Feb. 18th

As space is precious I take advantage of every little bit + do begin my days doings at the bottom of the page. This morning I was up + had my breakfast + a smoke before the sick call sounded which is very unusual. Everything is going on nicely. Brooks is ever so much better and the old Frenchman says “I am glad I came here, they are all good to me, and the little doctor is a smart doctor” So you see I am making an impression on the natives. It was raining again today, only slightly but still, raining. Denny has obtained leave for a couple of weeks and is going up to the mountains to hunt, he will have a splendid time. He is going with some wolfers who are living in a valley so closely shut in and so protected that they have not been cold this winter, and have green grass all winter long. There is said to be beautiful scenery up this river, a waterfall on this river more than 60 ft in height, to say nothing of lake scenery the grandeur of the mountains. I should like very much to go up with him, or at all events to go up in the summer. And what are you doing now? What are you thinking of? Do you remember in Longfellow’s Spanish Student how Victorian wished for a magic mirror, to see Preciosa was doing? I wish for it too. I would not be afraid of all the dreadful things Hypolito was afraid of seeing. Last night after going to bed and finding that I could not sleep, I got a volume of Longfellow and read the Spanish Student. My tooth kept me awake nearly all night and I awakened this morning dull drowsy and feeling tired out. I managed to scald the gum so thoroughly with Carbolic Acid that I stopped the ache, and have been free from it all day, but there is a beautiful feeling of uneasiness, which makes me expect a full grown toothache at any moment. What would I not give for a good pair of tooth forceps + a strong arm. We have had no Mail yet. I still hope that tomorrow night will bring it. Our man left ‘Whoop Up’ on Sunday morning the 7th inst. + allowing him to travel 30 miles a day, the following Sunday would bring him to Benton. He was to get fresh horses there load up + come out. He would be glad to take advantage of the mild weather + would start as soon as possible, so that if he left Benton on Tuesday he ought to be very near us now, he ought to travel more than 30 miles a day, 40 miles at least. So that Saturday or Sunday will infalliably bring him. I think too that he would leave Benton on Monday + not on Tuesday. Dear one how long does it seem to be since I last heard from you, very nearly two months. And now I must say Good night for I am very sleepy. Good night and pleasant happy dreams.

Jany. 26

Conrad dined with us tonight and after dinner we had some, or in fact almost all the musical men in the force, in the Mess Room, + sang and danced, + handed round coffee + crackers. It was quite a ball, I had not enjoyed myself much all day, nor in truth since last Friday. On Friday afternoon to vary the monotony of this dreary place, I tried the pleasant experience of a jolly good toothache. The same tooth that troubled me and which I had filled about a year ago. I bore it for some time with fortitude, because it gave me something vivid to think about, but it too began to get very monotonous + on Sunday I was very tired of it. On Monday I tried to do something for it + saturating a small bit of cotton wool in Carbolic acid, let it fall down my throat and nearly choked myself, as well as added a severe sore throat to my other pleasures. Finally disgusted with everything I took the instrument which we have, which combines the principle of the lumberman’s lever with the appearance of that thing that pianos are tuned with, and for an hour I did my very best to pull that tooth out, but I could not. However it moved slightly, and although my face was very sore and my throat nearly boiled, I found that the tooth had ceased aching. So I went and enjoyed myself.