Saturday, May 30, 1914
Dear Diary, I am sorry for ruining your paper with my tears. A big steamship called the Empress of Ireland is now at the bottom of the sea. One thousand people have drowned. Everyone at school is talking about it. This wasn’t the steamer we waved to yesterday, but one that left from the Port of Quebec.
To think that just a month ago, we were on a ship in the exact same place where the Empress of Ireland sank. I feel dreadful about those people who drowned, but Dear Diary, please don’t think badly of me if I confide to you that I am grateful it wasn’t our ship.
Later
Stefan needed help selling an extra edition of the newspaper because everyone wanted to read about the Empress of Ireland. He gave me a stack of them and asked if I would sell them at the other end of the block. When I was done, he gave me a penny.
I am saving my penny. Maybe I’ll use it to light a candle for the poor souls who sank with the Empress of Ireland.
June 1914
Monday, June 1, 1914
Dear Diary, there is a sale on ribbons at the dry goods store. For my penny, I could get a beautiful blue ribbon that is one inch wide and long enough to go around my hair and tie in a bow.
Later
I can’t buy the ribbon. I would feel guilty every time I wore it. How I wish I had no conscience!
Wednesday, June 3, 1914
The cold weather suits my mood. I am sad, Dear Diary. Natalka Tkachuk is no longer at school. Had she just been able to stay a couple more weeks she would have finished her year.
I had thought Natalka was stupid, but she is just tired. Her mother works the evening shift in a clothing factory, so it is up to Natalka to mind her brother and sister in the evening. Mary told me that she also does the cooking and the housework. Mrs. Tkachuk broke her arm at the factory on Friday. Natalka’s father must find enough money to pay the doctor, plus of course Mrs. Tkachuk can no longer work. Her boss offered to let Natalka take her place. She won’t be paid as much as her mother because she needs to be trained, but at least there will be some money coming in. Poor Natalka. Poor Mrs. Tkachuk!
I hope God doesn’t mind, but after school, I walked with Mary to Natalka’s house and I gave her my penny. I shall say a prayer for the dead souls on the Empress of Ireland, but I cannot buy them their candle.
I asked Tato what would happen if he got injured. He told me that he has insurance with the Ukrainian Sick Benefit Society and not to worry.
I asked him why Mrs. Tkachuk didn’t have Sick Benefits and he says that it costs a dollar a month to join so mostly just men join, because it is expensive and their jobs are more dangerous.
What if Mama gets injured?
I must remind her to be careful.
Monday, June 8, 1914, after school
Dear Diary, I feel bad that I haven’t written more, but there isn’t much to write. Each day seems like the last. I still haven’t heard from Halyna. I wonder if she misses me?
— I miss the cool sweet evening breezes of Horoshova.
— I miss our cow and chickens.
— I miss my old school and my classmates.
— Sometimes I even miss Bohdan!
Thursday June 11, 1914, late
The girls in my class here are nice and so is Maureen, but why do the others have to be so mean? I am still studying every day and I want to do well, but it is hard to concentrate when it is so hot out.
With Natalka working, it has made me think of what I might do to help my family. Everything is expensive here and I hear Mama and Tato whispering about money when they think everyone is asleep. There are so many things to pay for — food, water, fuel, rent, insurance, clothing, trolley fare for Mama. In Horoshova, we grew our own vegetables and we got eggs from our own chickens and milk and butter from our cow, and of course there was no trolley. I had no idea it would cost so much to live in Canada. Eggs are 14¢ a dozen. Can you imagine? I shall ask Stefan and Mary if they have any ideas where I might find work. Maureen might also know.
We are lucky because Baba bakes our bread. A single loaf costs 5¢ in the store, so I don’t know how people manage who don’t bake their own. Our barrel of flour will cost $3.00 to replace when it is empty, and that is half a week’s salary for Mama.
Thank goodness for the milk depot.
Baba is experimenting with beans. The taste is not bad, but Mykola now passes gas all night and this is awful, seeing as we share a bed! This is one reason I would like to sleep on the roof.
Monday, June 15, 1914
Dear Diary, I am so happy! We had our exams today and I think I did fine. I am glad that I studied so much, but I am even gladder that they are over with.
Friday, June 19, 1914
Baba’s left knee has swollen up. I think it is because we had more rain today than we’ve had since we’ve come to Canada. She says it doesn’t bother her, but I know better. Mama has run out of her herb supply, so she cannot make a poultice.
It is too much for Baba to be carrying groceries up all these steps every day. I told her that I could go to the market by myself because I am old enough. She still needs to get down the stairs to the outhouse, but I can’t help her with that.
Saturday, June 20, 1914, morning
What a lovely day! Cool and pleasant with just a few sprinkles of rain. We got up bright and early and I took Mykola with me to the wooded area around St. Gabriel’s House and we picked wildflowers. I am sure that I have feverfew.
Later
Mama has made a feverfew poultice for Baba’s knee. If only she didn’t have to walk up and down the stairs.
Even later
Mama has decided that Baba is not to walk up and down the stairs until her knee is better. Baba is not unhappy about this. I have noticed that since we came here, she does not like to go out of the house. I think she is afraid of all the new sights and sounds.
Baba is using the chamber pot for you-know-what and guess whose job it is to empty it? I am happy to do it, but it is embarrassing. What if I run into Stefan? That would be more humiliation than I could stand.
Monday, June 22, 1914, bedtime
I have been going to the market every day since Friday and I really do enjoy it. French-speaking farmers come in from the country and lay out their fruits and vegetables and other things in the backs of their wagons. Seeing these farmers with their suntanned faces reminds me of the old country.
Tuesday, June 23, 1914
last day of school
Miss Boyko had us come to school early and we all walked over together to church. There was a special Mass because tomorrow is the namesday of John the Baptist. The church was filled to overflowing and there were more than the usual number of hymns.
When we got back to school, Miss Boyko handed out our report cards. Each was bound in ivory-coloured cardboard and held together with a lovely red ribbon, which I plan on using for my hair. Not only did I pass my level-one English, but I got a B! Miss Boyko even put a silver star on my report card. She wrote that it is for “diligence.” I thanked her and didn’t let on that I don’t know what diligence is. Mary told me later that it means “working all the time to get better.” Mary got the top marks in the class and she got a gold star, which Mrs. Boyko says is for “excellence.” Mary says that means she’s really smart.