DIARY OF JOHN WILLIAM

PRIL Ist: Arrived in Vancouver this morning. It is a

fine city. Looked at the pictures in the store windows.

One picture cost fifty dollars, and it was only half the size
of the picture I painted of Lily, our best cow. I am still determined
to be an artist.
April 2nd: Asked my landlady this morning if she knew where
the Art School was. She said she had never heard of it. She asked
me why I had come to Vancouver. I told her I wanted to be a
painter. She said that it was a good ‘“‘trade.”” I don’t think she
understands, for she said further that she would buy some paint
and I could practise on the front fence. She seems a very determined
woman.
April 8th: Finished the fence all round, and the verandah, and the
kitchen.
April 9th: I have had a hard day. I went out early this morning
to look for the Art School. Folks must know I’m from the country,
for when I asked one man the way, he said: ““There’s the school
at the end of that block,’’ and I knew right away he was fooling
me. It was a bank or something like that. There was a gun on
each side of the door. I thought I’d make sure, so asked a boy that
was passing, and he mumbled something about School Board offices.
I had a wild hope that I might get the truth from a lady, so I stop-
ped the first one that came along; but she said: “If you speak to me
again, young man, I'll call the police.’
April 10th: Walked around for a long time, but haven’t found the
place yet. Went back to my room. Heard my landlady ordering
more paint over the telephone; so went to bed.

April 11th: Had another hard and disappointing day. Walked
and walked, and then came to a fine building—all marble pillars
and things like that; and grass and flowers and cement sidewalks
right up to the front door. Went in and asked if it was the Art
School; and they said ‘‘No, but while there’s life there’s hope,” and
everybody laughed and laughed, and then they told me it was the
Union Station and that I needn’t try next door either, as that was
the Canadian Northern. . hace

April 14th: I am getting kind of discouraged. I’ve been. to the
General Hospital, and the new B. C..Electric Building, and the
Bank of Commerce, and the Grace Hospital, and the Court House,
and the Hotel Georgia, and the bath-house at English Bay. A man
in a candy store told me that was where Vancouver people went to
study art, but I guess he was wrong.

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