Letter reading "Prince Albert July 24th 1886 - My dear McKay, The venerable Archdeacon George McKay has just returned from Battleford, bringing me your welcome letter, I smoiled a regular 8 x 10 smoile, and laughed much when I had read through it. You are a regular wag, you must have been reading "Mark Twain" and the "Detroit Free Press". I am very glad to hear you are all OK and personally I must congratulate you on the very neat and comprehensive manner in which you presented the closing accounts for Fort Pitt. As far as I understand Mac is going to be all solid with Miss R at least he is engaged to her, and is only waiting for her father's consent (quite an item) to make her his missus and go in for all such sentiment as "Two souls with but a single thought" "Two hearts may beat as one" (?) happy state of bliss divine, Elysian fields of individuals thought etc all loom up before one eyes on such meditated repose etc etc I may here inform you that I have no further connection with the boot business. I suppose you have really met your fate somewhere, you expose yourself I think by your persistent reticence under such circumstances I think there must be a soft spot for a certain Mrs Angus, and to quote Longfellow: You are in love with an ideal, A creature of your own imagination, A child of air; an echo of your heart, And Like a lily on the river floating, She floats upon the river of your thoughts. Since you left us I have been very much in love three or four times, and I may say I am in that happy predicament at present. Thought it may not last long, but I notice such a state of bliss etc does not affect ones appetite or one "drinky-[?]" but we are all teetoalers down here. There is so much boozing round with this damned cider, that a fellow has to draw the line somewhere, and don't you think it right Sir. Mr Clarke has gone down for another trip to Winnipeg; he may be away about 1 month all told. Mr Jim is down here, all hunky, has been getting into some trouble about a horse he got at Regina, turned out to be a rebels or somebody's. Mr. T McKay got back from Pelly last Saturday. We are all pretty well down here, just as usual and "useful" - lots of work, closing up O.1885 etc such as you know always happens at this festive period. Miss Winnie McLean is here again to attend as bridesmaid at the wedding of her sister to Wilton; the consummation of their happiness is to take place on 11th August. Very merry thanks for you remarks re sympathy, perseverance etc re our cricket club etc, which we hardly reciprocate. Poor MacIntyre has lost his mother she died June 29 at Montreal just the day he was here. How do you get on with Commodore Sheets? He has recently brought a tooth brush and a bottle of pomade and chews a higher grad of tobacco so he is just A1. We have had quite a discussion here re the mail robbery, details of which you will see in the P.A. Times (Thunderer) whether on man with a rifle could halt and tie up 3 men? or whether the 3 men were ought not to have turned round and arrested the highwayman and brought him to P Albert - opinions differ. We had a rather enjoyable party on Monday evening last - we got the loan of Hughes' house and a select distinguished party had their Midsummer Ball. I am rather afraid we shall soon be losing the Rev Mr McWilliams and his estimable family as his three years are up for his stay here, and he desires to return to dear old Ontario. Socially alone, they will be much missed, and as regards the organ playing Sunday school teaching they will be very much missed in the Church. I believe you [?] shy of Presbyterian Church ladies, but it is your lots. The crops round here are all gone to I, literally burnt up. Tom Miller, Rennie Plaxton, and a few may have fair crops, but the greater party will not get their seed back and I am afraid there is a pretty hard winter in stores for some unfortunate farmers. There is not Northern stuff in yet, we are expecting the pieces by next steamer and don't you think it is getting devilish late. Charlie goes up to Carlton to boss the shipping I believe. We are making a regular Prince Albert man out of Charlie, and in due time Carlton will be effaced from his memory. I send you up a bundle of the latest papers; you will see some really brilliant and original things in the "Detroits", though there may not be much food for reflection, they may help you pass a spare hour. With my kindest regards to you my dear boy, I remain, Yours very sincerely Joseph B. Parker"
