Gamble Letter #28

St Vincent
December 6, 1886

My dear Maggie and Grandpa we received your kind and welcome letter and was glad to hear that you were well as this leaves us all well at present we are having very cold weather just now but we have had a lovely fall it did not freeze up till late and then it did not snow for a long while after it froze up and there was lovely skating on the lake we went down every night till the snow came we had a splendid time there would be lots of people from the town as there was not good skating on the river We have got a nice tobaggan slide in St Vincent down the river hill We went to a dance out in country about 5 miles we had a splendid time we staid till about 4 o'clock in the morning you should go to dances sometimes it is awful nice when once you start Alick and Ellen were at one down town too I guess there will soon be another When Alick was out hunting they shot about 148 rabitts in one day they staid 5 days the first 4 days they were hunting deer but they did not get any they shot the rabbits as they were coming home there was four of them out hunting There was 8 other fellows went out for a month and they killed a lot of game Alice does not go to school since the cold weather begun but we all go to church and sunday school I heard pa speaking about Sam Jones the minister he reads all of what he says out of the papers and he says he is a good man We sent away for some cards with our name and sammy is going to send you one each Alick and Ellen will send you one the next time there was confirmation in our church there was 14 confirmed it was a new bishop his name is Gilpert wheat is a very low price it is 58 cents a bushel and there is hardly any oats or barley to be bought at all We have not sold any of our grain yet as they think the price will raise it has been very cold this last week past - it has been 30 degrees below zero but it was warmer today and yestarday Lizzie is staying with a woman in Pembina for a while she is well she told me to tell you she could have been married lots of times only she didn't want a man that drinks I think I read in the paper where Sam Jones said he would sooner be a 50-year-old-maid than be married to a drunkard if he was a girl and Lizzie said she would too Alick liked the tract you sent him very much I think I have told you all the news Hoping to hear from you soon I remain your affectionate friend Jannie Gamble Write soon and tell us all the news J.G.