St. Paul’s Minnesota July 12th 1874

My Dearest Lizzie

I arrived here this morning about 6.30, after a very fatiguing journey from Chicago. I am obliged to remain over here until tomorrow morning at 8.30 when I leave by the Lake Superior and Mississippi RailRoad for a place called Thompson’s Junction not far from Duluth, & thence onwards to Moorhead, where I expect to be at 4.50am Tuesday. Thence by stage to Pembina, which strange to say no one can tell me how long it will take or what the fare will be. I must take things as they come.

After breakfast today, I endeavored to get a nap but the somnolent God was not to be wooed, and after an unsuccessful trial of an hour I gave up & went out for a walk. It seemed like Sunday not a bit, most of the Stores were open, all the Lager Beer Saloons all the tobacconists, & many groceries dry goods etc. Sounds of rollicking song & the drinking of glasses came from the numerous pot houses. The Street Cars were running, & the streets pretty lively.

St. Paul’s is built on a high bluff on the banks of the Mississippi, there is a very high bridge built across the river, the bridge being much higher on the city’s side and reaching the other shore by a steep incline, a beautiful view up and down the river can be obtained from it. I had a good wash this morning and feel a good deal better for it.

I wrote you a note in pencil from Chicago & had to give it to a stranger to post giving him a silver quarter to buy a postage stamp. I hope you will get the letter. Now don’t you fret for me Lizzie will you mind? Keep up a brave heart and try to take things easy. I am going to try to enjoy myself and I am certain I cannot if I think of you at home sorrowful and in the blues. I am going to try every Sunday evening to have a walk, such as we took the other Sunday up to Bloor Street. (You won’t forget it?) I won’t be alone for I will think of you & what you will be doing and of what you will be thinking. Bear up old woman, you know every cloud has its silver lining and so has this one tho’ we may not be yet able to see it. I must run down to dinner & will write some more afterwards. Bye bye for the present.

7.30 P.M. If the Sleepy God was perverse this morning he made up for it this afternoon by being exceedingly propitious and I slept the entire afternoon only waking in time for tea. I think I have enough in me to sleep all night as well. After I went down, while smoking in the Station saw the train from Chicago come in, & one on the Western Wisconsin River go out then back to talk with you. Dear child how I wish that you had or could have come with me. I do not want to hold out false hopes but perhaps before I return for good you may have a turn of camp life, that is if I thought you would like it and it was not too rough for you. How happy I should be you know yourself. You remember those two proverbs you quoted to me that night on the steps, & wondered (what need of wonder?) which one would prove true in our case. One of them is proving true, I hardly thought it possible but it is. My absence makes my heart grow fonder, and the sweet consolation of those last few happy days we spent together does hardly soothe me, rather makes me wish for more. They were happy were they not? In spite of the sadness and the dread surety of parting. Lizzie you must take care of your health now that I am away & let me see roses in your cheeks when I come back. If you do not feel well & are (God forbid it) ill, send for Dr.McCollum at the Hospital, will you promise me? Don’t go to Hall – Dr. McCollum I have the fullest confidence in. I do not know why I think of this, but I imagine you eating sugar to cure everything & with an old humbug to urge you on to eat more. I do not feel easy, I sincerely hope and trust that you will have no cause to call to anyone in that way, but if it should happen, if any such need should arise, oh Lizzie promise me I entreat you to send for McCollum you will like him, he has nice manners & a pleasant address, and is so calm and unflurried by the bedside. Now that I am away from you and cannot come see you, I feel as tho’ all sorts of things might happen to you. God Bless and keep you under his all protecting arm is my earnest & oft repeated prayer.

The sky is pretty well clouded over and it is now rather dark. I must close as I want to post this tonight.

Tell Sally thank you again for her thoughtful present to me. And now again I say goodbye – Dear Lizzie – Good bye.

Your own
Barrie