_Monday_. - Big wash as usual all the morning, and just as E - - and I
were to drive a waggon over to Mr. Boyle for some oats which required
fetching, we had quite a scare. A _lady_ and gentleman were seen to be
riding up. We both of us rushed up-stairs to put on some clean aprons
to do honour to our guests, who, with another man, also out from town,
remained the whole afternoon. We have never dined as many as nine
people in our vast apartments before, but we managed very nicely.
We have had heavy showers with a high wind, and the thermometer
down to 50 all the afternoon. We tried to persuade our lady
visitor to stay the night, A - - offering to give up his room; but
she persisted in going back, and, I am afraid, will have got very
wet, in spite of E - - lending her waterproof jacket.
_Tuesday_. - The household had a long turn in bed this morning,
Mr. B - - only getting down at about 7.15, when various things
were offered him to prop open his eye-lids when he did appear.
The weather has been slightly better than yesterday, but the wind
has been high, and it was really quite cold; varied by slight
showers of rain in the morning. In the afternoon we all made hay.
I worked my rake until my horse beat me by refusing to move in any
direction excepting homewards; and I had to call A - - , who was
stone getting, to my rescue. He, with judicious chastisement in
the shape of a kick or so, made the horse work. E - - and E. P - -
loaded hay. Thanks to the late rains the marshes were heavy, and
they very nearly stuck once or twice in going through them. There
were no mosquitoes, which was a blessing, but one is never
troubled with them in a high wind.
* * * * *
July 9.
You should have seen A - - and his equipage start into Winnipeg
two days ago. He and the men from the tent had to go in and bring
out a waggon and the new "Cortland waggon" (my present), and they
had to take in the broken buggy to be mended. So they started with
a four-in-hand to their cart, the broken buggy tied on behind, and
another pair of horses behind that again. The buggy they say very
nearly capsized going over the bridge of the creek when near
Winnipeg, otherwise they got on beautifully; but it was a funny
arrangement altogether, and they seemed to cover a quarter of a
mile of ground as they left here. Winnipeg grows in a most
astonishing way; every time we go in, a new avenue or street seems
to have started up.
