The Icelandic connection - 01.06.2014, Qupperneq 17

Vol. 66 #4
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
159
Canadian Pacific R’y Co.’S Telegraph
Night Lettergram
one virtually the same as the other. German
U-boats were a constant threat to Trans-
Atlantic shipping during the war, and
Elisabet was wise to send two letters as a
precaution. The letter reproduced below is
the lengthier of the two.
* * *
Gimli, Man.
April 17 1917
My Darling Boy,
Oh how will I commence this letter
dearest Archie as we are all thinking of you
and pray for your recovery and that you will
be able to come back to us again dearest
boy of mine. Your Father got a lettergram
saying you were seriously ill and wounded.
Oh how we all felt sad, but we hope for the
best and as I said before, pray to God you
will be spared us.
Your father is so anxious about you
as we all are. Oh, if we could only be near
you and help to nurse you my own Darling
Boy. And all your friends, and it seems
everybody here is your friend as the whole
Town seems anxious about you and express
their regrets. If only we could be sure this
and other letters could reach you and we
could feel we could do something for you
my own Darling Boy. We are all pretty well
at home here but all thinking of you. Now
the boys in the 223 Battalion are expected
to go any day now. Mr. and Mrs. Tergesen5,
and Inga and Joe, are going to bid them
goodbye. Your Sister, Margrjet, is going to
teach in Inga’s place so Inga can go, but
Margrjet does not like to teach Galicians4
she has found that out. Old Mrs Saffrin
said she had just been sick when she heard
you were wounded and so were others. I’m
not going to say much about you myself but
there is one thing. I want to be worthy to
be a mother of a brave soldier boy. Oh how
proud we all are of you my own brave boy.
I have had letters from Miss Dennison5
at Auntie’s, and Mrs. Flint, Mr. and Mrs.
Hadkinsson and Josie and Bonnie, and so
many phones all cheering me in the hope
I will get you back my darling Archie (that
name is sweet to me). Noonie and Uncle
and Johanna are staying with us at present,
but do not know how long they will be here.
Uncle has some jobs of fence paintings in
town here. He has fixed Tergesen’s Store just
fine. Everybody admires it. What do you
think that Hannes Kristjanson is married
to Ella Magnusson? They got married last
Sunday and Albert, his brother, came down
and married them. Gumbi and Jona Arason
asked him. They were married at Johann
Freemans’. Benedikt Freemans is getting
better. Mundi Johnson and his wife are
moving (I mean the barber) and Asbjorn
Eggertson is renting his house. Maud
Bristow that was has bought Hadkinsson’s
house and will move in there soon.
Well my Darling Boy, I can’t think of
much news for this letter as I can only think
of you. I’m going to send Mrs. Flint’s letter
to you for you to read so as to make this
feel more like a letter. All the children are
standing around me while I’m writing this
to you. God be with you and I pray him to
spare you if it his Blessed will that I might
clasp you in my arms.
Your own loving mother, E. Poison
* * * *