that we may get through our shopping tomorrow, and get off for Drayton on Friday morning. I did not get that dreadful hat yet–how dread the getting of it! However, there are better days coming, I hope, when these wonderful new things will be worn and used.
This afternoon was very windy, and as we went up Portage Ave. the wind blew so that I was so afraid my skirt (of that new cotton dress) would try how high it could blow, that I did not watch where I was going, and before I knew it, I was on my hands and knees. Wouldn’t you have laughed? Well, I guess so. A few of the people near me smiled a bit, and so did I, but as I knew no one, I did not care. We shall, if possible, spend Monday night at Souris at Mr. Butler’s, then we have to stay Tuesday night at Reston but if nothing happens we will be home on Wednesday, and I am already longing to get back. I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder all right, John.
I am your loving Janet.
[In same envelope:]
Winnipeg, Wednesday, 10 p.m.
My dear John:-
I suppose about this time you are thinking, “Well, one blessing is that I can get a good night’s sleep tonight even though it is Wednesday night,” Sad to say, you can, so far as I am concerned.
Mamma and I took two adjoining rooms, as we thought it would be cooler than for two of us to be in one small room. She has retired now to her room for the night. I am sitting on the edge of my bed and you know my occupation. You see, John, I hope to have so few opportunities or excuses to write to you, that I am making the most of this one. I know you can’t get this letter till next week when I am home, but I am sure you won’t mind, and will perhaps condescend to read it. I tried on my white dress this evening. It looks pretty nice, I think, and it was rather a bargain, too. We have found Eaton’s most disappointing, and have got most of our bargains elsewhere.
John, the day is just six weeks off now–less when you get this. I begin to feel as if it is near instead of far.
We hope to get off for Dakota on Friday, but are not altogether sure. We won’t be able to go to Souris after all, as we would have to leave here at 8 o’clock Monday morning to be there that day & we won’t get up from Drayton till sometime that day.
We met Mrs, Clendinin, the Doctor’s wife, from Wawota yesterday on the train. I sat with her most of the afternoon and she was very confidential. She was pretty, but rather overdressed.
This is a fearfully noisy place. Mamma and I think we would rather be home feeding the chickens than here in the city. Neither of us slept much last night, the electric cars make such a noise. However, we hope to sleep better tonight.
Well, I must wash my feet and get to bed.
With love, from Janet.