Letter from the homestead - Mar. 22, 1910

Tezorton Mar. 22nd, 1910 Tuesday night

My Dear Kate

I finished tea about an hour ago, then took a short stroll over the hills till the shades of evening compelled me to return to the shack for safety. To the east and the north-east, thunderheads lie across the sky from which we can see the lightning play from cloud to cloud. All afternoon the sky has been threatening, and is still so. We have had now a week of real warm June weather. I am afraid we will suffer for this yet. If the thunder should come, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it followed by cold backward weather. Still it won’t do to get pessimistic over it. Haven’t we had a delightful winter and an ideal Spring so far and surely we can’t reasonably complain if we do get a few rough days yet in March or the beginning of April.

I don’t know why I’m starting this letter so soon after the last, which I finished last Sat. morning. Perhaps you can tell, you may have sent a hypnotic spell across the prairie without warning your dear old homesteader. Whatever is the cause I can’t explain, I have no news to send, yet I must write. I feel that I must.

Zealandia, 1909  (photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

On Sat. after finishing my last letter to you, I got ready to pay a visit to M. McKellars. Well I first discarded a pair of pants then one of my heavy undershirts. Afterwards I washed myself and combed what little hair I have left straightened out the rough whiskers left my coat behind and started off in my shirtsleeves. I forgot to tell you too that Peter cut my hair for this fresh occasion. It had never been cut till then since you my dear cut it. Had you been here this winter it would have been attended to long ago, wouldn’t it?

1st Avenue, Zealandia, 1909  (photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

Well the day was very warm and before your old husband reached his journey’s end he was too warm, yet scalded. I got there about 12-30 and found the door locked, but could see Archie in the distance coming home with a load of sheaves. He came past Howard’s shack and took him along to help him to unload. In the meantime I went to Watt’s home, which is only about 20 rods from Malcolm’s. I found Watt, just finishing a meal. He called it dinner and offered me some. I declined with thanks as I had just got up from breakfast before I started on my walk. He has his shack lined on the inside with this white building paper, which gave the room a bright clean appearance. The walls are covered with calendars. The boys say he has a mania for gathering them. However that may be, they certainly give a pleasing relief to the eye when hung up on the white background. The blankets and quilts of his bed were out on the grass. I asked if he had washed them that day, he answered no. He just put them out to air. He said it was a custom of his to put them out every Sunday morning in the summer time. Ours have never been out yet. I think we must take a lesson from Watt here and do likewise.

When Archie and Howard got the horses in I went back to Malcolm’s where a good repast was prepared for us by Archie. We finished his biscuits. If you remember they brought in a great supply of them. Everything there is in pretty good order although Malcolm himself admits that Mrs. M. would still find fault with it, especially with the way they entertain strangers. Malcolm and Dick were off early Sat. morning with two young men who were after homesteads. Dick gets $7 a day and expenses. They were out all day. I saw them in the distance, to the south, as I neared my own shack in the evening about six or a little later.

On my way home I met Peter who was going to Howard’s for the night and from there Sun. morning to the store with your letter or rather my letter to you. Dick went out to the hunt on Sun. and took the letter. Still Peter rode with him as far as the store to get his photo if it was finished. It happened to be finished and he brought it home with him Mon. morning. You would scarcely know him as your son, rough as a badger with a pipe in his mouth standing beside a chum, homesteader, Harry Lang. To-day Peter shaved off all but the moustache, which made him look 100% better. He reminds me of your brother John when he was about Peter’s present age. I think he must be a Hay sure enough. I wonder if any of the boys are really Frasers.

Sat. night Chad and I were all alone. We read till about ten O’clock, Chad at Uncle Tom’s Cabin and your dearie as you sometimes call him finished “The King of Diamonds.” To-day I finished another book, a very good one too, “Stepping Heavenward” by E. Prentiss. Sunday morning Chad and I got up about nine or ten. As a rule we like the clock around, if we don’t sleep all the time. Chad then got the breakfast, but burnt the meat before he was aware of it. We have to watch the steel pan for that and keep turning the meat if there is a good fire on. However I found no fault with the boy and all blasted off as if no mistake had occurred.

After breakfast he asked me to take a walk over to Stan’s with him. To this I readily consented as I owed Stan a visit. This was the first time I was on his place in his shack. I guess you can scarcely credit this. You may have been picturing me as gadding from house to house all over the prairie but such was not the case. I haven’t been a night out of my shack since I came from Zealander now don’t intend to be till I am on my way to the Mound. Such in the fidelity of your own homesteader.

