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THE winter is practically
over, and so to-morrow I hope to take my wife and boy out to the homestead,
with the rest of our belongings. I have bought some seeds, and I intend to
make a garden this year. I shall try and buy a pig, and a few hens; but oh!
how the money runs away in this country.
Our parson told Mabel the
other day that he would come out our way this year to hold services, so I
hope that we shall be able to go to church, we shall all feel more
civilized.
I had a very nice birthday
treat. I spent it on the trail. I caught a bad cold the day before through
sleeping on the floor at the homestead, as the beds had not arrived, so you
can guess what a pleasant time I had, rather different to my last birthday
at home; dinner this year consisted of a cup of coffee and a piece of bread!
I went back to town yesterday
to fetch Mr. S----, his wife and two little girls. I am pulling out early in
the morning. Mabel is glad to have her cousin within reach, for the feminine
element is wanting out West.
By a lucky chance I have at
last sold my oxen and got a good price for them. I got 200 dollars for the
team, and I am getting another pony so as to do the work with them, and when
my little mare foals she will be able to work too. Anyway I am crawling out
of a hole by degrees, so please do not worry over my complaints, it does one
good to grumble openly sometimes.
Mabel and the boy are quite
well, which is the principle thing, and my wife is quite happy, for an old
Manitoba farmer, to whom we had shown some hospitality, came up the other
night, and brought her six hens and a rooster—a present. I only hope that
she will not kill them by too much care. I know she has been running out
already a dozen times a day to feed them, and if one cackles she is off to
look for the egg. Now we only want the pig to complete our menagerie. We had
rather a tiring day the end of last week. We had five teams up at our place,
eight men and seventeen head of cattle, and all had to be fed. Since we came
out again we have not had a single day without some one turning up; all the
neighbours come round to say that they are pleased to see us back.
I am going to haul out the
cousin's lumber for him, so for the next ten days I shall be on the trail. I
shall be glad when it is done; but as some one must do it, it may as well be
me, and so put a little in my pocket, if only in return work by and by. |
