P.S. Please send the enclosed $20 to Annie. I thought it safer to send it through because her letter had a little thing in it I was sending to Frank.

Fort Simpson, B.C. Oct. 21st 1875
My dear Mother, I must try to write a long letter this time because the last was so short and then this will be the last for this year, I suppose. The str. may be here now any day. I hope it will bring the usual letter from you - and then by the time our next mail comes likely in Jan. or perhaps Feb. I hope there will be sure to be another on the way. We shall think about you all very often you may be sure and talk about you, and pray for you. I wonder where you will spend your Christmas. I trust yours as ours may be pleasant & happy. Ours will be busy, I suppose. As I told you the school teacher has left. I don't think he was ever very happy here - but it was something to us to have the school provided for. Now Mr. Crosby has to attend all he can. He goes generally in the morning and I have been going in the afternoon. I do not like to leave Jessie but I put her to sleep before I go and she sleeps sometimes near all the time I am away. Her father is always either in or about the house and takes charge of her when she wakes. The girls are kind to her and often amuse her but we never leave her to their care. I am never away much more than two hours, and her father understands her well. It would be a great thing for us to have a really good teacher - and that must [b]e a missionary. The schools are promising and need more time than we have to give to them ourselves. A lady teacher of the right kind might be very useful. We have three girls in the house again. One who was in trouble and friendless almost had to be brought in - she is older than the others and not particularly bright but we do not choose. I find a great difference in the housekeeping now that our boarders have gone. It is really a relief to me and it seems so nice to have the house to ourselves. Did I tell you in my last that we had a very good harmonium for the church. Some of the young men started the subscription for it quite of their own accord. It cost $150 and is much larger than I supposed could be got here for that price. It is really amusing to see how the people wonder to hear it and how pleased. It is placed in the new church which we do not use yet for service, only sometimes we have a sing there. Old & young are very fond of singing and I believe to the young especially it is a great blessing - unartistic as our singing is - in furnishing them with entertainment & keeping them from amusements that might lead to evil. We have part singing too, in quite a number of times. Mrs. Morrison's brother has a good ear for music. He can play a little - and he has trained a number of the young men to take the different parts. I often wish there was someone here really capable of teaching the people to sing properly. I believe the result would be more than ordinary. The work on the church is stopped now until a saw-mill that is being built about five miles away is running to supply lumber. This may be in a few weeks now - then all the buttress posts & some other outside work will have to be done. The ceiling & seats will likely not be put in before next summer. The former will be difficult work, it is quite lofty. Thomas has been painting the house outside - with the help of some Indians. It is white with dark window casings &c. Whether he will get the inside finished this fall or not I do not know. I urge him to leave it - there is so much else to do. Would Papa take the trouble to settle the bills which are enclosed. It is difficult to arrange these little things satisfactorily unless there is some one to look after them. Thomas holds also a policy of Life Insurance in the Etna Life Ins. Co. the premium of which falls due Feb. 4th. The amount of yearly premium is $113.60. If Papa would be kind enough to pay that also, Thomas will send an order on the Mission rooms by the first spring mail. I suppose it will not inconvenience Papa to find the money at the time. One of the bills I enclose Thomas thinks may have been paid though he has no receipt for it. Perhaps Papa could find that out at the Mission room . And about the Insurance. I forgot to say the policy is in the hands of Mr. Crosby's brother-in-law in Ingersoll. Thomas will write to him to sent it to Papa. Nov. 9th. We have received our mail since I began this. There was no letter from you but a good long one from Eliza which she said you wished to do instead of one from you. I hope you will be happy in Toronto. I was glad of the advice you sent me about Jessie's food. I only feed her once a day and I gave her corn-starch because she seemed to like it and I thought it good. We have always excellent bread and I am trying that now, but she does not take it well. She is used to nothing but fluid - however when she gets a little used to it, it will be all right I think. We have very nice little plain crackers in the house that I think perhaps I can roll and make smoother than the bread to begin with. I think she would be better for more variety of food than she has had. She has not a single tooth yet, but I suppose we must expect her to be backward. Of course she is small yet for her age, but she is well and so contented and happy. I believe she is just given us to be a comfort and joy in our home. She is very fond of going out and does not seem to mind the cold at all. Her father takes her with him near every day, and she is just the picture of babyish delight as he carries her off. She and her father are the best friends possible. Lately, before going to school I have made her food and left it for her father to give her and left him to put her to sleep. She is so good that as yet he has never had any trouble with her. And when she sees me come in she is always so delighted that it makes me happy too. We have been having some pretty cold weather lately so I have put on her those warm stockings you knit for her - they will be just the thing for her this winter - and some little black slippers I got from Victoria though still rather large are wearable now, so I think her feet are well provided for the cold weather. I have put on her a second flannel skirt also, and she is wearing the merino dress Susie sent her. That is the only warm dress she has, but I mean to make her another soon. Of course she has no idea of walking yet, indeed she cannot even sit without support but likely that is because I have never tried to teach her to sit alone. Sometimes I put her on the bed and place the pillows about her, but if she is left unsupported she is sure to tumble over. Victoria friends remembered us well by this str. We received two boxes of apples & one of pears, a lot of things for our Christmas tree and for Jessie a doll and purple French merino for a dress. I think I shall scarcely need to sew at all for the Christmas tree - for which I am very glad for I really have no time for it. We have three girls now - one is soon to be married. I never told you did I, about a nice wrap I got! Thomas saw it in the store here one day and would get it for me. It is a large cape of the softest, finest wool very thick and warm - striped brown & white on one side & gray on the other. It is really a lovely thing. Now, dear Mother, it will be likely a long time before you will hear from us again, but the Lord will watch between us. He is with us here I know - and though we have many trials among these people, some such as I could not explain in a letter - yet we are very graciously sustained and blessed. About the Insurance Policy I spoke of, Thomas received it himself by this mail, so he will keep it instead of having it sent to Papa. God bless and cheer you both. Thomas joins me in warmest love to you and my father. Your affectionate daughter Emma