Victoria
Sunday 13th Janry 1889
My dearest Wife.
I am all alone. Hick has gone to church, so I must try to have a chat with the dear one.
When this reaches London you will have parted with our dear boy, Jack, & I well know what grief you will be in, would that I could be with you my own dear Wife, it is when you are, or I fancy you are, in trouble what I most long to be near you.
The dear man will of course be very downhearted, but you must try to write more cheerfully, & hopefully to him. I wrote to him yesterday but owing to the disturbance at Vancouver (by reason of which the passengers & mails could not be landed) no mail left here last night & will not before tomorrow night. You will read in the papers an account of the trouble. —— Your letters usually reach me on Monday but this week we cannot get them before Tuesday.
I am of course very impatient for your news, as by the time this will reach you, you will be preparing to start. I will continue to write until you tell me to discontinue, & then will write to care of Mr. McTavish.
Today I walked through the lot with Hick, a branch hit me in the eye, & it is now causing so much pain that I cannot continue writing. It will be all right tomorrow when I will finish this. Good night to you and to dear Kit. & to the dear wee man if he is still with you. —- You wont forget that Mr. McTavish’s address at New York is D.A. McTavish 52 Wall Street.
Monday 14th Jany.
No mail, & it is doubtful if we shall have one even tomorrow but on this point there is a difference of opinion —- I paid the Drakes a visit yesterday. Clare Milly & Brian now represent the house of Tyrrette (I know that is not the proper way to spell it but it will do. I was informed that the heads of the family, with Maude will return in about six weeks. The Grahame dance was a great success, I am told. John & Zoe and the Pinders are all well including the “Busy one” (Charlotte). Clem, poor boy, is getting on very well, but it is sad to see him so thin & weak. I make a point of going to see him frequently for this is an unsatisfactory epistle. My love to Joe & Julia if you see them – and to all friends. I hope to see Sir M. occasionally very much love to your dear self and to Kit. always your devoted husband
P. O’Reilly
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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.