Oct. 10, 1902 – To Sister, House of Providence, Kingston ON from Mother Mary Edward, St. Peter’s Convent, Trenton ON

It seems a long time since I wrote you and just here let me ask you to forgive me if in my last letter I in any way shocked or scandalized you. For the short span of life that is left me it would be too bad if I employed any of the time in contamination of either myself or others. I enclose you the bill and draft for Craig’s; kindly settle it and I will be grateful. I also enclose a requisition, which you will please ask Mother Gen. to sign. I left in such a hurry that I did not examine my winter under clothing, otherwise I would have seen that my under chemises for night wear are useless and as I am here so short a time I would not feel justified in getting the material for them out of our scanty funds. You know what I require and can select the stuff after the paper is signed. We are expecting visitors here from Belleville this evening. Sr. M. Loreto [Loretto] and Sr. M. Augustine. I was out till nine last night at a meeting of the Children of Mary. Father Twohey wishes the society to take charge of the Lottery Table at his Bazaar and we have to help them to navigate it. On my table I found Sr. M. L. note; it was too late to answer it. I did so this A.M. and hope she will get it in time. We will all be glad to see them and no doubt the meeting of our own dear Sister will be a cordial one. I expect Mrs. Whelan to call on her way home from Toronto; so you see a little bright spot now and again comes in the darkest horizons. We are all well thank God. Sisters doing well in school, children attending regularly, like the Sisters and of course the parents tell the Pastor he is a happy man with his little band of nuns and we are happy with him. I will be glad when the bazaar is over for it takes a lot of my time, not that I am doing much. But my old man talks to me about all the details and I am only too glad to give him a lift. My Sister sent him a beautifully dressed doll and of course he has left it to us to get it exchanged into money for him, so I am off out this A.M. to get a nice girl to canvass on it. It is fun to be trying to do such work among a people that you do not know one from the other. But if one can advance the interests of God in any way all will be well. The weather is getting cold here, a little fire in the schools for the past three days but we have none in the Convent yet. I have been expecting to see the potatoes from Picton. God help Mother Presentation if she fails to send them. I hope all the dear ones at the Com. are well. This is the busy time with them. The sick calls and the collections always go hand in hand. I forgot to tell you that the groceries you sent from Craig’s were fine; it is a long time since I tasted such tea. Only three of us use coffee but all the flock love a cup of good tea and we get it too. I love to see them enjoy their meals. You know it is easy to have things palatable for a few. Well now old girl I suppose you are happy for you have your reports off by this time; what anxiety they cost. Good-bye dear with love to all.