Levack Mine, Sudbury Ont. October 23 1929

My dearest Bennie,

Immediately I "snap out of it" I write to you - As you!

Your letter and the book were fine. Gee-wizz, I didn't mean to sting you to the quick with "make it snappy". Good Heavens, that is about the last thing that need be told to you; I just made it clear that I want to hear all about the happenings at home as soon as it is convenient to you to impart the information. Dearest Bennie, I can just about see the look of surprised annoyance on your august features!

And now a bit of geometry: "the pleasure your letter causes me, though always great, varies directly as the square of its magnitude". Q.E.D. As for the quality of your letter - well, it reminds me of the best advertised tobacco "always satisfies and never varies"!

Yes, that fire at the Falls must have done a lot of harm to your mother. I do hope that now, with all the troubles over with little more independence and responsibility, your mother will improve speedily.

My life so far is O.K. You know, a thought came to me just now (what a wonder!)One thing is to be able to stand with ease the inconveniences and the difficulties of a new environment and quite another thing is to be able to carry on without noticing or feeling them. There is a great difference between the two, and I felt it on my own neck. This life - life of an ordinary miner is full of petty inconveniences which I feel much, but can stand with ease. For instance, I now work on a shift of which the shift-boss is a German-pol and the stope-boss is a Bulgarian. Having got hold of an English student in their power, they proceeded to make a beast of burden of him, making the perspiring wretch do the work of one and a half men if not two. One day, I has to carry three heavy machines, each time with a different man, while my regular job is to carry only one. Any heavy work needing strength and endurance immediately fell to my lot. One day, with two other men, we three carried about three tons of steel (drill bits ranging from 3 feet - 12 feet in length)through a height of about 30 feet. They cursed the job and looked at me as though they expected me to groan and fall over. Sad disappointment was theirs when I came off as fresh as ever.

But after that awful week, Fortune smiled upon me. We have to take stock of all the pipes in the mine: 1", 2", 3", 4", 5" and 6" pipes. There are many thousands of feet on the whole. The job was given to an English-Canadian - a pump-man. When asked whpm he wanted as a partner, he chose me and now we have two-weeks' job of doing nothing but walking about and measuring pipes. I expect to get disgustingly fat by the end of the fortnight! Woopie! And it gives a splendid opportunity to see every nook and crook of the mine. My partner is a good fellow too - and a "white man" (i.e. Anglo-Saxon race ). I guess I am a bit interested in myself...

The book - The Golden Wind - I read in a day. It is really the most wonderful bit of literature. The introduction was right: parts and passages of this novel could have come out of an ancient Chinese manuscript. But it made me think and feel and any book that can do both those things to me is a fine book, worth reading over and over again.

Well, I must go to work. I shall continue this letter to-morrow. Byee.

3. The letter (continued)

Both yesterday and to-day was raining miserably and I stay indoors all the time. I wish the now would come sooner.

I think it is perfectly sweet of Miss Stone to let me have all Reader's Digest was a masterpiece! Such a great variety of subject and so well written. I read them all and found "Our Changing Morals", "Learning how to be black", "Blazing New Trails of Education" the most interesting. The Story of the Eaglet made me very sad. But a lot was said in the "Blazing New Trails of Education" sounded to me as the most powerful common sense possible. By the way, what does "psychiatrist" mean? Have you ever told me before? If yes, I apologize for forgetting it!

I do not know how much I weigh, but I think I must have lost a lot, but the muscles on the arms, torso, and back, and legs fairly ripple when I do a little shadow boxing in front of a mirror. But brain-work and elevated thoughts (don't you know) will, no doubt, prevent me from becoming a more muscular animal! As for you, Bennie, your whole personality impresses me ever so much more than would any huge hulk of bulging muscles! And I don't mean maybe!

I do not know if I have told you about my new room-mate. He is a sampler [takes samples along cross-cuts and galleries to find the varying richness of ore deposits] and is about 20. A fine fellow, English and very interesting to talk to. We are both very keen on mining and talk so much that people in the house dropped hints that a decrease in volume of sound issuing from our room would be most welcome. But we are both very well tolerated here!

You say that 'See Naples and die' was very light. I hope it wasn't too light, otherwise -- shame on you, Bennie, going to such entertainments! But you know an actress in the play! What is she like? Pretty or fascinating in any way? Eh!?

