Sunday, November 1, 2009

Fort MacLeod [ctd]

I forgot to date this letter at least this last sheet. All on this page was written on Sunday the first of November only three weeks now to my birthday and if I don’t get a letter from you by that time I shall indeed be bitterly disappointed. Now do try like a good girl and let me hear from you. Of course you have written but also this horrible mail we have been here nearly a month and there is no sign yet of hearing from you or from home. I am getting very much discouraged – almost a fit of the blues – only that would help me – as I have not got you to talk it out of me – or play softly and the blue devils out by the piano. Did you ever receive the letters I wrote to you on the march? And the one from Chicago in lead pencil? It is a queer country out here and the people themselves are queer. Last night Conrad finished a portion of his store and his men had a dance – a home warming over the event – the music was furnished by some men from the police in the form of a concertina and two pipes – the shouting and the sight of merriment were great. I did not go over to see them but judged only from the external signs. I supped at Trinity College the other day[;] the usual Sant Gimmons and Judas supper with James. Did you hear anything about them? If you see Frank Darling tell him that I will as soon as possible fulfil my promise of writing to him. I suppose he is getting along as well as ever. Tell him that he and Jack & Mannie had better make up a party next summer and come out and see me. come by the way of the Northern Pacific Railway to Bismarck and thence up the Missouri to Fort Benton then they will have to take their horses – and come on. I will promise them lots of hunting and fishing and we can pay some of the Indians visits. I may be able to take them up to St. Mary’s Lake where salmon Trout are as thick as the sands of the sea. Mr. Cameron’s mouth will water if he hears of such an abundance of fish that only require to be caught not only salmon trout but the ordinary speckled trout are in the greatest numbers. It is great sport I am told fishing for 1 hour through the ice. If you can get them before the snow falls – the ice is so clear you can see the fish in the water under your feet. But all the hunting and fishing does not in any way make up for the loss of the letters. It would be quite bearable if I could only hear from you. Of course when we expected to go to Edmonton we had made up our minds to a long long period of silence but here it is so aggravating to know that letters are on their way or are waiting for us within a known distance and still not be able to get them. ‘Pon my word, I would not hesitate to rou the mail if I knew it contained letters for me and I should meet it anywhere. I am afraid my letters are very egotistical and harp upon one complaining strain but human nature is often all human nature – and if I did not cry out about the letters I would find other causes of discontent. There is no news here to tell you the same regular course of work on the building goes on every day. We began on the stables 'for the horses were more able to be killed by any sudden cold. You will have some idea of the magnitude of the building when I tell you that the stables were to be 120 yds in length by 8 yds wide 7 ft. high at the eves. Then then mens quarters & hospital 80 yrds long the same width - & the officers quarters and quartermasters storehouse will be 80 yds long & the same width – then the powder magazine and force. When you consider too that the logs all had to be cut & set together and then the cracks filled up with bits of wood & then plastered with thick mud. The roof made of timber small round or larger split in half - & then on the left of this – a coating of mud six inches thick & thus on top of all six inches more of dry earth – then the chimneys to be built & the windows and doors made. It is an immense undertaking especially when begun so late in the season.