1896

USA, Canada

October 18th, 1896

Quebec, Canada, Lord's day

My Beloved Angee,

Arrived here safely from Halifax on Friday midday after a 22 hours ride in a Pullman nearly 700 miles and called at the P.O. on my way to the hotel to pick up my mail. Yours addressed to this place I received safely and it was very thoughtful of you to write as it turned out – the one from New York not having come to hand yet although I received an envelope enclosing a telegram and a card sent to the Fifth Avenue for me. Am very very thankful to hear that your cough is at last nearly gone and do hope that you will be preserved from taking another cold and that you will have enjoyed your stay at Ilfracombe and dear Mildred. I expect your other letter has given some information about the cheques I left for the broker in London which I hope Mr Besley attended to all right. Am glad you were able to take the fruit of my toil here to the bank which gave you some pleasure I know.

There is a brother and his wife breaking bread in this City – well to do people we had a nice time together this morning at their house and purpose being with them again this evening. It is a very real comfort to my spirit thus to have the privilege of fellowship with saints in passing from City to City – one is made to feel the force of that word – one spirit and those taught of God are made to realise the bonds of life and relationship which grace has formed and sustained. Mr Smith (the brother's name here) remembers my visit 9 or 10 years ago – I well remember the meeting but the one I remembered especially is now living at Lee Nr Blackheath called Mann and Mr Smith I do not recollect. This is such a quaint old city mostly French. I was amused on looking out of my window early this morning to see a milk cart – so primitive – far more so than Mrs Tucker's at Taunton we both remember so well.

The pavements of the streets are wood and most of the streets are very narrow and dwellings very old fashioned and their tram cars drawn by horses. I made a few calls Saturday morning and hope I may do as well here as at Halifax and at St Johns. Shall hope to reach Montreal on Tuesday and intend finishing this letter from that place. Was thankful to hear of dear Mr Shapland and his recovery and trust Mrs S. may be preserved through her time of peril near at hand. I will D.V. write him soon. I wrote dear Gant y'day who desired that I would do so when we parted.

St Laurence Hall Hotel, Montreal. Oct. 21st 1896

Arrived here safely last night about 8 and have had a busy day on preliminaries if you can guess what that is – unpacking and getting names and addresses &c &c. Tomorrow night the mail closes and I am glad I commenced your letter early or must have cut it short now.

Well I had good success with my business at Quebec – I had 8 good names and did a nice business with 7 of them, many remembering my previous visit so this will be a cheer for P.F. when they receive them. I dined and spent the evening on Monday after this good day's work with Mr & Mrs Smith and enjoyed it very much. The next morning Tuesday it was snowing heavily and it looked very wintry. H&P's traveller arrived in the morning and when he got out among the trade he heard of me – he was not staying at the same hotel and therefore called at mine and was very desirous to see me – he is a very nice gentlemanly fellow and we had a long chat over the business we are both engaged in – he returns before Xmas and seems very anxious to go with me – his name is Edward Valpey and his friends reside in Reading.

On arrival here last night I wrote a note to Emma's eldest brother who lives here – his initials in the directory were not his so I was not sure I was addressing him but he was called an architect so thought it was likely to be. On my return to the hotel this evening about 5.50 I found a card from him and a few minutes later he called and dined with me – is looking very well and was glad to see me and to hear of his sisters – he has promised to call again.

He accompanied me after dinner to the meeting room where he left me and returned home. It was the prayer meeting and a very large company present – I was thankful to be among them and had many hearty greetings from some who remembered me.

Your last letter has not turned up yet. I Hope you may be able to let Newliston and the stables for say £40 or £45 for the whole garden. Sent to rent under the tenant of the house. Do whatever you think is best.

You may judge of what P.F.&Co. feel about my visit here that in their last they depute me to take premises in New York but I shall not do that for the present. Well it is just 11 and I have had a hard day's work and the bed is looking very inviting but I am sorry to have a companion who has been continually darting about the room and makes noise enough for a rat – he awoke me last night with his scampering too but I don't mind if he keeps to the floor.

Oct. 22nd 1896

This mail day is getting quite serious for me – the correspondence involved would keep anyone going – I have been battling all the way and thro' mercy met with some success but it will take me days to get through the work – have sent P.F. a good batch of orders again and actually 3 to Day and Martin – spent about 4 hours with their agent here y'day and have had to charge my poor brains tonight to yield up the results of 4 hours talking and going through our accumulation of troubles enough to puzzle a Philadelphia lawyer. I have just waded through it all and now add a few lines more to yours and close and have certainly earned a night's repose. God bless you and all our loved ones my beloved Angee and believe me with much love.