WW II Letters: October 15, 1944 in Quebec

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Mr_ Skeffington (1944) theatrical trailer

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WW II Letters: October 15, 1944 in Quebec

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This letter was written during WWII by my grandmother to my grandfather Pat's sister, Mary.  It was typewritten on legal-sized paper, with some rushed hand-written notes at the end - it's extremely long so I'm going to post it in two installments.

My grandparents were married in July of 1944.  My grandmother Marion still lived in New Jersey when she ventured up to Quebec to visit my grandfather, her husband of just a few months.  There's lots of amazing descriptions of their trip, and the part where she talks about my grandfather washing her hair and making it stick up at all angles raised a laugh or two out of me.

"Dear Mary,

I've been intending to write to you for some time, but since arriving home I've been very busy or so it seems to me anyway.

I told you I would try to tell you something about our stay in Quebec so here goes.

As you know I was down at the shore when Pat's telegrams arrived saying he had managed to get a room for us.  I was so excited I didn't know whether I was coming or going.  I came up from the shore on Tuesday morning with Dad and he want back the same day.  That left me all by myself, so my girl-friend came up and stayed with me until I left for Quebec.  Such a time we had.  With two days to pack and working all day I surely did buzz around in the evenings getting things together.  Finally I got everything packed into two suitcases and on Thursday morning, September 8th, off I started.  I worked all day and as my train did not leave until 6:30 PM I had time for dinner in the station.  Two friends of mine, Ellen and Nancy, had dinner with me and saw that I got off alright.  By this time I was just about a nervous wreck, looking to see that I had my ticket, all my necessary papers for the Immigration Officers, etc.  And at the same time wondering what I would do if I missed the connection in Montreal.  The train pulled in on time and away I went.  I got a seat and a young WAVE sat next to me as far as Hartford, Conn.; from there on I had a seat by myself and was able to curl up and get some sleep.  We pulled into Montreal three minutes ahead of time so that gave me time to get a taxi and go on to Windsor Station for the train to Quebec.  Pat met me at the train and it was certainly good to see him.  He looks well too.

We had breakfast in the station and then took a taxi to 139 Grande Allee.  Our room wasn't ready and we had to wait until nearly four o'clock for it.  We went to the Chateau Coffee Shop for dinner that evening and the next morning when we walked by it had been completely taken over and telegraph lines and typewriters for the reporters set up in it.

Pat had Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday off.  Saturday we browzed around the city for awhile and in the evening we went to see "Mr. Skeffington."  It was raining slightly and it was opeing night for the picture and was quite crowded due to the Army and Navy men and others of the staff for the Conference.  We waited for at least an hour in line and when we got to the box office window they wouldn't let any more in until some people came out.  Once in there it was quite warm and Pat soon fell asleep.  What he did see of the picture he thought was silly so we stayed about 40 minutes.

Sunday morning we went to the Basilica, which is a very old and beautiful Church.  We had breakfast afterwards and then we went for a long walk.  We walked over to Montmorency Park (I think that's the name of it), up along the Ramparts, down past Laval University and then down to the Lower Town.  When we passed near the Canadian Pacific Office we met Leo Haberlin and he told us where Sous le Cap Street was.  We walked up to see it and it very narrow and not to clean.  Some little boys ran up to us chattering French like magpies.  We took for granted that they were asking for money because when I had come up from Montreal on the train the lady next to me said she lived in Quebec and told me that if I went down to Sous le Cap  not to go without an escort and that the children would ask me for pennies.  We didn't linger long there and then started for a long walk up the St. Lawrence River.  We must have walked for miles.  I never saw so many tiny children in my life and it seemed strange to me to see so many people leaning out of windows instead of coming and sitting on the front porch or steps.  After walking for quite some time we came to the 365 steps which Leo had told us about and which seemed to be the only means of getting back to the Upper Town at that point.  We began to climb and I had my suit and coat on.  After walking up the steps I took my coat off and before I had reached the top took the jacket to my suit off.  It was a long climb and you can be sure that yours truly stopped to rest every so often.  When we did reach the top there were two roads to take and we weren't sure of either.  We finally decided

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on one and there was an Army guard a few feet away.  We asked him if we could use the road and he directed us.  We started to walk again and the road he told us to take led past barracks.  I said to Pat I thought it was strange they should direct us thru there and that it looked like a small Army camp to me.  We were almost thru when we were stopped by another guard and after explaining to him he let us continue and we came out in front of the drill hall, about a block from where we were staying.

