| Title: | Ernest Cochrane, Canada, to Katie [Finlay?] [Ireland?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 654 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cochrane, Ernest/30 |
| Year | 1898 |
| Sender | Cochrane, Ernest |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | provost sergeant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Calgary, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Finlay, Kate |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | uncle-niece? |
| Source | T3504/1/18: Copied by Courtesy of Mr A.D. Finlay. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9407284 |
| Date | 02/06/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:07:1994. |
| Word Count | 954 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | From: Ernest Cochrane To: Katie [Finlay?] [Wellesdon, Holywood, Co Down?], [Ireland?] Calgary N.W.T [North West Territories?] Canada June 2nd 98 [1898?] The Pig is at my feet as I write & staring at me in a very embarrassing manner My dear Katie I have to thank you for two kind letters, one from Meuton & one from Paris. The good news that you are on the way to recovery is just splendid: and the barracks & everything looks much brighter round here. Now that you have the long summer before you & with good care of you will lay in a stock of health for next winter Indeed, indeed my dear Katie I cant [can't?] tell you how happy I am that you are getting well: and long may it be so, is my earnest prayer. I hope you have told John of the good news for he was anxious about you. I must write to him some of these days. The enclosure you sent in your letter from Meuton is very nice & very true. It was thoughtful of you to copy it for me: but when are you not? I hope your visits will be pleasant ones and that you will come home to your Holywood friends bright & happy. Things are going on just the same here. 13 hours a day duty & out at night when a racket is on, which I am glad to say is not often. You Will think I am getting very lazy when I tell you I am nearly always in bed & asleep at 8 o clock!! The "nasty people" as you call them are still to the fore, I had 18 new ones last month, amongst them an unfortunate lunatic, who gave a lot of trouble and anxiety. He had a rooted objection to the writer of this letter: but I was the only one [who?] could manage him. He got away from an escort & after his capture I had an interview with him & things were put on a satisfactory footing! Your going over the Rockies is the only chance I will ever have of seeing you, so I hope your ship may soon come in. But to tell you the truth I believe I would be nervous at meeting you. You see the dear old past is so long, it almost seems as if it never had been. And my life & surrroundings so different that I think I would feel shaky at any of it coming back to me. All the same I think I could manage a hearty welcome. As for the "Pig" I will certainly bring him to the train, if such good fortune comes: But I had better tell you, he is not an admirer of your sex. I forget if I told you we had a matron here for two months tho' [though?] young, good looking & inclined to make much of "Pig": he would have nothing of her: & I regret to say was unnecessarily rude, by barking etc. An amusing thing happened last summer I was for the first & last time detailed to show a party of ladies, strangers from the east, round the barracks. Pig never leaves my heel, but on this occasion would not come with me & sulked the rest of the day!!! I expect he thinks I am getting to [too?] old & that he is the proper one to be with me. And he may not be far wrong! That was a nice letter you got: but I knew all the good that was said of you in it, long, long, ago. Yes, like you, the old Ballintoy days are not forgotten And it seems hard to understand you They were so broken up The Reaper & the world have scattered us all wide apart. But we have to bow to a greater "Will" than our own And if one can see his is best Then the peace comes. I am directing this to Willesden & you will get it when you come home. I had to write for my heart was very full of happiness at your recovery & some one had to know. I never had a confidant in this force my life & thoughts are my own & no one here knows anything about me. Your letters are a great comfort & help to me & I am more thankful than word can imply. The meeting with you three girls has done me more good than you can dream of. For good pure women have an influence even on the worst of us: and looking back brings us a ray of purity into this life of mine, that is more than nice. And you are the one that is left, kinder & good & friendly just as you always were. No wonder I prize hearing from you & no wonder I feel better in every way. The grass on the prairie is nice & green now but the pitiless sun will soon leave it brown again & all will be parched & gloomy looking till the "Snow flies" again I had to laugh at your idea of comfort. Why little woman 13 years of this place has given me a hide no water bottle could have any effect on But thanks all the same. I am taking the best of care of myself. And allow me to remind you to do the same. Dont [don't?] have your friends worrying for [months?] as they have been. Well dear heart. May this find you stronger & stronger every day. Just like your old laughing self. And with heart felt affection for you believe me, my dear Katie Ever your faithful friend Ernest Cochrane I hope your Mother is better Kind regards to her & all at home. |
