Letters from Cannington Manor, Assiniboia, North West Territories, (Saskatchewan) Canada

Cannington Manor

Assiniboia

N.W.T.

Canada

May 22nd 1892

My Dear Namesake,

"""""""" I fully promised you a letter by Mayfair, but I did not arrive here till the 13th of May and we cannot post but every Monday, so I did not understand that in time for the first post." So I sent this in time for 2nd." I send it to Mrs Watkins the butcher in case you have left Cusup, because a letter is about 16 days." I hope you are getting on all right." I am quite well." We had a very long passage - 12 days on sea, I was very sick for 3 days and then I enjoyed it most splendid after I got better. We were 27 girls in our party and 6 young men under our chaplain. The matron was very kind to us she gave us plenty of apples, oranges, and lemons and candies.

"""""""" I cannot tell you much about the country yet. Moosomin is a horrid place but I am 40 miles from there. I am not far from Mr. Moore I think I shall like alright by & by. There is no chapel for miles but there is a beautiful church 2 miles off and we drive a whole gang in the wagon every Sunday service at 7pm. The prairie is beautiful now. You can go for miles and gather flowers of colours." Mrs. Humphreys has been in England for 3 months and is not coming home till August. There are 10 children, only 3 in school 5 sons and 6 daughters. The eldest daughter is going to be married the first day of June, so I am just in time for that."" I shall be thinking about you the 6th day of June. I was thinking about you all the May Fair days. You are 8 hours before us. It is much warmer here by day and cooler by night than in England. One thing I hope to save a little shoe leather here - no roads only paths out and all boards in the house. The Humphreys have only come from England 4 years. This house is built since then. It is very large. There is 12 rooms on the first floor and 13 on the second - I mean bedrooms. It is built like a ship. There is a square opening up the middle and the landing leading all round to the rooms. It is very pretty to look down. The boss was a ship builder. People are not particular about anything here. Knives can go for a week uncleaned. Everyone cleans their own boots & everyone makes their own bed. All the hobby here is to get varieties to eat. They live far better here than in the old country. There is some Red Indians about here. They call their wives skwas & the children papoose I intend coming home in 2 years time if I am spared but it is a very long journey. It is 2660 miles of water. If there is anything done wrong they say it is botched, and I guess they say for nearly everything. Have you heard anything about Johnny. There is a lot of English lads out here. I will tell you how I shall like it next letter. They are all very homely here with me. There is no gentry here - all of one class. Please remember me to the gardener and Mrs. Watkins. Trusting you and William are all right. I conclude with kindest love and every good wish.

Yours lovingly

Martha

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