(*3)
Peter to Caroline, Victoria, October 9, 18881
BCARS
Add MSS 412 Box 1 File 18
Peter to Caroline
No 19
Victoria
October 9, 1988
My Dearest Wife
It is a whole week since I posted my last, a long week it appears, for I like scribbling to you. I have been very busy with my reports which are unusually long, & Mr. Green has been very trying, the old fool, fancies himself desparately in love, & it is with the greatest difficulty I can get him to do anything, besides I have been away at Cowichan for three days. Tonight in an hour, I go on board the Str. En route to OKanagan, & don’t expect to get back here for at least a month, perhaps longer.
You will gather from this, & other interruptions that I have not had much time to write. I had every intention to write to Puss Jack & Frank – but I must do so when I can most likely from Pentiction. Have you been to see Mrs. Ellis?
Your more than welcome letter of the 15th Sept. No. 13 with enclosures from Frank & Jack, reached me yesterday. Thank you, dear one for it – but I am angry with you from worrying & fretting as you appear to be. I hoped you would enjoy yourself, & make others happy when you so well know how to do, but if you are determined to be wretched you had better come home. I shall be but too glad to welcome you, & to do all in my power to make you happy, as you deserve to be. Of course, I knew you would miss the dear wee man, as you miss our Frank, but you have Kit with you, & that ought to make you thankful – I hope my telegram will have set your mind at rest, & enabled you to make your plans in advance which is always an advantage. I am sorry to hear you dont like the lodgings, & that you will have to look out for other quarters. I cant attempt to reply or refer to the different subjects you write about – but will do so in my next. I commend your determination
[section missing?]
not to mention anything unpleasant with regard to her Ladyship, he at least has not disappointed us – I wrote to him a few days since & thanked him for his kindness &c to you all. He offers to let me have one of his dogs, but I dread the risk, unless there was some one coming who would take charge on the journey. The Wards (he & his wife) with the youngest Dunsmuir left last night, they remain at Vancouver today, & I shall join them tomorrow, & travel with them to Sicamoos, beyond Kamloops where I branch off. Joe & Julia were to have come with me tonight intending to shoot at Kamloops for a couple of days when Julia would join her husband & go East. At the last Joe could not start till tomorrow when the same progamme will be carried out, but I must go on as arrangements have been made for me to go on to Okanagan. The Wards intend to sale from N.Y. about the 27th inst. When Joe will sail, I cannot say, they dont know themselves, as she has impracticable plans to carry out. They will however make a start tomorrow. I send by Joe, my field glasses to be repaired & recovered. I send by the Wards two small parcels addressed to you, they contain three or four pocket sketch books, pencil cases [?] two elastic bands knives for Frank – a knife & some bands for Jack which I promised. Distribute them as you think best & should an opportunity offer, send on to Frank. I was very glad to get his letter & to find that he was in such good spirits. I am anxiously waiting for his next. God grant the dear fellow may have succeeded in getting employment at once, it must be terrible to have nothing to do in a strange country.
The wee rascal always writes about the slippers gloves &c which he says I promised him. Get the rascal what he wants fro me. I am sure a small carpet, or rug to put his feet on in his study, would comfort him in cold weather. I am glad you were going to the Dodson house, she said the child was dangerously ill with fever, but today it is out of danger.
I which you would get a good supply of your Mothers pills, if they could be made the least thing stronger, it would be an improvement. I also want a good strong umbrella, mine that I left here had disappeared, also all the small hand oil lamps. I shall have to buy one. I fear that some things have vanished, but I am quite certain that it was without Hicks knowledge.
The weather has been lovely until the last few days, now the rain appears to have set in, & it is raw & damp.
Why dont you write to Mrs. Cornwall, she is in great trouble about Clem who is in the Hospital at Kamloops. I will try to spend a day with them on my way from Okanagan. Mrs Thomson looks wonderfully well, she had just returned from a trip to Banff & Nicola Lake. Every one inquires kindly for you.
I have hardly said a word about the dear Kit. I am rejoiced to hear that she was so well. I will write to her first chance I get. Brian asked me for Franks address, as he wanted to write to him, I gave it. John is very well again. I am gaining strength. I walk a good deal. Time is up I have written in
[written vertically]
great haste, the Carriage is coming for me. Good night & God bless you my beloved wife, my fond love to dear Kitty. Tell Jack I will write to him. Frank also.
Always your devoted husband
P.O’Reilly
I hope you will be good friends with the Ashleys the Wind &c &c before the Queen & Potentate arrive you know why.
_____________________
*3 This letter was not originally included with the rest of the letter collection, but was added at the time of digitization as it falls in the sequence of dates- 2020
Back to list of 1888-89 letters
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.