to sleep at Auntys till about half past nine and then went up to Huby's and waited for Marj. who came away from the shower early and we got home about half past ten. Tom Butler was in at noon and expressed his intention of going down and "beating the can off that amateur poet" meaning Wilson Macdonald because he imagined he had said some thing of an insulting nature about the Prince of Wales in order to make an impression on Zeitha. In reality all he said was that when the Prince was in Montreal he had seen McDonald do some of his conjuring tricks and was more taken with them than {illegible}

Friday January 21st

It has still been very mild all day and is barely freezing to-night but it has been cloudy & foggy and rained quite heavy showers several times. Wilbur came over this morning and killed the pigs and made a very good job of it which is quite natural as his "heart is in his work". Dad was watching the glint of satisfaction in his eye when he tried the hair and found he had made a good scald and the fond way in which he rubbed off the feet and legs, and said "Wilbur, I believe you like to butcher." Wilbur smiled in a good natured way and said candidly "Yes, I do." He & Frank did the actual killing, shooting them before sticking them. I don't think Wilbur imbibed of the blood, but so taken up is he with his art that he often does hold his cupped hands under the blood stream as it runs warm and gurgling out of a stuck beef or pig and then drink it down adding to the delight of it by getting as much as possible on his face. It was a nice pair of pigs one of them the sow being the nicest one so Dad. thought, that we have ever killed. We didn't do much this morning after noon but husk corn and do chores. To-night Marj. and I had an evening at home and to celebrate it we built a fire in the grate and I read Pickwick Papers out loud and slept at intervals and Marj. sewed at her mat, and then before we went to bed it was such a beautiful mild moon-light night we went for a walk down to the boat house.

Saturday January 22nd

I felt pretty tough all day to-day, my cold and sore throat made me feel rather miserable. I went over to the farm this morning and Frank and I loaded Billy Mills chopping box on the old waggon and took it home as he was over yesterday after it. We went on down town and got half a ton of soft coal Charlie & Art Quanbury went through just before