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Jack and Polly Meet
When Polly was eighteen, she went to work for Grossart Drapers in Carluke. John Wilson was already hired as a draper. Polly admired how slim and handsome John was. John gravitated towards Polly because of her sunny disposition. A year after they met they began to court and fell in love. -
Jack and Polly Get Married
In the Slamannan parish church. -
Jack Wilson Sails To Canada
Jack was stealing money from his brother-in-law, Jim Hutchison. Jack was stealing this money to prevent his own brother, Alex Wilson, from going bankrupt. He was caught in the scandal and the greenhouse business that Jack and Jim were partners in went bankrupt. The Wilson family reputation turned sour and the boys were not welcome in many places. The townspeople also discovered that Alex was stealing money from an old friend of his father's. The two men were ashamed and Jack fled to Canada. -
Jack Wilson Resides In Saskatoon
Saskatoon had a reputation of being the fastest growing city in the world and Jack Wilson was ready to plant roots and create a life in the city. Jack was first hired to build a bridge above the South Saskatchewan River. Every Sunday, Jack wrote to Polly and also dutifully sent home a large amount of money. -
Hutchison Family Prepares For Elizabeth's Wedding
Polly bought white silk thread, seam binding, Ensign tea, and lamb for the celebration. While preparing for the wedding, Polly Wilson had her second child, Helen. Deep down Polly was hoping that the birth of their child would convince Jack to sail home, but he stayed in Canada. -
Jack Wilson Moves To Prince Albert
Jack had experienced his first prairie winter. He had been laid off his bridge-building job in spring and quickly found work as a gardener. In the fall Jack decided to move to Prince Albert because of falling wages and high housing costs in Saskatoon. Jack had begun to plant tomatoes for a living but in July 1914, a storm had crushed his entire crop. Once again, Jack had to restart. Jack also starts working as a RNWMP member during August. -
Jack Meets The Pattersons
John Wilson was stationed in Blaine Lake, working for the RNWMP. In 2015, John and Allison Patterson arrived. They were farmers with four children: Mac, James, Jessie, and Kate. John Patterson purchased the livery stable owned by R.B. (Byron) Horner. The Pattersons' house was next door to the barn where Jack Wilson stabled his horse. -
Jack Wilson Meets Jessie Patterson
John Patterson, Jessie's dad decided to invite Jack for supper in the summer of 1916. Jessie was a sixteen-year-old and was very beautiful for her age, Jack was immediately drawn to her. Gradually, John Wilson began gravitating towards their house any time he had a spare moment. An extra place was often set at their table because of how frequent his visits were becoming. -
Jack Wilson Lies To The Pattersons For The First Time
On a warm summer day in 1917, Patterson approached Jack to ask have a serious chat. Patterson had heard rumours that Jack was a married man and was concerned because Jack and his daughter Jessie had become quite close. Jack lied, "No, they're not true. I was married, but my wife died after I left the old country." Jack told Patterson that Polly had been dead for three years. Patterson confessed that Jessie is gaining strong feelings for Jack and made sure Jack was going to committed. -
Jack and Polly's 10th Wedding Anniversary
"December 31, 1917. Another Hogmanay. And tomorrow their tenth wedding anniversary. The sixth Hogmanay Jack has missed. The fifth anniversary." (34). Polly had not heard from Jack for months and feared for his life and safety. Polly announced to her family that she is travelling to Canada in search of Jack and asked if her family would care for her two bairns. -
Jack Writes Fake Letters to Jessie
Jack impersonates his sister Mary and a friend, Mr. Haxwell. The letter from Mary implies that she has a short life left but loved Jack with all her heart and praises him even on her death bed. The letter from Mr. Haxwell explained that Mary died a short two hours after writing her response letter. His letter also mentions how humble Jack's parents were and that Jack was their favourite boy. Also, he adds how horrible Jack's marriage was and how he deserved better than Polly. -
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Polly Sails The North Atlantic Ocean
