Place: Saltcoats, Assa. N.W.T.
From: Alf [Thomas A. Patrick]
To: Miss Marion Griffith, Byron, Ontario, Canada – Middlesex Co.
Delivery: Canada Post, via London, postmarks
Details: 6 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 250,” red wax seal with stamped initials “TAP”
Notes: In one of his regular letters to Marion, Alf details the purchases, which were largely of second hand items, that he made to furnish his rented house. He also apologizes to Marion and refers to someone who “means well and does not doubt you but feared you might be disappointed” with what Alf can provide as a home. He also tells of a heated argument he had with Mr. Lockhart over the man’s outstanding bill. Alf has waited six months and only received one quarter of the amount due. He also mentions writing a letter to Rick on his announcement of conversion to God.
Patrick, Thomas Alfred
Place: Saltcoats, Assa.
From: Alf [Thomas A. Patrick]
To: Miss Marion Griffith, Byron, Ontario, Canada – Middlesex C.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 8 pp + receipt + envelope, note on envelope “No. 252,” red wax seal with stamped initials “TAP”
Notes: "My dear Marion – Four years ago to-night we “plighted our troth” to each other. How I wish I were with you tonight that we might rejoice together. The intervening four years have been a long time in rolling by – and must have been trying indeed to your patience. My dear faithful Marion. When Nov. 30th 1890 is here I trust it will find us a faithful, loving, staid happy married pair – man and wife. Certainly much that we desired four years ago has been transferred from desire to realization. What we both now so particularly desire will, I trust, soon be ours to enjoy. God has truly been good to us during the four years past, Marion. May we be much more deserving of his goodness hereafter."
Alf believes he and Marion can finally marry. He makes detailed plans for Marion to travel to Birtle, Manitoba on Saturday, January 15 where he will meet her.
Included with the letter is a receipt for T.A. Patrick's payment to the High Court of Canada, Canadian Order of Foresters.
Patrick, Thomas Alfred
Place: Saltcoats
From: Alf [Thomas A. Patrick]
To: Miss Marion Griffith, Byron, Ontario, Canada
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 8 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 253”
Notes: Alf writes his weekly letter to Marion, with many details of his cash flow as he continues to build a stock of drugs and other items for his medical practice. He names a number of clients who owe him money for medical services but are “never likely to pay me.” He hired “Young McGrath of Crescent Lake” to stuff his deer’s head. He mentions news from his mother and his brother, Richard. Alf tells Marion he intends to write his parents with news of their marriage plans [as discussed in his letter of November 30, 1889]. He continues to be in disagreement with his father and believes the roots of the conflict lie in his talk of marriage. Alf coaches Marion to act “non-committed and oblige” when she visits them. “Re Xmas presents – I concur with you. Would like you to get photographed before you leave home for home here.”
Regarding their plans for a wedding, Alf writes that he is unsure exactly when the marriage could happen. He writes "don't know where the money is to come from in the meantime. As soon as I get this stock on the shelf I'll be in better position to know when we can get married Marion. For after all we can not marry without money." He later states "I expect very little professional work between now and April."
Patrick, Thomas Alfred
Place: Byron [Ontario]
From: Marion [Griffith]
To: Alf / T.A. Patrick, M.D., Saltcoats, Assiniboia, N.W.T.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 12 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 232,” green wax seal
Notes: Marion writes her weekly letter to her fiance, Alf [Dr. Thomas A. Patrick]. Marion shares the progress she and her sister Annie are making in preparing for Marion's marriage to Alf and both sisters moving to Saltcoats. Marion's family does not know that Annie plans on accompanying her. Annie ran into Alf's brother Rick at the drugstore in London, ON where he works. Financial matters take up a large part of the letter, with Marion sharing Alf's worry over financial security, while also offering him encouragement. Annie and Marion are pleased with their growing herd of sheep, but Marion worries that she will have to sell them soon for the cash. Marion tells of trouble in the church parish, which distresses her especially as her father is one of the causes. She is also dismayed that her father appears to make no effort to repay a loan to her Grandpa. She closes the letter wondering when she should tell her Grandpa that she is leaving, and she wishes Alf a Merry Xmas. In a postscript, she worries about both her and Annie leaving their mother when their Grandpa's health is so poor.
Patrick, Marion Griffith
Place: Byron, Ontario
From: Marion [Griffith]
To: Alf / T.A. Patrick, M.D., Saltcoats, Assiniboia, N.W.T.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 8 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 233”
Notes: Marion writes to her fiance, Alf [Dr. Thomas A. Patrick]. She has been busy in preparations for Christmas. Alf's parents invited her and her sister Annie to spend Xmas [Christmas] evening with them and a few friends. She is pleased and surprised to be invited, although she worries that they will be an imposition as they are unable to arrange a ride home for themselves. Marion anticipates talking with Alf's brother Rick, as they get along well. Marion tells of how pleased Annie was to receive her own letter from Alf, which also pleases Marion. Writing later, Marion tells of how she stayed at home with her Grandpa rather than attending evening church service. He is very lonely and she is glad to play for him and read aloud to him.