So your joint engineering was not destined to stand? That is touch luck. Of course, if you had me, the results would have been different. Poor Owen, I hop he'll take it well.

Well Bennie, I must stop. I do not know if I have said much, but you now have all the news and most of the thoughts such as assailed me lately [not much of an onslaught!]v
Please give my love to your mother and Aunt Lydia.

My best hug and kiss to you, my dear pal.

Your loving Guigui

Levack, Jan 24

  My dear Bennie,

The day before yesterday the post office turned in your letter. At the sight of it, I quaked in my boots with nervousness and apprehension. I knew that you wrote the letter before you got mine! What crushing things you had right to say! But how sweet you were; gee, it made me feel like dancing and hopping about - that's an absolute truth.
The only way you can lose me is to leave me out with a great violence. No girl in the world can possible change me towards you: it all depends on you.

Did I say I would write to you before the end of the week? Disgraceful! -I mean, of course - disgraceful not to have kept my promise. I must have forgotten all about it. Well in the letter before this, which you much have already received (Jan 23). I make exactly the same promise - but this time to keep!

My dear Bennie, I have not definite idea as is when I can leave this "happy land of pilgrims". So far my plan are to leave Levack on the middle of August. How does that suit you? I am not at all sure though. It would be wonderful to be in Farmington again. I feel so happy there, with you and your mother and Auntie Lydia and all your friends.
I've been skiing yesterday afternoon but fell all the time and come home disgusted. I seem to have deteriated (spelling?) so I am now going as wake up. To-day I couldn't go because I worked two hours overtime, but to-morrow, and on Sunay I'll brush things up a bit. I'll show 'em!

Now our cage goes right down to the seven level and we needn't walk any ladders at all, which is just too slazzy!
How is your work getting on? Have you got any interesting personalities under your tutelage? Any freaks of the same preposterous calibre as myself? If no, my heart doth rise toward you in tearful compassion and through the hypnotizing intricacies of telepathy do I transmit my most powerful thought to you - take courage: dense skulls are as stone wall to a penetrating mind: the machine-drill of understanding will sink long longs into the solid man; the dynamite blast of the right words and action will then shatter these walls; crumble even unto dust and by the right hand will then lead thy pupil in the path of light......AMEN,

Sorry Bennie to hand off with this awful bilge, but the playfulness of mind shall not be stayed - it can't be!

To-day is a dance, but I do not feel like going. Too much din and no music. How different from those two dances at Lakewood! They were glorious! A delightful orchestra, a dancing floor as dancing floors should be - everything was great! And some little girls!

I haven't received yet any answer to my rather strong note to my girl in Toronto...........I wonder..........

Well, Bennie, I must stop now. Not very long- this letter. It will be a lot longer next time.

Your loving very very much

Guigui

best of love to your mother and Auntie Lydia.

Levack Mine, Sudbury, Ont. (no date: circa 1929)

My dear Bennie,

Well, my dear, here is where I'll have to wake up once and for all. No time or space must now be wasted for futile regrets or poor excuses. Both are useless. So, my dear, dear pal, I shall get to a review of your letter and of my life since the last letter (a very weak on, at that).

You have told me already, I think, of your ape. But it has shipped out of my mind for never had I a chance think of it. Really, Bennie, during my whole story at the Maine, you were so active and energetic that during all our tennis, motoring, dancing and what not, you were an elder brother to me. So reading your letter makes me think that you are a lot younger than you are trying to make out your are! And what are you trying to tell me by saying "...with so little to show for accomplishment". You have completed your education, you have attained such a position as to be able to take care of your mother, your home; to have a good time in New York; to go to theatre concerts: you have a car of your own - Good heaven's you are hard to please!

Your third paragraph was most amusing, and it brings up an old subject of our discussion - the power of observation. In your place I would not look at those around me: I would study the contents of the plate under my nose - a quick study prior to exploitation! I would be interested in the stories the old man and lady-friend were telling to each other; they themselves would fail to interest me - I am pretty positive of that. The funny old man would probably escape my notice. If not so, I would wonder how some people get away with imposing on other people's patience - they must appear important and of strong personality - I might even envy him - that is if I was in a dejected mood. If I felt well, I would think very little of him and pass him with distain.

The old maid would make me burst out snickering and gippling. The vow the very young man made would attract my attention for a moment - it would annoy me immensely if I was at that instant swallowing an oyster.

