Codex Lethbridge
Transcription: 68
Transcription:
{[Left page]
1903 [written in the top right corner]
It is Sunday… the 5th after Easter, the 17th day of the May month May 17 [back/right margin]
and we are visited with a blinding snowstorm. Only half a dozen people ventured through the blissard [sic] to the first mass.
At High Mass there were not a hundred persons present. The storm rages more and more; there is over six inches of snow, and snowBanks three, Four, feet deep. a little child was to be burried [sic] this afternoon, but the weather is too bad.
The snow still covers the ground… it freeses [sic] hard every night … no fruit this 23 [back/right margin]
year… our little apple Trees were blooming for the first time…
To day after High Mass, when the people of N°3 just reached their 24 [back/right margin]
homes, a covered wagon was seen approaching the village… and came and stopped in front of Mrs. Jos. Garricks house … She, with her youngest children was living in the Stafford village, while her husband since about Two years had taken a homestead Ranche [sic], on Chin Coulee some 30 miles east of Lethbridge… This man had been here about Three weeks ago and returning to the Ranche [sic] had taken with him his Two oldest boys, Jos and George.. 13 and 10 years old respectively. The Two boys were out with some sheep and lambs, camped in a tent about a mile from the house. When the storm set in, their tent being blown over, their father, toward evening, went over with the wagon and loaded-up the lambs and a smaller boy and requested Jos and George also to go in the wagon, but these preferred to stay with the sheep till the father would return for them all. Unfortunately the rain changed soon into heavy flakes of snow, a real blinding blissard [sic]… and when the father came to the old camp it was empty… no one there… He shouted … went around and around…went home… out again on a horseback and so the whole night was spent in a desperate search after his sons…. all the next day this continued without success as the storm continued raging also… The Third day a stranger turned up there, asking for shelter and he also aided in the search… Then the oldest boy was found quite near to the house, of course, cold and dead.
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There being no neighbours to send for help and taking the body of the oldest boy home to the mother, and, of course, expecting every moment to find the youngest lad, they continued their search for the whole week and it was only on the next Sunday morning that the body was found through the instinct of a dog, under a snow bank…
At once the poor father, who had not slept, scarcely eat or drank for this whole week, started out, with his covered wagon, for home, in Lethbridge --- arriving there just after High Mass.
Who could describe the scene that followed there at that house !!! May the Almighty console these people… and may the souls of the young lads rest in peace. Amen!!!
25 [front/left margin] They were buried here the following day in the same grave. R. I. P.
31 [front/left margin] Pentecost… and First communion of 19 of our children to day. It was a most beautiful ceremony. The church was filled to the utmost and the children showed by their great piety and modesty that they were well Knowing Who came to Them. All this took place at the High Mass, at 11 O.C. and none of the children were at all fatigued. In the evening, they renewed their baptismal vows … were consecrated to the Sacred Heart… To the Bl. Virgin and received the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel. This was one of the happiest days of my life… and yet I was limping with my old rheumatism.
This attack of Rheu [sic] – was caused by a long walk – some Four, Five miles, Two days previous, when called out in the middle of the night to administer the last Sacraments to a young lad, Jos. Kovateh, sick with Pseumonia [sic]. I made him do his First Communion the next day. All this tired me out, very much, as I was much occupied with our children, then in retreat, for their First Communion.
The Boy : Kovate, is better to day.
The weather is very hot now..
June 1 [front/left margin] a case of mild scarlet Fever at the Convent... Carrey Hughs [underlined] of Montana
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1903 [written in the top right corner]
It is Sunday… the 5th after Easter, the 17th day of the May month May 17 [back/right margin]
and we are visited with a blinding snowstorm. Only half a dozen people ventured through the blissard [sic] to the first mass.
At High Mass there were not a hundred persons present. The storm rages more and more; there is over six inches of snow, and snowBanks three, Four, feet deep. a little child was to be burried [sic] this afternoon, but the weather is too bad.
The snow still covers the ground… it freeses [sic] hard every night … no fruit this 23 [back/right margin]
year… our little apple Trees were blooming for the first time…
To day after High Mass, when the people of N°3 just reached their 24 [back/right margin]
homes, a covered wagon was seen approaching the village… and came and stopped in front of Mrs. Jos. Garricks house … She, with her youngest children was living in the Stafford village, while her husband since about Two years had taken a homestead Ranche [sic], on Chin Coulee some 30 miles east of Lethbridge… This man had been here about Three weeks ago and returning to the Ranche [sic] had taken with him his Two oldest boys, Jos and George.. 13 and 10 years old respectively. The Two boys were out with some sheep and lambs, camped in a tent about a mile from the house. When the storm set in, their tent being blown over, their father, toward evening, went over with the wagon and loaded-up the lambs and a smaller boy and requested Jos and George also to go in the wagon, but these preferred to stay with the sheep till the father would return for them all. Unfortunately the rain changed soon into heavy flakes of snow, a real blinding blissard [sic]… and when the father came to the old camp it was empty… no one there… He shouted … went around and around…went home… out again on a horseback and so the whole night was spent in a desperate search after his sons…. all the next day this continued without success as the storm continued raging also… The Third day a stranger turned up there, asking for shelter and he also aided in the search… Then the oldest boy was found quite near to the house, of course, cold and dead.
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[Right page]
There being no neighbours to send for help and taking the body of the oldest boy home to the mother, and, of course, expecting every moment to find the youngest lad, they continued their search for the whole week and it was only on the next Sunday morning that the body was found through the instinct of a dog, under a snow bank…
At once the poor father, who had not slept, scarcely eat or drank for this whole week, started out, with his covered wagon, for home, in Lethbridge --- arriving there just after High Mass.
Who could describe the scene that followed there at that house !!! May the Almighty console these people… and may the souls of the young lads rest in peace. Amen!!!
25 [front/left margin] They were buried here the following day in the same grave. R. I. P.
31 [front/left margin] Pentecost… and First communion of 19 of our children to day. It was a most beautiful ceremony. The church was filled to the utmost and the children showed by their great piety and modesty that they were well Knowing Who came to Them. All this took place at the High Mass, at 11 O.C. and none of the children were at all fatigued. In the evening, they renewed their baptismal vows … were consecrated to the Sacred Heart… To the Bl. Virgin and received the Holy Scapular of Mount Carmel. This was one of the happiest days of my life… and yet I was limping with my old rheumatism.
This attack of Rheu [sic] – was caused by a long walk – some Four, Five miles, Two days previous, when called out in the middle of the night to administer the last Sacraments to a young lad, Jos. Kovateh, sick with Pseumonia [sic]. I made him do his First Communion the next day. All this tired me out, very much, as I was much occupied with our children, then in retreat, for their First Communion.
The Boy : Kovate, is better to day.
The weather is very hot now..
June 1 [front/left margin] a case of mild scarlet Fever at the Convent... Carrey Hughs [underlined] of Montana
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