Zealandia's first post office, 1906  (photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

When we reached the shack we found Stan within looking well and appearing quite happy. He had finished his breakfast and got the dishes away and everything in apple pie order before we landed. He succeeded in getting a homestead for his father just exactly one mile south of mine. I think I mentioned in my last that Stan went to Moose Jaw for that purpose. And now before I forget I may also tell you that Dick succeeded in finding homesteads for the last two men he brought out from Rosetown. But the first two who were after scrip, were unsuccessful. Well let us go back to Stan’s again. Chad and I weren’t there more than 10 minutes when who should step in but Watt. He shot off quite a lot of his nonsense for half an hour or so, and Stan was just the boy to keep him a-going, while poor Chad would nearly burst himself at the ridiculous sayings and actions of poor Watt. Stan saw Wm. Jobb while he was out this time. W. J. is a general agent for the International Harvest Co. Stan found out too, that wee Geordie Harris has a homestead just 36 miles north of us and is doing well.

About an hour after Watt arrived, who should next appear on the scene but Malcolm, Archie and Howard with their buggy and double teams. There was a shack full for your life, and Stan away all the week before. If you had been in his position my dear Martha, you would have been troubled about what you could give them to eat. But it doesn’t concern us homesteaders very much. We give them what we have and make no excuses while the visitors make no remarks, and everybody is pleased no matter what is amiss.

Rosetown, Feb. 16, 1913. McLaughlin car in front of the North Western Land Co. Building
(photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

Fortunately though, Chad took over a loaf of bread from our shack with him or things mightn’t have gone off so well for Stan. We got a lot of information from Malcolm about various things, especially about the land hunt of the day before. It seems, accordingly to his account that they had a great dispute about the exact location of a certain quarter section that they had picked on. Mal maintained that some person had interfered with the stakes and had taken their stake from some other section and placed it there. He said that he had to get up his Scotch blood at last before he could convince them. You can imagine to yourself how he would tell the story of his triumph. I left Stan’s for home at 6-15 and had to hike for fear the darkness might be upon me. However, I got home in good time, a little warmed up with the smart walk. I sat in the door for as long as I could see a distance on the prairie looking for Peter to come home, but no Peter came that night. I read a while and then went to bed all alone, the first night and only night I have been alone. Yet not alone for I imagined you were with me in my solitude, but what a delightful change had come over you. You found no fault with my wearing my socks all night. And when I raised up my legs to rest them by a change of position you didn’t kick them down and shout “You’re letting in the wind.” You were just a charming, yes a model bed-fellow. Hope you’ll remain so.

Rosetown, ca. 1910-20  (photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

Wed. morning 11:40. Peter is just off for the mail, and I am all alone again. Have you ever been alone? I suppose you may have been. Well you’ll know what is meant by it. I don’t intend to write much this hitch, but will finish my scrawl after I regale my flagging spirits from a perusal of your cheering epistle. Wouldn’t I get a jar if Peter should come back from the P.O. without a letter from you. Well I almost hate to mention weather to you for fear that you may think I am boasting, yet it’s about the only thing that I can think of to fill my letter with, when I am stuck for news. As for you, you are never at a loss for something to say, you can drive right straight ahead by hour. Well I am going back to the weather again, and believe me I’m not boasting when I say that it is yet most delightful. We had a few drops of rain last night but not enough to call a shower. However the big drops made quite a sound on our thin roof. Wonder what a heavy shower or a hailstorm would sound like. The burnt prairie has a distinct green shade this morning. The crocuses have pushed their heads about an inch out of the ground already. This is our first flower in the west. You may have any amount of them along the roadside around your place. By the time this reaches you, if this weather continues, you will be able to gather bouquets of these. Please to pluck a few choice ones for me.

Well looking out through my window I can see a team following at Willie’s. He is getting Gratrix to plow 10 ac. for him. This he intends to sow in oats. Flax would be better than oats for breaking, but it’s impossible to get good flax seed now. So we, who didn’t buy our seed in the winter must content ourselves with oats. According to the regulations we must have a reasonable amount in crop for two years, so we must sow something to comply with this. A good many so’s in the last two lines. Well I’ll just draw this page to a close, till I hear from my dear one. She may have some questions that require answering. We’ll try to have this letter reach you sooner than some of the others. There is considerable communication with the front lately and we may be able to send it out Friday or Sat. giving you an agreeable surprise.