Your opinion on modern fiction is is not of a very high order, and I cannot criticize it because I know nothing of modern fiction. As for the lives of the Saints - I think you shall find it rather dry reading - except from a historical point of view.

I have read some parts of Well's "Outline of History" - but mostly parts that explained illustrations. I think it is very good on the whole - judging from what I read in it. There is at least not sexual orgy about it and therefore it would at least work well as an antidote!

I always read all your write more than once or twice. You better remember that is future, ahem.

Where did you get hold of the idea that I am a materialist? I think I am a bit of a materialist and a bit of an idealist. In my idea everybody should be half in half. The former should keep the latter. The idealist in the man ought to have high and noble ideals for the good of everybody; the materialist in him ought to determine the best method of putting these ideas into practice - and go ahead. [As regards correspondence in general, I am a pure idealist - no moi......................]

I thought your little story was jake! By the way, I have grown a mustache and everyone calls it "baseball mustache" - three out - all out! Have your heard about the absent-minded professor who went up to a fellow called Sandy Mc. Pherson and asked him if he [professor] owed the latter any money?

My dear Bennie, I would love to come over, but you see, it is so far away and I can't get any more leave than four or five days - at the very most - a week. Think of the whole day wasted at Montreal trying to get the fools at the Emigration Office to let me into the "land of milk and honey"! I shall stay here in Levack or go to Toronto where my girlfriend has invited me. I haven't answered her yer, though, and it's over a week since I received her letter.

Last Saturday, my room-mate and I went after deer. I got a rifle at Eatons which is an Austrian military rifle made into a sports model. Quite a powerful thing: shoots 300 yards without a trojection etc. But we haven't seen a thing. Followed tracks of one deer for two miles around a large lake called Moose Lake . Snow covered the groundand most of the lake was frozen. We started out at 8 o' clock in the morning and came back at 5 o' clock at night. It was quite interesting. We had to do some rock-climbing as well. Ice cracked all the time as we crossed the narrow parts of the lake from time to time. Snow storm on a small scale got up and we had a chilling race around the lack to get back out of the bush before dark. We made it because the wind blew in the right direction so as to freeze that part of the lake by which we had to come back. We have both enjoyed ourselves immensely and were very sleepy and tired when we got back. We tried the rifle and it shoots very straight and gives me a feeling of power. I have ordered skis from Eaton Co. Ltd., and ought to get them this week. this is a glorious country for skiing, and my friend here is very keen on it too. So he is senidng for his skis as well, and we are both looking forward to an interesting and active season.

And here I come to a subject over which I shall try to linger as little as possible. It is for me something like walking on nails - the sooner I hop off, the better. Every sentence you put down hit me on the jaw, in the eye and on the nose - but most of all pounded me on the solar plexus. There was no firm jaw - no thin lips or hard expression. I was completely shamed.

There are times - little spasms - in my life when I become absolutely passive - PASSIVE - in every meaning of the word. I am awake, yet I sleep. I stop to think - I dream. I hear dimly the sound of conversation around me, I look but see not...

Am I doomed to go through life hurting those I love and those who care for me - and be powerless? Private property be blasted! There is no such thing as private property of mine as far as you are concerned - but what can you do with this property when suddenly it turns into a vacuum!

And what must your mother thing of me? Do not write a word to her about this letter, please. I must do everything myself.

It is getting late so I must go to bed. Good night, Bennie. I would love to kiss you goodnight now - but would be ashamed to come near you - really, Bennie!

Your very loving,

Guigui

Renette's address

C/O M.K. Peacock Esq.
175 Kitaiskaya
Harbin
Manchuria

Levack Mine, Sudbury, September 22nd 1929

My Dear Bennie,

I got your two letters yesterday or was it the day before? But i didn't feel like writing straight away. Forgive me, please - these non writing moods of mine are very powerful when present.

Bennie, do you know what I'd like to do? ......to take a long sharp steel spike, wrote one it "you can never {annoy, molest, irritate} me, my dear Bennie, and a taking a 16lb sledge-hammer, drive the aforementioned spike through your cranium! Rather too emphatic, you will say; there may be possible some other more gentle means of elucidating this all-important fact, but then there is no trace of  half-heartedness in my little suggestion, is there?

