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

Sunday July 17^th""" """"""""" """""""" """""""""""""Cannington Manor

Assiniboia

N.W.T.

Canada

My Dear Namesake

I cannot tell you how pleased I was to get your letter. I saw Mortlake postmark. I could not think where that was. I had quite forgot your writing. I had your letter July 15 th. I have only had one letter from home since I have been here. Well I must tell you I don't like this country much for it is so dreadful quiet. There is nothing going on. It is a nice country as far as that goes but there is not many people about. No chapel - no sunday school." I have to go to church. We go every Sunday about 6 or a dozen of us in the wagon. It is too hot to walk. The church is two & half mile." First time I was driving I thought I was going to break my neck. There is no roads here like England - only like roadways across a field. They are called trails. Every driving affair is different here. All the seats seem to work on springs till the jogging is less felt. I quite enjoy it now every Sunday. We have been very busy spring cleaning as they call, but I told them it was past spring cleaning - it was summer cleaning. I never saw any house in such a filthy state - never one thing - they are not very particular. The knives had not been cleaned for 6 weeks. This family are from London. They have only been out here 4 years this October. The boss was a shipbuilder in England. He was going back in the world. That's why he came out here because he has so large a family, and they can stand a better chance to provide for themselves. The girls don't like this so well as the old country. The eldest son is 24 and the daughter that is married is 21. There is another girl near 20 and a boy 18, and the others vary down to 5. I think I told you they were 10 in all. Mrs Humphreys I have not seen yet. She went to England in February and one girl 15. She is gone to school for 2 years." Mrs. Humphreys is leaving England the 2nd week in August. I like the boss very much, but of course I cannot tell you about the missus yet." What a funny thing that you and I should be in church at a wedding the same day. Miss Humphreys was married the first day of June. There was about 50 here to breakfast, the bride was dressed in white silk. Her 3 sisters were bridesmaids. She was married at 12 o'clock. They came back here to breakfast. She put on a grey travelling dress & drove 40 miles to meet the train. She had plenty of old boots tied under the carriage. She had all her wedding things sent out from England. This bridegroom is very tall & thin. She gave him the name of Allys Sloper - that was before she thought anything of him." So now they go by the name of the Sloper family. He lives in at Cannington." He is postmaster. We can only post letters every Monday, & we only get letters once a week - that is every Friday. I was going to write to Watkins but now I don't know where he is."" I really did not think you would leave. I thought the old woman would coax you to stop when the time came. Is it that little girl out of Hay is come housemaid and who is come cook "" I am rather glad Annie led her a dance. Surely Mrs. Murphy will attend to the hens now and give them warm parings, pepper & mustard. Did you teach the little maid to wash out all the spice pots for the hens "" Did Ann render the fat alright " "How did she manage the marketing "" We were not allowed to speak to any young men on the voyage. The matron was so strict over us. We used to watch her down to her cabin. She would come back sometimes and catch us. Then she would get as mad as a tup. We did lead her a dance - 27 of us. My work is chiefly cooking for they live far better here than in the old country. Blanch work is called chaws here." If anything is done wrong then the boys say it is 'botched. I am sorry for William. I do think it was too bad of you to go so far but I pity him when you do meet him. Those boot hole nights were jolly. I wish I could see them and that, for try over again. I feel very miserably sometimes - then I think of boot hole to console myself. Please send my kindest regards to William & ask him if he remembers the night he was scared to drink tea about 9. The letters are going to post. I will tell you more news next time. Thank you for telling me so much about the rank old pig.

With best wishes""""""""""""" From your loving friend

Sunday July 17th Page 1 of Letter 2 Original Scan

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