No. 5 -- 18 June 1931

Mr. N. A. Hughes,
Passenger, R.M.S. "Niagara",
C/o Young Men's Christian Association,
Cambie Street,
VANCOUVER. B.C. Canada.

My dear Noel,

Here is another letter sent ahead of you , so that it might be awaiting you on arrival.

I need hardly say how anxious I am that you should watch your expenditures, especially when you take the train journey across Canada. My experience in my two crossings, indicates that you will be badgered by attendants on the train, to buy  postcards, books, fruit, spectacles and all kinds of things which they have for sale. Be adamant in your refusal of the things which you do not want and make it unmistakably clear that you do not want them, or you will have the life worried out of you.

The Banff train station as Noel might have seen it
on his journey through Canada
on the Canadian Pacific Rail in 1931.
Courtesy of Lictio via Flickr

The Pullman attendants are generally decent enough fellows, but naturally they live on the tips which they receive from tourists. Keep your tipping within reason. This will also apply to the hotels you stop at at Lake Louise and Banff. Most of these hotel employees are students from the Universities and Colleges who are earning money over their College Vacation and they naturally expect some degree of help for attention they give, but in many cases very little attention is expected and given and consequently you must be very wise and judicious in what is done by you in the tipping line.

Always ask the price of the room at the hotel before you engage it. Tell them flatly that you want a cheap room. Then remember that you may find in most of the hotels a considerable section of people who live on the tourists. All kinds of confidence tricks are worked. You will discover how may friends there are who want to make your acquaintance because they imagine if you are travelling you have money to burn.

Watch the pretty girl who drops her handbag, or her handkerchief, or otherwise attracts your attention. There are scores of them who are doing the rounds at the tourists resorts, who are of no class. They are generally attractively dressed and have any amount of self possession and poise. They are looking for "suckers", especially the chaps who come from Australia with plenty of money!

I hope you will have a thoroughly happy time as you cross the Great Continent. Don't forget to look up Archie Kirkpatrick at the Winnipeg Y. He is a New Zealander who was at Chicago Y College, and you will find him full of information concerning college life. You should be able to gather a great deal of helpful advice from him when you make contact with him. I have written him telling him of your coming.

Well, Cheerio! Keep a stiff upper lip; face the future with optimism and trust.

What I said in my earlier letters I repeat -- the effectiveness of your future work will be largely dependent upon the sense of comradeship you cultivate with Christ. I know of no other incentive to successful service that is not based upon devotion to Him and His cause.

Again, our hearts follow you on your journeyings.

With love from us all,

Dad

See related posts: Crossing Canada on the CPR