During the week Pat had to go down to the ship.  he usually left about 8 and was back by four.  i slept late and then had a walk down town for my breakfast and lunch combined.  Sometimes I went window shopping and sometimes I would sit on Dufferin Terrace a while.  Then I would go back to our room and wait for Pat.  I either read or wrote letters and sometimes slept.  When Thursday rolled around my hair was in need of a shampoo so pat did the honors and a good job too.  As I told your Mother we had a good laugh out of it for he had a lot of soap on my hair and then would make it stick out at all angles.

When the second Saturday rolled around we walked up to the Plains of Abraham and spent a good bit of time there.  In the afternoon we went and had our photographs taken.  We took some colored pictures but I haven't got them back yet and I'm anxious to see how they turned out.  We also walked up along St. Louis Gate.  There is a fine view of the city from the wall and the views from Dufferin Terrace and along the Citadel of the St. Lawrence are wonderful.  We had wonderful weather too for nearly the whole time we were there.  I wore my suit or my coat but only had need of both the last few days I was there.

On this Sunday we went to St. Patrick's Church where the sermon was in English.  We went to the 9:30 mass and then afterwards walked down in the center of the town for our breakfast.  It was a beautiful day and we were glad for we had planned a trip to St. Anne's.  We bought a newspaper and a magazine and sat on Dufferin Terrace and read until it was time to go on the trip, which was two o'clock.  There was a guide on the train and he pointed out various points of interest as we rode along.  I think it took nearly an hour to get to St. Anne's.  It is a small village and seems to center mostly around the Basilica which is very pretty.  One of the Brothers took our group on a tour when we arrived.  We went into the tiny Chapel where the original church stood many years ago and from there to the famous steps.  I had heard about them but the whole place was altogether different from what I had pictured it in my own mind.  From there we went to a tiny store where souveniers were sold and then from there into the Basilica itself.  It is not yet completed and is very beautiful inside.  The ceiling is all done in mosiac work and that is not yet finished either.  We left there at four o'clock and then started back for Montmorency.  We took the elevator to the top where we came out on the grounds of Kent House, a lovely place with a marvelous view.  We had a few remaining color pictures so we took them at St. Anne's and at Montmorency.  We returned to Quebec about six o'clock.  We decided to have our dinner before going back to our room.  We did and then went back to our room tired but happy after a very pleasant day.

On Monday, I went down to the ship with Pat.  He had secured a pass for me.  He has a ncie room on the ship so I stayed there.  We weren't there very long when we were served some tea, all done up very nicely on a tray with a white cloth and napkins.  There were some cookies to go with it and Pat said he didn't get that kind of service when I wasn't there.  At dinner time we were also served our meals in Pat's room.  It was real nice.  One day I was there we had chicken and another day steak.  Oh yes, I forgot to tell you.  The first day I was there after being on the ship for about an hour I began to feel dizzy and half sick.  I couldn't imagine what was wrong and it seemed to me the boat was moving, yet I didn't think that could be when it was in drydock.  I asked Pat if it were moving and he said no (guess he thought that was silly to ask).  Finally I got up to walk and discovered the floor (Pat says it should be called a "deck") was uneven and that's what did it.  (I remember going into a fun-house one time at the shore and there was a room in it in which the floor slanted and did it make me feel sick!  I couldn't get out of there quick enough).  I went down to the ship with Pat several times after that but saw to it that I stayed on the side where the deck was most level.  Can't you just see what a good sailor I'd make.  I'd probably spend a whole voyage at the rail."

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Read pages 3 and 4 here on NowPublic.