Wed. 7 p.m. and am started again, this time to finish my letter to you, and Peter tells me to hurry as he has several to write with only one pen and one pad between us. So I’ll have to cut my discourse shorter than I intended. Still I know your generous nature will pardon me if I stop a little short of my first intentions. Peter and I were highly delighted with your letter. It was so characteristic of you, especially your sympathy for poor Doug, and your kindly advice to him and also your entertainment of Willie while he was snoring. All this was so natural and home-like to both of us. But Peter said mother might have spared both sympathy for and advice to poor Doug if she had only known how much he had got of both while here. But it surprises me that you refer to this episode as if it were mentioned in the last letter of mine that you read. It seems like ancient history to us, something that happened long ago. You wrote also of there being a chance for Mrs. McPherson’s half-section for Jessie. Now to me it seems a very long time since I told you that that chance was gone as was news from Rosetown had homesteaders. However it’s maybe better as it is. Remember when Mrs. Reddaway used to say “whatever happens is best.” I see by to-night’s paper that the Minister of Interior is going to give the South African Veterans an extension of one year, that is to the end of 1911. That will suit us to a T, we’ll be thro. homesteading and will have a chance perhaps to sell at the Mound if we could get the price Isaac Trimble got for his $12000 cash wouldn’t it just suit us. We would then try to get our scrip all together, no matter where would like to see the two Jessies together with us. Peter had a letter to-day from Len H. Len is sending us another $200. He wrote on March 10th and said he would send the money in three or four days afterwards so it will now be on its way here but we can't get the cheque before next Wed. and Peter will then go out to Rosetown with it to Doug and also to help him to unload and drive one of the teams. I suppose I must now give way to Peter.

Your own loving D. Fraser 

Thursday morning 8-20, and I’m at it again. Yes before breakfast, Peter sleeping sound. He wrote three letters last night after I surrendered pad and pen to him, one to Paul, one to Len Henning and another to Will Smith. Well it won’t do to forget the weather, that never failing topic of conversation with farmers. We have got a change at last and that too since I got out of bed. It is now snowing very heavy, great large flakes and falling very calmly. If it continues for half an hour at this rate the ground will be covered. The prairie a beautiful white again. When I got out of bed there was a heavy mist all around but no snow or rain falling and I thought to myself that it wouldn’t be safe for Peter to venture out to the store with our letters. It is certainly not safe to go now, can’t see 20 rods ahead. Neither Doug, nor Scottie would attempt a journey across the prairie under such circumstances. I hope you people at the Mound get a good fall of soft snow as you say in your last that you had less than usual this winter. The ground was dry last fall and needs a good soaking to start the grain.

Hotel Elrose. Doug Fraser Jr. (1882-1946) lived here when he was
the elevator agent in Elrose. The hotel burned in 1968.
(photo courtesy Rosetown Centennial Library Archive)

I do hope that Doug stays long enough with you to help the boys to get lots of grain chopped and cleaned.

I hardly like to give orders to the boys at home about the work this spring as I am not there to see what should be done and when it should be done. We must trust to their own judgment till Peter arrives and then he’ll take all responsibility.

However there are a few things I might speak of: First there is the 150 ac. of backsetting on the boys place, it turned up very dry and rough last spring, at any rate before it gets too dry again. I intended also to get another Disc drill to sow the wheat on the boys place (220 ac.) It’s too much for one Disc Drill to sow in time. But I expect Doug would attend to that. I see by the Sentinel that you will have two very large sales, near you while he is with you. Doug is taking away a set of harrows, which leaves you only two set at home. So you better get another set. You may get in that way a good deal of harrowing done before it will be time to seed, which will be a very great advantage to the boys. They can then keep the two seeders a-going for a good while without a break. I would like to sow a good deal of wheat this year again. As far as I can judge from the papers, the prospects for wheat prices next year are still good. I intend therefore to sow the sod that was plowed around Crams house in wheat too. Last fall I thought of putting oats in it. That will give us considerably over 400 ac. wheat and if this should be our bumper year! Well I’ll not say any more about it; you know what was in my mind. Breakfast over, snowing a little yet, but melting as fast as it is coming. Peter expects to be home 4 weeks from day after to-morrow. I’m like you I wish it was only 2 weeks. You’ll want a man for all seeding to take Doug’s place. Hope you get a good one, and if the weather is favorable you may one one then to take Peter’s place till he arrives. Gordon, then, better drive the colts and the cripples. He’ll be the best hand to take care of them. We don’t want them driven too hard. A little work each day and then the chores; in this way everything will go on just like clockwork. Don’t you worry yourself about the boys, they’ll be all right. Just see that they get up in reasonable time in the morning and all will be well. Snow all gone already “a moment while trees last forever.” I guess Peter will be anxious to start with the letters, but on looking around I see him reading a paper and the dishes not washed yet. Both he and Doug always forget to put on water to heat for the dishes until breakfast is over. Time isn’t of much consideration with them here, so it doesn’t matter much when it is heated. But if they were in your place for a while I suppose they would soon learn something different. I must now again bid you a kind adieu. Peter has to go 8 miles to the store with this and he thinks no more of it than you used to think of going to Glenfarrow.

Your most loving
D. Fraser