Nov 15, 1932

Dear Murial

I will try this morning while I am waiting for daylight to come to scribble you a few lines,
we are all well, colds and all are better now.
Was it not a lovely day yesterday? I suppose you had Shirley out to get the fresh air. I washed
and ironed finished after supper Willie² is working again today.
Poor Archie McLeod³ has passed away he was not sick so/to long afterwards. He looked very thin
but you could tell him all right he looked very well. He had a nice casket and lots of nice
flowers and a very large funeral. Mr Wheelock⁴ and Mr Nicholson, he was down from Halifax just
the right time for once. People there from all over Mira and Caribou Marsh and Broughton and
where ever there was any scotch blood.
All the family, except Katie and Ella⁵, and all the grandchildren too. Warren⁶ cut his knee some
yesterday on the axe do not know if he will be able to go to school or not, he is not up yet.
Your dad is in bed too.
I liked my new coat, very good, only you must of thought I was growing tall. I had to take
nearly six inches off the bottom and fix it up. I was more than surprised to get it.
How is Shirley these days? I often wish I had the little darling to play with, time seems kind
of stiff when the men folk are away. I suppose you will go to the play they are going to have
today. Hope they have a good crowd. Mr. Wheelock and Amy, Fred, Max⁷ and Charlie Huntington⁸
was to tea Sunday night, and stayed till 7 oclock. Mr Wheelock had to go back to Young Peoples
meeting, he had church every night last week. Mr Bezanson was over two night and Mr. Kinley
one. I suppose you heard Will Wadden died. The Peach teachers was to Institute to Mira
yesterday, deer season up and not a sight of deer, Ewen?⁹ got one last Friday, round Morrisons
Hill/Mill? Somewhere in Morien. Aunt Lizzie¹⁰ was to the funeral and all the Rankins. Every one
around are the same as usual. Mary bell¹¹ is to Catalone. Charlie D¹² is going for Christain
Science lessons yet. Kiss Shirley for me.
I guess I have told all the news
I have not seen Ted¹³ or any of them yet. Allison¹⁴ is working this week. Remember me to all, lots
of love,
Your mother

Jan 9, 1933

My Dear Muriel
I received your letter also the card and mailed it the same day by Duncan¹⁵. So I guess she had
it by this time. We are all well and hope you all are the same. My cold is all pretty well, now
and then a cough and sneeze. Cyd and Kelly and Rob had it bad and Rob had the same Hemorrage
that he had in the summer he has been in bed most of the week he is better of that trouble but
took chills Sat. and yesterday he was quite miserable but today he is better but still in bed.
Alvin Turner¹⁶ does the chores for them morning and evening he comes in handy. Mr Kelly had low
pressure this time instead of high pressure but he is better now.
Charlie Dillon was here last evening he has not George Martell to visit now so he has to visit
some where else. They are all well there.
I think everybody else around are the same as usual.
Poor old Rachel McLeod¹⁷ still keeps her bed. I suppose you washed today. I did but the clothes
are not drying very good. Hardly enough wind. How is the little darling girl these? days I
suppose she is nearly going alone by this time. She will soon be 1 yr old. I would love to see
her now. Hope she will not have any colds.
You spoke of seeing anything of Spencers well not till this morning, Allison came here bright
and early looking for salt-cod fish. Ted and Allison was to Abs¹⁸ last night so he said; they had
not been any where only to Sanfords¹⁹ before, of course they had to call on the ones that visited
them first. Allison said he was so busy in the day he felt like staying home in the evenings.
He has all the old rookeries torn off now, I guess the house looks a lot better now. They have
a furnacette in the hall and he says it keeps the house nice and warm of course they only use
the down stairs yet
John is home now and started school today. Byron F²⁰ is home on his holidays for three weeks.
Did you hear if Flora has anything yet. She had been to Burchells since 2 weeks before
Christmas. Everett²¹ and family are all well so far. Willie Peach took Frances and the little girl²²
away to New Glasgow with him. They had a big row before they left at Freds²³. Full of rum of
course. If I can get some change I am going to send Shirley something for her birthday so if I
do not send it today you will know the reason. And I ordered some stamps and I will send you
some to stamp your letters
Warren is to school and your Dad²⁴ is mending nets in the storehouse. Willie is in the woods.
Warren got two rabbits last week.
I had a letter from Bakie²⁵. And I am sending you a card that came from Mrs Ferris last Thursday.
Better late than never. Kiss little Shirley for me and write soon and tell me all the news.
All join in wishing to be remembered to you all.
So with lots of love I
Am ever your
Loving mother

Tell Stewart²⁶ he should of been up smelting week before last. Warren and Willie got quite a lot
The ice is not good now

