Dear Rev. McQuesten,

It was very nice of you to send me that letter, though you know that I was only too glad to write often to Ruby when that was all I could do for her. It is sometimes a little hard to write when the correspondence is necessarily somewhat one-sided but the wish to talk to her is always there even if the result is not much of a letter. I was grieved to hear of her condition when you saw her in Winnipeg.² I had not heard from her when you wrote and was disappointed that she was not better for her long stay in Calgary. I fancy she got too homesick out there and that now she will gain and perhaps feel the good of her months in the West.¹

You must be rather lonely on the prairie--do you want to settle there? I am addressing you as "Rev" though I am not quite sure whether you are entitled to the honour. If you are, you are the first I have written to and it behoves me to walk cautiously. If I can find a nice wicked "pome" I'll enclose it, to show I'm not afraid.

The family are in bed or they would have messages to send. With kind regards.

Sincerely yours,

Marion Robinson

[#1 Enclosure, Clipping from Winnipeg Newspaper. Too faint to transcribe here. Title:]

Various Versions of The Lady of Niger Carolyn Wells Tells How Various Poets Would Have written It. (To Harper's Magazine).

Prayerful Language. At a dinner in honor of Richard Henry Stoddard, one of the guests told a story to illustrate the critic's intense ardor. Mr. Stoddard, he said, went into the pantry to open the can and soon his wife heard him talking vigorously, "What are you doing there?" she asked. "Opening a tomato can" he said. "What with?" asked his wife. "With a knife," replied Mr. Stoddard, "did you think I was opening it with my teeth?" "No" she said, "but from your language, I thought that you were opening it with a prayer."

¹ Ruby spent nine months resting in Calgary after being mis-diagnosed several times (W6161, W6169, W6173, W-MCP2-4.070). She was eventually diagnosed with tuberculosis, and died April 9, 1911. For a more complete list of related letters, see W6135. See Ruby's biographical sketch by clicking on "Family" on the Home Page and then clicking on her picture.

² There are two letters about arranging to meet in Winnipeg, while Ruby was on her way home and Calvin was on his way west. (W6369, W6377). Obviously from this letter, Calvin had given a poor report of Ruby's condition.