Now we are coming to the fact that you do not seem to be very clear on. I love writing to you and never, never consider it either a troublesome duty, or a tedious obligation. How could it be, if it is writing to about the best pal I've got! But this the point you must realize: that a life-long habit of not writing to anybody for months cannot be done away with at a stroke! I am getting over it, thanks to you, my dear Bennie, steadily, but slowly, and I am very moody.

It is absolutely impossible for anybody to love not to want to want that love returned. Human beings are made that way; have it in the same way as a pair of eyes with a nose between them! The "Bridge of Sam Luis Ray" brings that out most vividly: Donna Maria loved her daughter most madly and her daughter's coldness and indifference caused her a terrible amount of suffering. If there were no suffering, or jealously, there would be no real love.

Dear fellow, I feel positively proud and happy that you tried to "take it out" on me! That's fine! Everytime you feel peeved or huffy and "out of sorts" in anyway, just take a piece of paper, a pen (machine is better!!!) and give me hell. Then I'll answer and pull you to pieces! It will do us both a lot of good.

I don't know what Venette's address will be. I have written to uncle three times but never got any reply. So I'll wait until I hear from him.

The letter from Lelek was very nice. In fact, so sweet that I would blush if I started to translate it to you. It was to the effect that he remembers Krasnoyarsk and our home with great pleasure and is sorry that we are so far away that we can't be together - don't you know! Thanks very much for your translation though. I must write to him. What does the "n Met" stand for? as in "Nove Mesto n Met???"

I am very glad to hear that your mother is better. It is rotten to be ill. I was sorry, too that i didn't have your mother and Auntie Lydia to doctor me up! The would have fixed me quick enough, I bet! Now I am O.K. except for a little bit of huskiness in the throat!

My roommate is gone for good. He was a good sort, rather rough and hard, but cheerful and find (under the "hide") and with a keen sense of humour. He is a student of Toronto University. I have heard that I have have a Jewish salesman in my room pretty soon and I await the dreadful ordeal with trembling! I can't get a small room to myself - they are all taken up.

The mornings and evenings are getting very cold and in a couple of weeks we'll get frosts. there may be snow in October. I shall ski (first of all I must learn how!). Otherwise, my life here is interesting only to me....we have been building a new shute and I helped mostly by keeping out of the way.

Well Bennie, these are about all the words I need scribble to keep your interest. What might have followed would make you yawn, dear. so, give my best love to mother and Auntie Lydia; to Devon, Freda, and all my friends. You, my pal, I hug most heartily - but with restraint!

 
Your Loving Gui Gui

P.S. No, I would not advise and restraint on your part. I think you're got a lot of it. But I do think that you are a bit nervous though you keep it under control pretty well!

No time, No date

My dear Bennie,

If it wasn't for you, I would forget how to write letters- really! I admit, this time I was very very bad - pretty hopeless, in fact, but what could I write about, I ask you?

Same old thing every day, except for a few incidents which are worth relating only if a collection of them is obtained - and that takes time. Oh, Bennie..........................!

I have received a lot of papers from your mother but haven't answered yet. Time seems to fly; eight hours underground seem like three, a day seems like a shift and a week is as short as a week-end! Before I know what's happening , it's happened!

A week ago I changed my job from that of a machine-helper to that of a sampler. I now work with an English fellow - my student room-mate, and it is sure an improvement on working with bo-hunky. It is also a much easier and cleaner job.

Lately however I am not getting my share of sleep - only about six hours - which I am going to put to an end at once - after I finish this letter. You see with the work and studying,  we do not get to bed till about 11 pm - and we have get up at 5:30 am, which is no good.

Your girl-friend is very nice-looking allright; how did you like her acting?

We'll I tried to keep off the subject but my curiosity is a thing that is a mighty passion, so I wonder how old are you, Bennie? Many happy returns of the day, Bennie dear, and I do hope that you are not angry at me for my carelessness. Last Sunday my pal Jim and I went for a geological trip there in the bush for a half a dozen miles. We had a very pleasant day and returned feeling tired and hungry.

How are things your way? I am getting on well, but owing to the fact that I didn't get much sleep for the last week - I feel a little sleepy.

Last week, my pal and I went to Sudbury and saw a good film "Vikings", also did some shopping. Got four grammaphone records for George - the mine-boss with whom I board. For jazz, they are beautiful. I do not know if you even know the names of dance music pieces you ever hear but they are: "I want to meander in the Meadow" - a beauty; "Piece of mind" - very catchy; "Am I blue" - "Love", "Gay Love". All splendid songs - very beautiful. "Good Morning, Good Evening, Good night", "My Song of the Nile" - very sweet. Do you know any one of them?