I had to trim the card to fit the envelope
Xxxx
For you and Shirley

Sunday Evening
Jan 29, 1933

My Dear Murial,

I will try and write you a little this evening. We are having an awful storm here. I do not
know if it reach G Bay or not but it has been wicked around the Breakwater is all smashed up
and the Breakwater is about ruined. Everett said today all you could see was sheles sticking up
and scattered everything around. Of course nothing around this way was touched everything was
frozen.
Was it not an awful day for Gordon McInnis²⁷ funeral, the poor fellow has passed on among the
rest. I suppose Lenora Dillon²⁸ is very lonesome now. Our radio was very bad to night we could
not listen very well as the stragic²⁹ was so bad. Every one around are all well at present or as
far as I know. Sadie and family³⁰ are over to South Head this week. I do not know how long they
are staying. I am sending Agness letter this time, forgot it before, I intended sending it by
your father the day he went and thought I did till a day or so afterwards I saw it staring at
me over the sewing machine. So will not forget it this time and try and write her soon. So
Olive Daye and her man are both in the hospital She has a girl baby and Lizzie D has another
boy. Flora calls her girl Margaret Ann. Some swell name, after its grandmothers, Rob McA and
wife lives at False Bay Beech it is Port Morien if you say so. Your father is on his job all
ready, cold watches this kind of weather two have rewarded his cold vigils already Ha Ha,
pretty early I guess since they have not been much snow they are beginning to think it spring
time.
Nobody has started hooking yet the days are rather short yet Auntie Ann had started in Morien.
Alice³¹ I think is soon starting. Everett brought their new engine home Thursday. Some class to
their Pontiac. Frank³² is still talking boat engine yet. May had a snap of Netts baby³³. She was
railing them for not writing after George³⁴ died but now everything is smooth since the snap
came. Just the same as usual. Nina and baby and Melvin³⁵ was down from Mira, when George died. Bob
and Gordon Peach³⁶ went after her in Freds truck and Melvin went over that evening and brought
over Sunday evening Fergusons (under ground managers) car and got all of them to the church
Sunday. They sure had a stylish funeral. May got a new coat and Lillie³⁷ said she paid 18.00 for
it now they are living on relief. How is my dear little girl? I guess she has not had many
sleigh drives yet. Warren says to tell you Homeville Hockey team went to Mira last Wednesday to
play Mira team and they got a licking no wonder it stormed, Homeville team is some players when
they did not know how to play.
Well I guess I have not much else to write this time, you will be tired of reading this.
All the family send best wishes to all the family. Had Mrs Keddy got her money yet?
That Mrs Taylor and Mrs Frank Holmes³⁸ was taking in the Boston sights, some class
Lots of love and kisses to Shirley xxxxx, and lots to yourself xxxxx
I am as every you loving
Mother

Black Brook
Feb 5, 1933

My Dear Murial,
This is certainly a stormy day, every Sunday getting worse.I hope we will soon have some fine
weather now. Wasnt last week an awful week It was only fine Thursday long enough for the
ground hog to see his shadow
I had to dry my clothes in the house, every one of them. Today is Iolas³⁹ birthday she had a cake
made in three layers. She wanted us to go down but we couldnt go, the foxes⁴⁰ take all the time
now.
How is my baby Shirley these days. She will be able to go sleigh driving now. I suppose she can
walk now alone. I had a letter from Marie. She has her ? tooth taken out. The Dr said it was
poisoning her system, that was what made her so thin. It was all ulcerated at the root and
right pussie so she said he was going to put a plug or something in it. All the ice is gone
now, not any hockey playing. They had a great time to? Mira Herbert McKenzie⁴¹ got his bridge
work broke. By the way, Phillis Robinson⁴² has a heir? about a month old so May said Susie⁴³ told
her and she said her man was in jail (Petrie)
The storm played havoc with the breakwater all right, and fishhouses. Everett has theirs all
fixed up again. John sawed some boards for him in his mill and he took them down and fixed it
up again. Edna s⁴⁴ father has not been very well last week, the rheumatism has been bothering
him. So they say not as smart as he has been. Everyone around here are as well as usual. I hope
you do not get the flu or anybody else. Although it has been plenty every where. The Salvation
Quartet could not get to Sydney today on account of it member having the flu
Tom Shepard was here this afternoon waiting for Clarence⁴⁵ to come back from Glace Bay to go home
with him. He had his vigil last night to Rankins and staid to Abs all night. Willard⁴⁶ is here
this evening he and Frank and Willie is trying to see who will tell the biggest lie.
I am going to try and fix some quilts this week. Two? I think Evelyn⁴⁷ was over to Shepards and
Sanford had to go after her this morning. I guess she will be able to live for a week or two
now. Ab has been working all the week at Catalone Beech.
Did I tell you Rilla⁴⁸ called her baby Robert Holmes. I guess my lot of news is nearly all run
out. Oh yes, I had a letter from your aunt Kate⁴⁹ she is in Halifax now again it was pretty good
for her. A little of the old strain. She asked about everyone and you too. I felt kind of mean
in not sending her something Christmas but I did not know where she was. So I guess I will send
her something soon. She said to tell Gabriel (your dad) to try and send her some gum. And she
said she would like once more to have a skip over her old fathers farm. Poor Kate.
Everyone send best wishes to you all
So with lots of love to you all and lots to Shirley and yourself
I am as ever your
Loving Mother

Xxxxxx
Kisses for you
And Shirley

Monday
Mr Frank Shepard⁵⁰ is not at all well. Lillie was over to see him Sat. He is hardly able to dress
himself, he gets tired out and short of breathed so he can not stand very much. Lily said he
failed a lot since she saw him last.
Ma