Cigar Box Letters

 

Letters from an old cigar box reveal more Nevard history.

Probably written about 1905 from Arthur to Ernest Nevard.

                                                                                   Forestry Station
                                                                                   Indian Head

My Dear Brother

I was very pleased to hear from you. I am staying on here for another month and I would like to stay all the summer if it was not for losing my place as the money is up to $44.00 a month now so it is $30 a month and board now and that is as good as most of the farmers pay.

I have asked Mr. Godfrey to see John Hunter for me and find out about work for you and shall see him tomorrow night and then I will post this so you will know early. In the meantime I had let Mr. Smith the teamster at our place know I wanted to see Hunter or had casually mentioned it and he met him on the sidewalk and he spoke to him about you and he promised you a job as soon as he starts up and he has got a good sized job at the power house so I will let you know what Mr. Godfrey says.

I have got an order for $2 for you but I will send you another $5 and when you get working you can let me have it back if I want as I expect I shall.

I have written to Emily and told her that Horace will lose ten or twelve weeks work by putting it off so late. I think it is a pity as he could be getting some money for the winter. There is a brick building going up in town soon. The bricks are already on the spot Joe tells me. And one man has about 20 houses to put up so there seems to be plenty of work to be done. I hope you will both have a good summers work but it will not be so late as in the Peg as they start earlier up here and finish earlier, but whats the odds? You may as well be brick laying two months in the spring as walking about in Winnipeg paying your board when you may earn just as much money and get on the homestead as soon as it freezes up instead of working the two months that you lose in the spring.

Perhaps Mr. Lochead will put up the team til I come up as I expect brick laying will start up as soon as the weather breaks up enough but I shall know tomorrow night. You might tell them to keep my mail til I come up as I have changed my address. There will be a Family Herald and Nor'West Farmer and Canadian Thresherman. I sent the change of address notice last week so they will likely be up there from this time.

You had better look me up at the Forestry when you do come down. I will ask Mr. Godfrey to look you up a lodge if you like as I guess he knows plenty of people by this time.

Dear Earn. I have seen Mr. Godfrey and he tells me J. Hunter will give you a job as soon as you get here and will give you .50 cents an hour and I have sent you $7.00 so you can come as soon as you are ready.

Goodbye A.W.N.
Arthur William Nevard