Monday, September 27, 2010

Lake Shore Camp, Kirkland Lake Ont. May 7th 1928


My dear Bennie,

I received your letter a day before I left. You sure saved my life - our life - that time! Otherwise, I don't know how I would get to Kirkland Lake ! But here I am back at the Lake Shore, contract mucking. There's good money in this job, but it is all bull-work and I am just about fed up with it. However, I am "in line" for two descent jobs: one as a sampler, the other one being work on flotation in the mill. I guess I'll get one of them, anyway (that's all I can handle).

We have arrived in Kirkland Lake on the evening of the 24th - dead broke so that we had to hunt up our acquaintances to borrow enough to pay for the gas down to Montreal - as my friend had to go there on business. He has a job assured to him at the Lake Shore Mill, and is coming up here in about ten days time.

How are things with your mother and you? When are leaving for Farmington falls? This has been an early summer hasn't it? That's why we have been lucky to get up to Kirkland Lake in the car, though ther has been some pretty rotten spots. Luckily, the government has horse-teams patrolling these places, pulling through optimistic motorists.

I have gotten my results from Queens - and they are terrible. I have managed to fail in every "doubtful" subject. The "Faculty however feels" that owing to my time table being all messed up and the course being especially difficult for me, I should be allowed to write supplements on all of them in the fall. But I do not think I'll do it. I feel as though I haven't been enough grounding in the subjects that I have been taking. General 5 without General 1 (by the way, I passed this) Surveying 3 and 5 - failed in both, without Surveying 1. So that, as the Dean told me in the fall, I better take 3 years over it instead of two. It is all very annoying, but it's no use howling about it. It's mostly my fault - I didn't study well enough.

Well, Bennie, I must quit. I'll write to you again soon. Please give my love to your mother.

Your Friend

Guigui

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

260 Rapot St Kingston, Ont. 21/12/26


My dear Bennie,

I received your card and note, and I want to thank you very much. Greatly as I regret it, I will not be able to make it this Christmas, Ben, and I am very sorry about it, as I know I would have had a wonderful time.

As I told you before (I think I did) I have made a "date" with a girl-friend of mine since September to spend our own Christmas together - at least some of it. So she is coming down to Toronto, and I'll meet her there. However, with all that, I am a confirmed bachelor, and will remain so for a long time to come - so help me god.

I bet New York at Christmas time is like a huge roaring bee-hive! It must be gorgeous to be there now! Well, Ben, unless I get bumped off before that, by hook or crook I'll spend a Christmas in New York yet! And if you won't invite me over, I'll come over anyway, take a couple of rooms opposite yours and thumb noses at you across the corridor! *

I hope you will have a great time this Christmas, Bennie, and I hope Mrs. Stinchfield will feel fine and enjoy herself too. I think I will have a good time - I hope so anyway.

Please give my love to you and mother and remember me to ms. Gladys, and Owen when you see them.

Always loving you,

Guigui

P.S. I am very busy writing my thesis - on underground scraping - like at Calumet and Hecla & Wisconsin (un.) Range, USA.

Monday, September 20, 2010

16 Janvier 1922



Cher Monsieur Ben, 

Mille fois merei pour vos aunables lettres et le bon souvenir, que vous avez garde de moi. Vous pouvez etre sur, que j'ai garde ' de vous le meine bon souvenir, et qui vouse etes un de mes meilleurs amis. Le plaisir sera tres grand lorsque je vous reverai. J'ai toujours pense que es moment etait proche, mais, queliquefoes le hoses s'arrangent mal et me voice eneore clou an Japon, et je ne sais jusqu a quand, sauf qu au mois de juillet ou d'aout nouse par-tons avec Guigui et Venette au Kanada, a Victoria, ou je placerni Huillaume au collge. Nous avons regis des catalogues et des lettres du president de ce college et nous pouvons juger que c'est magnifique. Comme vous voyez, je serai pres de vous, mais assez loin pour ne pas vous voir. 'illes monyeks ne me pesmettiant pas d'aller en Amerique, ce qui auroit ete un vrai bonheurs pour moi. Je vais vous causer un focu de Krasnoyarsk ou j'ai passe de tres bons moments, surtout lorsque vous etrez pouni nous. J'ai ete bien triste d' etre oblige de qiutter mes amis et eneose plus triste de savoir qiu beacoup d'entre aux sont morts. Docteurs Kousenoff, son frere l'avocat docteur Ratchrousry sont morts, peu apres mon depart. Les paures Russessouffrent beucoup. Lorsque je lis vos lettres, vous etes present devant moi: je vous vois toujours gai et dishose a faire plaisir a aux, qui vous entourent. Continuez et vous serez heureux. Je vais vous caconter un peu de la vie, que je mene a Yokohama. Les premiers temps je ne connaissais personne et ma vie etait assez monotone. Ence moment nous avons des amis anglais et Americains et us nous distraise. De temps en temps nous avons de the's daniants et des soirees, ou nous digustons des "two step 'et des' one step". Guillaume est deja un petit jeune homme. Les moustaches commencent a lui pousser. Il est plus haut que moi et pourtant il est eneose un bebe. Quant a ses etrioles, il nous donne toute satisfaction, car il apprend tres bien, paslant l'anglais assez couramment Venette, tres haute de taille; tout le monde la gate, mais elle ceste assez indifferante aux compliments qu'on lui faits. Quant a ses etudes elle est un peu paresseuse. Cher monsieur Ben, sus-tout ne pas m'oublier, mes enfants vous embrassent, et moi, je vous envoie mes meilleures amities, ainsi qu a Madame Henfile
                                                                                    O. Peacock

