We live in the age of instant communication. Today, we can pick up a cell phone or power on a computer, and with a few simple keystrokes, connect with people a continent away.
鈥楰eeping in touch鈥� wasn鈥檛 always so easy. For most of the last century, if you wanted to communicate with family and friends 鈥� even those across town 鈥� you did it by mail.
Trygarn Pelham Lyster 鈥淏arney鈥� Mulvany was a prolific letter-writer. He wrote to everyone on topics ranging from the weather to federal politics.
In the 1940s and 鈥�50s, Mulvany corresponded with Roswell Guy Horr, a bachelor who operated the Marilla post office. For nearly a decade, he faithfully wrote Horr at least once a month, and sometimes weekly.
In 1945, Horr sought renewal of his federal mail contract. Mulvany, a member of the Omineca Liberal Association, supported his request.
The tone of his Mulvany鈥檚 letter on the subject was formal. 鈥淒ear Sir,鈥� he wrote in July 1945. 鈥淎 communication from Mr. E.T. Applewhaite (the area鈥檚 Liberal MP) recommends that your mail contract should be extended. Consulting various settlers from your district, it is obvious that you have been rendering a good service. I am writing Mr. Applewhaite in corroboration of his recommendation.鈥�
Horr got his wish, but the Marilla post office contract came up for renewal again in 1949. He bid on it, and Mulvany once more lobbied on his behalf.
Mulvany鈥檚 first references to Applewhaite in 1950 were respectful, but when months passed without resolution of the matter, his impatience grew. He began referring to the MP as 鈥淎ppledust鈥� or 鈥淎pplebox鈥� in his correspondence.
Applewhaite failed to respond. After months of simmering, Mulvany鈥檚 frustrations finally boiled over. 鈥淒ear Ross,鈥� he wrote in May. 鈥淭hat dam Applesauce has made a bull of everything, but I hope he may get things adjusted, but I have had no answer as yet to my letter of the 27th 鈥� hope he writes you.鈥�
Mulvany鈥檚 mood couldn鈥檛 have been helped by the fact that his new typewriter chose this inopportune moment to malfunction.
鈥淢Y TYPEWRITER HAS STUCK HAVE TO FINISH IN CAPS,鈥� he wrote Horr in March 1950. 鈥淢UDDIER THAN A HEN鈥橲 ASS. SNOW GOING FAST. FROSTY NIGHTS. WILL WRITE LATER AS I HAVE A BUNCH OF MAIL TO GET OUT FOR THIS MORNING.鈥�
Mulvany鈥檚 communications with the MP must have reflected this frustration, because (as he told Horr on Sept. 28, 1950) 鈥淎pplebox is in Ottawa. I had two letters from him, both clever, strange to say. Both enquiring kindly about you, and most sarcastically about me. He says he won the strike and expects to win the Korean (War) fiasco. But then he was always modest.鈥�
Horr鈥檚 mail contract was eventually renewed, but the two men stayed in contact. One of their favourite topics of discussion was a mutual acquaintance named William H. 鈥淜entucky Bill鈥� Ingram.
In 1950, Kentucky Bill sold most of his property around Ootsa Lake and went to the US on holiday. He left Mulvany to handle his affairs here, but the job proved more than either man anticipated.
Kentucky Bill contracted pneumonia while south of the border. He had no medical coverage and had no money to settle his debts. His travel visa also expired, making him an illegal alien.
Mulvany, already burdened with other matters, had to sort out the mess.
鈥淚 had letter from Mr. K.C. Ingram (one of Kentucky Bill鈥檚 relatives) and also from the doctor at the Long Beach hospital,鈥� he vented to Horr in a letter dated March 28, 1950, 鈥渁nd just to-day found one in my mail box from Mrs. Milton Miller. There is no doubt that the US authorities will be anxious to deport Bill to Canada as soon as he is able to travel. 鈥� I could send him some money if I thought it would be put to good use, but have had no satisfactory accounting for the $50 I already sent.鈥�
The prognosis did not look good. Much to everyone鈥檚 surprise, though, Kentucky Bill recovered and remained a thorn in Mulvany鈥檚 side.
鈥淗e is a dam [sic] nuisance, as I am busier than hell,鈥� Barney wrote to Horr. 鈥淗ad a heck of time with Kentucky Bill, and hope none of us around here are ever bothered with him again. 鈥hat dam old fraud got too good a deal from everyone, and had no faculty of appreciation.鈥�
When Kentucky Bill stopped being a source of inspiration, Mulvany found other reasons to write Horr. His later letters to the Marilla postmaster were filled with court news and local gossip.
鈥淒ear Ross,鈥� Mulvany wrote in April 1950. 鈥淭hat old trapper (Hicks from Savory) who froze his feet last December had to get his right food off at the ankle three days ago. He sent for me to 鈥榟old his hand鈥� while he went under the ether. I did. And he could swear. The nurses blushed. The doc laughed, and I was dumb in admiration. He is not looking very well. Kinda goofy. His toes looked like par-boiled prunes and stunk like rotten salmon.
鈥淏illy McNeil landed in today and laid a SDC [Small Debts Court] charge against poor old George Luff for seventy-five cents,鈥� Mulvany reported in October of that year. 鈥淗owever, the ruling is that one must accept these cases no matter how small, as the legal view point is that there are a lot of people who try to defraud their creditors of small amounts. I nearly wrote it off the records and would have paid it myself, but do too much of that. So you will see a registered letter to Mr. Luff. Hold it till he comes in and then watch is expression. It may be worthwhile.鈥�
Mulvany loved writing; his letters were seldom less than a page. His pen pal in Marilla, however, didn鈥檛 enjoy the same relationship with the written word. The majority of Horr鈥檚 replies were brief; on several occasions, he saved time and stationery by simply writing his responses in the margins of Barney鈥檚 letters and sending them back by return mail.
Did their friendship stand the test of time? We鈥檒l never know. Mulvany died March 27, 1961. Horr lived until October 1986, but now lies a few rows away from his old friend in the 亚洲天堂 Lake Cemetery.
漏 2020 Michael Riis-Christianson and the Lakes District Museum Society