In the evenings occasionally I play bridge with my friends here and most of the times I win (my partner and  I, that is!). It's a good game. Checkers are quite a bit of recreation, too.

Well Bennie, this letter took me two days to write - shame on me so I must hurry up and send it over. I shall write to Mrs. Stinchfield to-morrow without fail.

Meanwhile good-bye.

Your very loving,

Guigui

Levack Mine Sudbury Ont September 12 1929

My dear Ben,

Just about a couple of hours ago, I sent off the telegram to you. I guess you shall have received it long before this letter.

No, my dear pal, I am all right except for the fact that I have here a nasty cold and my tummy seems a bit out of order. But my friend the doctor here gave me some pills and medicine for both ailments and now I feel as though the recovery is in sight!

The exhibition was the goods! I knew that it was the greatest yearly exhibition is the world, but the realization sure cleaned up the expectation. What a lot to see! Cars, aeroplanes, agricultural halls, art galleries - all the industries were well represented. We watched the three mile race and the excitement of Ross's victory over Pritchard was too much for the crowd! Also listened to some nice music. And didn't we have fun with all the competitions, or, rather, games of skill and chance! And Irene was most lucky. She got two large boxes of chocolate and some smaller ones of caramel. I was singularly unlucky. But I enjoyed myself just as much!

Dear Bennie, I do hope you are not jealous because I was happy with someone else! You know perfectly well that of all my men friends you stand supreme. there are no other fellows that I can love as much as I love you. But with girls it is on a different plane altogether. If you would fall in love and be happy I would be ever so happy for you, although is you got another boy-friend, I would turn sickly olive colour with jealousy! You understand me well, don't you, my dear fellow!?

I received a letter from you mother yesterday and read it in the mine - on the 7th level to be exact! Yes, it does seem to me that since I left Farmington, all sorts of nasty things happened. I am awfully sorry about it: I guess I would be a lucky mascot for Farmington! I bet you are absolutely all in and looking forward to having a rest in New York. Poor Bennie, I would love to be with you to help along, if I could, and if you let me!

My work is getting on splendidly and i have heard through my roommate that the manager, Mr. Sharp, is going to promote me - to the machine work - I should imagine. It is beginning to dawn on my that I like my work very much! It wasn't as difficult to get down to it after the fine time I had in Toronto.

Thank you very much for the papers Bennie. They are always very welcome to me because they contain a lot of such interesting stuff, which I snap up with pleasure.

Well, goodbye Bennie. Give my love to mother and Auntie Lydia.

Your always loving Guigui

Levack Mine Sudbury Ont. Friday, August 30th 1929

Sweet Bennie,

You dear fellow! You still seem to thing there is a chance of me not liking your letters 100%! Hasn't the fact taht I have so often written to yo, succeeded to prove definitely how I appreciate your letters! Bear in mind Bennie, that every letter I receive from you is so much joy to me - gladness to hear from you all the news of your household, happiness to feel your dear, warm friendship. Oh Bennie, dear, I am so happy to be your friend!

I have received your book and papers. Thank you ever so much, Bennie. The book made me feel rather sad - you understand well don't you? But it is a fine book - it made me me think, as well as feel. I have recognised many people in the book - I mean I know some people that are just like the characters in it. The book was finished in something like four hours - nothing missed out - so that you can imagine how interest I was. The papers also provided the reading for the whole morning, and I have read the article about Dr. Cromwell.  The part of the paper on book-reviews is certainly interesting. Also the article on the building of the Panama Canal. That must have been wonderful! I have thought about it yesterday when I was picking and shovelling a ditch about thirty yards long, and felt sorry for the poor hundred odd cranes and dredges employed! They must have stained their coal-burning tummies, bless their mild-steel hearts.

A friend of mine has written a post card to me to tell me that I have passed Physics.  Another friend told me that I have passed Geology. And I know I have passed the rest. So that is a bit of worry off my shoulders - Rah!

I am now working underground where the work is very much harder than in the rock house. But I practice the Big Three and all goes well. I think a lit of you Bennie and remember our talks, and all that has been said.

Well, I have only half an hour to write a letter to your mother so I must stop. Love and kisses to mother and Auntie Lydia.

Your Loving Guigui