116.
1927:
Rapid City, Man. March 30,
1927
Dear A.L.P.,
Thanks for the text of "Lost". That is a task, though, which
gives me the fever. I have not written in any language but
English for more than 30 years.
I have dropped the earnest Ernest a line. He's a good boy
who won't disappoint me.
You speak of Ottawa . I'm not so sure that I want to go.
I'm so sure that I want to renew my membership in the C.A.A.
If I can drive a car by summer, I think we'll go east. We
may arrange to take Ernest B. along; for I shall surely not
have the strength to do the chores around a camp. We'd leave
here on June 18. But I'd want to linger by the way and see
the Atlantic , to gaze across and seek my home-land with
my soul.
But the convention? What for? There's nothing to be had
there. The Elsons and Deacons and Daltons and Winlows bore
me to death. Vancouver has left me nothing but the impression
of a ghastly void.
Spring in the air; the snow is melting; and my limbs ache
for the road. But I can't go. Twenty minutes outside completely
exhaust me. Mrs. G. is applying for an exchange position
in New Zealand . That would give me another to chance to
hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn. She, too, says, life
is becoming dreary. The other night she said, "Yes, if there
were some great, absolute change ahead, life would seem once
more worth while." So I proposed to go to Europe for a year.
But the trouble is we've got to go where she can make a living,
I being crippled. Otherwise I'd pull up my stakes pretty
soon. I'm tired of failure. This business about the Search
drags on and on. The book is only half set up, and April's
here. If the book isn't out by May 1 st , I believe, I'll
stop it. What's the use of throwing it on the market when
people are thinking of their summer holidays? However, it
seems to be my fate to be thwarted by incompetence. I don't
any longer believe one word of any promise Miller makes.
On the other hand, what does it matter?
By the way, I invested $10 in postage, offering my Tribune
stuff to other papers - in eat and west. All February & March
contributions went to six papers; apart from the Toronto
Star & the Calgary Herald, I changed the list every time.
There was no acceptance in the lot. Does not that prove something?
The only thing I've gained is that I know a great many new
wrinkles in rejection slips. The Tribune, too, is all the
time trying to tell me what & how I should write.
But joy! Spring is coming. Mrs. G. & myself shall be
in W'peg on April 15. [?]
How's Mrs. P.? How's Ann? How is A.L.P.?
Yours,
F.P.G.
