1911 Courtship: Feb 19, Dear Noah

After a 2 week hiatus while I travelled by plane and train to a writing conference in California,  I'm returning to the 1911 Courtship of Ethel Nelson and Noah Draper. This week's post follows the first letter posted on  1911 Courtship: Feb 4, Dear Ethel.

Author of Letter: Ethel Isabell Nelson b1890
Dated:  February 19, 1911
Addressed to: Mr. N. Clement Draper, Grand Coulee, Sask.
Mailed from:  Bellhaven, Ontario
Relationship: Courting
Profession:  Farmer's Daughter 
Writing  instrument: Fine point pen, Black ink, 
Written on: slightly thick, textured linen-like paper, 9 inches x 6.5 inches,  folded
Mentioned in the letter: 
- Noah's Uncle Frank (either Frances Deverell, or Franklin Terry)
- Mrs. Perrault, and later Mr. Perrault (Noah`s sister, Eva, married a Joseph Perrault)
- Veda (Veda Perrault, daughter of Eva & Joseph Perault)
- Sadie and Christie (Ethel's 2 younger sisters)
- Ma and Pa (James Henry Nelson & Ida Amelia Glover)
- Willie Sedore (working on the research)
- Mr Young (not sure, but suspect he's the local postmaster)

Belhaven, Feb 19th, 1911.

Mr N. Clement Draper.
Grand Coulee, Sask.

My Dear Noah. ----

                    Well, I suppose you are
on your way home by this time.
and rejoicing to think you will soon
be home once more. Hope your mother
won't think we have made you
worse than you really were. ha ha.
Although I would'nt care if she
were to send you back East again.

                    Did you have to walk
all the way over to your Uncle
Frank's! I guess you would be ready
for your nights rest when you got there.
Suppose Mrs Perrault give you a
piece of her mind not going over
the night befor. 

2.

Well I hope you got home safe,
and that you were not delayed
in anyway.
     Ma has not come home yet.
Sadie and Christie have gone to
Sunday School. I am staying
home to keep Pa company. (I'm not
much company Just now I guess)
To day is his birthday.
     I have'nt saw Mr Perraults
since you left. Suppose they
have left these parts too.
     Sadie said to tell you next
time you came, she wanted
to say good-bye when you
went away.
to teach. *

*to teach - continues a sentence from page 3  when the notepaper is fully opened.

3.

     Sadie said she looked for
you on the car Friday morning.
Suppose while I am writing
you are riding on the train.
and I believe you have the
best to do. It would not be
so lonesome. Did you meet
with anyone on the train that
you were acquainted with?
     Willie Sedore is to be
married a week from next
Wednesday. What do you think
about it?
     I think we will be going
up to church tonight. I don't know
who will preach.
     Sadie had a card from
Veda. Veda says she is to go West
*to teach

*to teach is actually written on bottom of Page 2

4.

     Well Noah you said you were
a poor letter writer, but I
think I am no better. anyway it
will let you know I am
thinking of you. My thots for
you are not only while I am
writing, but all the time.
     I'll be patient to write and to
wait until the time comes
when we won't have to
write. And now I think I will
have to say Good-Bye, and take
a walk down to Mr Young's after
S. School is out. And Noah you
write,
          Love from Ethel.

Ethel Nelson
          Belhaven,
                    Ont.
XXXX                                               XXXXXXX
  x x                                                           x x
    x                                                              x

So, did you get that hint on page 3 when Ethel mentions that Willie Sedore is getting married and asks Noah what he thinks about it? If I didn't know they were courting already, that question would have shown her intentions, for sure. Ha ha. As it is, page 4 clearly shows her affection for Noah and her wish that they could be together. 

The next courtship letter between Ethel and Noah will be dated Feb 24th and will be posted in 2 weeks - after a post and giveaway by historical author, Ruth Axtell.

Genealogy notes:
Do you recall the letter to Ethel from the mysterious Norah Donalda in 1910: A Letter From Norah Donalda?  Well just a couple days ago - 4 wks after the post was published - I received a very brief comment from the grandson of Nora Donalda. Perhaps I'll discover who the people are in Nora's letter now. What a blessing!