Marion received an early Christmas gift from Annie: a cup and saucer for her and a moustache cup for Alf. Marion "was surprised when I saw the cups as it was decided we would do without presents ourselves in order to have a family photograph during the holidays." Marion wishes Alf a belated birthday, a Merry Xmas, and Happy New Year. In a postscript she writes that she has no objections to Alf's cousin travelling to Birtle [Manitoba] to be a witness at their wedding.
Patrick, Marion Griffith
Place: Saltcoats
From: Alf [Thomas A. Patrick]
To: Marion / Miss Griffith, Byron, Ontario, Canada
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 5 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 257”
Notes: In his weekly letter to his fiancé, Marion Griffith, Alf comments that many people in the community are sick with a cold. Twelve “half-breeds” and some “Indians” from Fort Pelly are in Saltcoats to stock up on provisions. Alf made a deal with Chief Cotè to have his two deer hides tanned with the hair on. Alf plans on using the tanned hides for bedroom rugs.
“It’s ‘again the law’ to sell Pain Killer Price’s Extracts and several other things of this kind to Indians or halfbreeds. Those here to-day took advantage of ignorance of that fact. They got a pound of sweet mitre from me and ginger and Price’s Flavoring Extracts from Mr. Hallett clerk at Buchanan & Co.’s. I expect they are having a great old drunk tonight on these delicious beverages. Hallett and I are both liable to a fine if our ignorance of the law does not excuse us.”
Writing later, Alf tells of a busy few days of sick calls. Two people were stricken with convulsions and one with influenza. The shipment of drugs he ordered from Detroit did not arrive and is stuck in Customs at Portage La Prairie. “They have been ordered and paid for since Nov. 11th and so will be a long time coming indeed.”
Again writing later, Alf’s handwriting deteriorates as he is exhausted from a day of travelling between sick patients and now has influenza himself. He tells Marion that her travel plan suggestion, which apparently involves her taking the train to Portage La Prairie, is unwise. He wants to meet her in Birtle and be married on a Tuesday.
He ends the letter “[w]ith headache and weeping, sneezing nose and backache and sickness and just haste, I am. Yourownloving Alf.”
Patrick, Thomas Alfred
Place: Byron [Ontario]
From: Marion [Griffith]
To: Alf / T.A. Patrick, M.D., Saltcoats, Assiniboia, N.W.T.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 10 pp + envelope, note on envelope “No. 236”
Notes: Marion writes to her fiance, Alf [Dr. Thomas A. Patrick]. Her Grandpa is doing poorly. He surprised Marion by giving her and her sister Annie a gift of $175.00 the morning after speaking with his doctor. She finishes writing the letter while in Strathroy. She received Alf's photograph and is surprised that he grew a moustache. Marion and Annie continue to make plans to move to Saltcoats in the near future.
Patrick, Marion Griffith
Place: Saltcoats [North West Territories]
From: Alf [Thomas A. Patrick]
To: Miss Marion Griffith, Byron, Ontario, Canada – Middlesex Co.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 7 pp + envelope; note on envelope “No. 258;” broken, black matchstick- size substance seals envelope
Notes: Alf writes his weekly letter to his fiance, Marion. "Am not at all well yet. Though better than yesterday. Practising medicine and being sick are not very compatible with each other. This influenza epidemic has been hard on medical practitioners. Dr. Faford of St. Boniface near Winnipeg died last week and Saturday’s Free Press (Manitoba) tells us that old Dr. Ferguson of Winnipeg is, dying, or at least near unto death."
He has been asking around to estimate the cost of the marriage and lists prices for the ring, license, Parson's fee, and fare to Birtle. After detailing financial concerns, Alf asks, "Can we not then be married in Birtle on Saturday February 22nd – five weeks from to-day?" He writes that "this will be cheapest and if mean to be married as February we must consider what is cheapest."
He writes that he is "in a bad fix for need of bottles. He had ordered some from Detroit, but they were delayed at Portage La Prairie. He writes "the last medicine I stuck in a Worcestershire sauce bottle and the medicine before that in a shoe-blacking bottle."
He further writes of receiving two papers called "Farm and Storm" and the Regina Leader.
Alf comments on the kindness of Marion's grandfather for gifting money to her and her sister, Annie. As to her surprise that he grew a moustache, he comments, "My moustache was not worth mentioning.." He then asks what bedding she needed him to purchase for her and states that he "will get dishes from Buchanan and Co. so that we can begin housekeeping at once." But he ensures her that he "will borrow them and not buy any till you come."
Patrick, Thomas Alfred
Place: Byron, Ont.
From: Marion [Griffith]
To: Alf / T. A. Patrick, M.D., Saltcoats, Assiniboia, N.W.T.
Delivery: Canada Post, postmarked
Details: 4 pp + envelope; note on envelope “No. 237”
Notes: In her weekly letter to her fiance, Alf, Marion gives an account of her grandfather's rapid decline in health. Numerous family members come and go to take shifts and sit with him as he suffers through worsening "bad spells." Dr. Woodruff can do nothing more for his patient. Reverend Evans Davis is sent for. Marion writes, "I understand now Alf why it is best that we did not go to Saltcoats sooner. All is for the best, but we cannot think so sometimes." She finishes the letter, "Yours in sorrow, Marion."
Patrick, Marion Griffith