Kamloops
20th Nov. 1888
My dearest Wife
I could not get away as I intended yesterday, & now have an opportunity to send you a short letter. Yesterday I posted No 23. which I hope will reach New York in time to catch the Cunard Str. on Saturday for I have been a long time without sending one before, but that was not my fault.
I left the Ellises well, they were very kind & nice to me. Poor Georgia looks worn out, & is depressed more so than I expected to see. I dont think it at all certain that either she, or Tom will go to England in the spring, as they talked of doing, their present governess will leave about May or June, & she will take charge of Eileen Carry, Frank & Tom and hand them over to Louisa, who is to place them at schools. I wish you would write to Georgia, one of your nice letters, not one writes like you when you try. Send her a photo of our trio.
I hope you will also write to Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Thomson & your other old friends at Victoria. Believe me you make a mistake in not doing so it is also more pleasant for me when you write.
—————————— Dear Kits letter to me enclosed by you are very nice, they give me much pleasure, unfortunately I have not got her letters, or yours here. I am writing to Mr. Maras[?] house without them. I am sure to omit something ———— You say my letters give you pleasure, I assure you it is always a pleasure to me to chat to you, even on paper. I never lose an opportunity of doing so, but it is very sad to hear that you are unhappy, while I am doing my best to make you happy, indeed it is the great object of my life though you don’t think so. You must not be unreasonable you have just had good news of our dear Frank for which you should be thankful and joyous. You wrote to me that you wished to remain in England till after Xmas. I telegraphed & wrote at once that you could do so, & now you upbraid me for not having told you to come out. What shall I call this? Now dearest write & tell me that you are happy with our Kit, & with the prospect of having Jack with you again, it will do more to make me reconciled to your absence than anything else. —— I think it was very hard that you should be forced to leave Ilfracombe before you wanted, & when you were not feeling well enough to undertake the journey. the selfish old pig!!! ——
I am glad Kit had a good time at the Garratts, I like to hear of her having amusement & that she is enjoying herself but I wish she would take lessons in music & practice it a good time her riding also drawing also —- Poor wee man, I am sorry to hear of his suffering from those nasty warts but there must be some way of getting rid of them, he is not the only one who has suffered in this way. I am also disgusted about his clothes, & the carelessness of the stores. Why not have a suit made by Webb, I dont think him expensive, particularly when the discount is taken off.
I hope Joe will be nice to you & Kit if not leave him alone, prosperity has not improved him. try not to wrangle or quarrel with Julia, that is her strong point. They ought to be reaching London about this time.
Mr. Roper has persuaded me to spend a day with him. I go to his place tomorrow. I also intend to spend a day at Ashcroft, so that I dont expect to reach Victoria till Saturday or Sunday. I am not, as you suppose, in such great haste to return as formerly. ———— I have had a letter from Mr. Dewdney, he is not coming to B.C. Robson has gone to Ottawa instead. Dewdney says they may require me there during the winter. I hope not, except it is to meet you of course there may be nothing about my going, he is fond of saying these things.
I am glad you liked my letter to Frank. I was not satisfied with it, but thought it better to send it then to wait for another to be written.
Dont worry about Mr. Greens things (I fear it is too late to say this) he is sure to like them. The invoices have arrived, but I have barely looked at them they are not made out quite as I wanted but they will do.
Mr. Green is, I supposed, married, but I dont know for certain, he has purchased a new house in Bird Cage Walk, & intends, as he says, to live comfortably. I hear very poor accounts of the Cornwalls, I fear they are very badly off. Clem is now at Victoria in the Hospital, I believe, have you written to her, Mrs. Cornwall, naughty one?
Hick is I am afraid becoming discontented at being left so long alone I have had a letter in which he says he would not undertake the job again for any money. it will be all right when I return. Is it not strange that Lizzie has never been near the place since my return or indeed except for a short time after you left. I could not find a hand lamp in the house. I shall have to buy a couple when I return. ————
You must make up your mind when you intend to return, & let me know it is so alkward not to know, & the question is so often asked. —— You grieve me much when you sign yourself “Your unhappy Wife” dont do this again, it makes me very unhappy. If Joe & Julia are nice to you give them my love, not otherwise. —- Of course I will write fully after I reach Victoria. My thanks & best love to the dear Kit for her letters. I will write to her again soon. – May God bless and comfort you my own dearest one, and spare us to meet again in health & happiness.
Always your devoted husband.
P. O’Reilly
Of course I received Capt. Hares cheque. I think the morning I left London or perhaps the day before I left and you promised to acknowledge its receipt. Do so now to Carry or to himself. I will write to him before long.
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This collection of letters has been digitized from an earlier transcription project and is for informational purposes only. This transcription has not been verified against the originals. Researchers interested in these letters should consult the original documents housed at the BC Archives.