Meilicke Diary, 5,6,7

-5-

north side of the river it will certainly be a great help to the homesteaders if they want to

ship grain or cattle as well as buying provisions.

Nov 10.

Wednesday morning Andy came to the north end of the bridge and unhitched

the team and tied them to a tree, then came on over the bridge and we with four or five

other men loaded our good and trunks and grips on to a push car. Then we got Emma

to sit on top of some boxes on the car, Some of us tied a rope on the front end of the

car and pulled a head whiled the rest of the men pushed on behind. In due time we got

acrost, and as soon as we got our trunks and goods loaded on the sled we made for

home. Got to Eddies place at 3: o'clock.

December 5th 1915

Things have been going on very smoothly since I last wrote. We stayed at Eddie's a

week and whiled there we came over to Andy's shack to set up a heating stove and

scrubed the floor, put up a bed and got ready to move in.

In the afternoon of Nov. 16th I hitched up Baby & Push to the bob sled and Emma and l

moved over to our new home. (A log cabin)

lf one should judge from our apperance they wouldn't think we were any the worse off.

And we do not feel humiliated because it is only such as this land can offer. The cabin

is about 15 ft. by 21 ft. inside, the logs are poplars and hewed on the inside. The

chinck are of muskeg.

The logs were put up first and they stood for two years. this turned them gray And then

they managed to get the lumber and shingles and finished it up. On the whole it

wouldn't look very homelike to an eastener, but it is very good for this country.

On Nov. 19th we set the first cornor block for our house. And most every day Emma

and l have been working on it.

On Nov. 29th l went to Sangudo after a load of shingles and other supplies for the

house. I expected to get back the same day but sleighing was bad and l stopt over

night on my way back. Consequently Emma spent the first night alone in her life.

stones and just drove them right in and they found it went alright. Then it used to take

us two weeks to make a trip to town for a load of provisions. Now the train runs twice a

week from Edmonton to Sangudo. And after a while when they get the siding on the

north side of the river it will certainly be a great help to the homesteaders if they want to

ship grain or cattle as well as buying provisions.

Dec. 30, 1915

Now that thresing is done in the neighborhood Jewell has help on the house.

Mr. Hawkinson and Mr. Mahoney helped him yesterday and Mr. Thingstad, Mr.

Mahoney and Pat Patterson helped to-day. They are getting along pretty well and are

now putting on the roof. We hope to be in it within a week.

-7-

Mrs. Cowley offered me her sewing machine to use while she is visiting in The States.

Jewell went and got it Tuesday. I have done several odd jobs with sewing yesterday

and to-day.

She gave us six white hens for a wedding present.

Eddie's wife gave us one young rooster for a Sunday dinner. We fried him and had

gravy.

Gus came up last Sunday night to get the double tree. He came in about five minutes.

About three weeks ago Jewell butchered a pig. Of course we took only one half of the

hog. I had eaten some head cheese down at Cowley's and was anxious to try to make

some. Now Mrs. Cowley's head cheese wasn't so fat as some so when I made mine I

wondered what I should do with the fat. I had some cracklings from the lard so I took

part of the fat from the head and put with them and cooked them into soap. The lean

along with the two feet I made into head cheese. Both were good. I had to do the soap

about three times however before it was good. It seemed I couldn't get lye enough in it.

I am trying now to make cheese like mother made when we were down last fall. Jewell

is to teach me how. He has never looked at the cheese but once and then only glanced

at it. Do you think he is a good teacher’?

Jan.6.  (1916)

Mr. John Duggan was up to dinner to-day. Jewell brought home some fish. He cleaned

one and we shall have it for breakfast. The first fish I ever saw that wasn't dressed. It

is a shame to catch and kill them. The myriads of eggs!

Jan 7.

The fish was so good we ate almost all of it for breakfast. There was one piece left for

the pup