A quick spin through Google Translator, and this is what we get, if I transcribed with even the remotest of accuracy, which I know I did not. Forgive me en francais.
Dear Mr Ben,

A thousand times for your many letters and good memory, you have custody of me. You can be sure that I care 'of our good memories, and you are one of my best friends. The pleasure will be very great when I will dream. I always think that when art was close, but the hoses queliquefoes arrange badly and I voice nail eneore year Japan and I was not sure until when, except that in July or August by nouse-tones with Guigui and Venette in Canada, in Victoria, or I Huillaume the college's. 

 We have governed catalogs and letters from the president of this college and we can judge that it is beautiful. As you see, I am close to you, but far enough not to see you. Circumstances do not permit me not to go to America, what would have been a real happiness for me. I will cause  Krasnoyarsk where I spent some very good moments, especially when you Étrez Pouni us. I was very sad to be obliged to my friends and very sad know of to have died. Doctors Kousenoff, his brother's lawyer Dr. Ratchrousry died shortly after my departure. The paure Russessouffrent beaucoup. When I read your letters, you are present before me: I see you still gay and has dishose has to give pleasure, that surround you. Continue and you'll be happy. A little life I lead in Yokohama. The first time I knew no one and my life was rather monotonous. Sometimes we have English friends and Americans and we socialise. From time to time we have the dances in the evenings, or we try the "two step 'and' One Step". William is already a young man. He's even starting to grow a moustache. He is taller than me and yet it is still a baby. As for his etrioles, he gives us any satisfaction, as he learns very well, blanched English fluently enough Venette, very tall size, everyone the gate, but quite indifferent to compliments that he made. As for his education is a bit lazy. Dear Mr. Ben, above all not forget me, my children will embrace, and I send you my best friendships, as well as to Madame Henfil

In anyone can help with the French, please drop a line and I'll send you the whole letter scanned. 

Friday, September 17, 2010

Yokohama 13 Bluff 5 December 1921


Dear Mr. Stinchfield,

I have not written to you for a long time waiting when you will return from your trip. It was with great pleasure that we received your cards showing us your whereabouts. But lately we received no more and presume that either you returned home or you are preoccupied with many interesting things which you are seeing in Europe.

We hope to hear from you soon and to learn the real reason of your silence. Are you pleased with your journey? How did you find Czekoslovakia, and our friend Selek? Did you go to England?

As regards ourselves, we are still in Japan and heaven knows when we shall leave it*. I am afraid our long intended journey to Europe must be abandoned. I cannot get from my firm a long leave and my wife does not wish to go alone. As my principal reason for this journey was Guigui**, who must be far to some school; we have to change our flaws as regards his education.

I have written to the headmaster of the Univ. Mid. School in Victoria whether they can take Guigui and expect their answer - so it is possible that either my wife or both of us will go next year to Canada - they praise this school here, have you heard anything about it?


My brother is staying with us. He has an interesting trip to Kamtchatka, and now has a good rest.
The children go to the school and are doing well. Guigui is quite a big boy and is much healthier than he used to be in Siberia.

We have changed our address. We have now a very pretty garden and lawn where the children can play croquet - my wife likes this country, it is not as cold as Siberia. As regard myself, I prefer to go back to Siberia.

One of our employees, a Selt, arrived to Latvia some time ago. He writes that our house in Krasnoyarsk  is quite uninhabitable. The central heating is damaged. Well, we shall make refrains if we want to live there again.

My wife, children, and myself send you and your mother our kindest regards and best wishes.

Yours Truly,

E.H. Peacock


Notes:
*They never did leave Japan - they perished in the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1st, 1923.

**Guigui was my grandfathers pet name. It is chinese, spelled 鬼鬼, and means roughly, "little Devil".