"The Mauretania docked at Halifax harbour at 11:28 A.M., April, 12, 1918. The medical examination was short. The examiners were most interested in anyone showing signs of the dreaded eye disease trachoma. From there Polly passed through customs and on to the CPR train that would take her west." (45). Sailing the North Atlantic in April is a cold and dangerous sail that Polly endured to find her husband, Jack Wilson. Leaving her two bairns at home was not easy but Polly was determined. -
Polly Gets A Hold Of Jack Wilson
Polly had just gotten off of the train in Regina and called the RNWMP headquarters to begin her search for Jack. the Constable forwarded her to their Prince Albert office. At the exact same time, Jack Wilson had driven to Prince Albert to volunteer for an overseas squadron in the war. When Polly rang the office, Jack Wilson was sitting in the room. "Wilson's knees almost buckled at the familiar Scottish voice in his ear." (47). They made plans to meet in Saskatoon the next day. -
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Polly Notices Their Love Dwindling
As Jack and Polly drove to Saskatoon, Polly was trying to catch up and tell Jack about the bairns but Jack was beyond quiet. While staying in Regina, Polly felt distant from Jack. He was continuing to write to Jessie and made plans for their wedding. Polly found a letter from Jessie to Jack about the arrangement of their wedding. When Polly confronted Jack, he was offended and said that she was invading his privacy. When asked if Jack loved Jessie, he had no response. -
Jack Gets Wrapped Up In His Lies
During his cold drive to Saskatoon, Jack was mostly thinking about Jessie. "He'd told her last night he was going to Regina to look for a job that paid enough for them to get married." (49). Jack did not want Jessie to discover the truth but he also did not want to send Polly home with such a scandal. He bought himself time by bringing Polly to Regina. He could not keep Polly in Saskatoon because he knew people there and did not want anyone finding out about his true love life. -
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Jack and Jessie Plan Their Wedding
Jack and Jessie continue to swap letters planning/postponing their wedding. Jack wrote, "Dearest, you are not looking well... Cannot we tet married now and let me care for you?", "...try and let me have two days together to arrange everything.". Meanwhile, Jessie's mother does not approve of the marriage of her young 19 year old daughter because she is young and Jack is a liar. Mrs. Patterson does not like that Jack cannot prove his divorce papers. -
Polly Moves leaves Regina to be With Jack
Polly believed that Jack had just bought a house for them in Saskatoon. She packed very quickly. "The next morning she withdrew all her money from the bank- three hundred dollar. She would deposit it in Saskatoon till she knew how things were going to turn out. She wondered about Jessie. Did she know about Polly now?" (71). Polly was in the dark about Jack's current marriage plans with Jessie and even more clueless about the shovel Jack had recently bought. -
Jack Keeps Polly in the Dark
As Polly was coming to Saskatoon to meet Jack, she stopped to buy a beautiful corsage to impress Jack. "The corsage looked just right; it added colour to her cheeks." (73). This quote foreshadows that Polly is soon going to lose that colour in her cheeks. At the same time, Jack was buying a marriage license. -
Polly Admires the Beautiful Saskatchewan Scenery
"As Wilson ate his late meal, Polly looked out at the new country she'd seen so little of since her arrival... Sometimes a farmer paused to wave at the train. Polly waved back. The land seemed to go on forever as did the immense blue sky studded with cotton-batting clouds." (75). The author describes the land in great detail to show how full of life Polly was and how she appreciated little details. It makes the reader feel attached and connected to Polly. -
Jack Starts Drinking to Mask His Morals
Jack and Polly were going for a car ride. Polly should have thought it weird to not go to their new house but she was happy spending time with Jack. When they stopped for some groceries, Polly only bought postcards to send to the kids. "Jack did not say much, but as on that trip to Regina, he kept reaching under the seat for a bottle of whiskey, downing several large swallows each time." (77). Polly was enjoying the sights and sounds and smells and bird song (77). -
Car Ride Gets Dark, Black.
First Jack's car gets a flat tire. As Jack changed the tire, Polly took a walk to admire the nature around her. Jack stopped the car to shoot geese overheard. "... Jack put the car robe over her side of the seat, then took his topcoat from the back seat and put it on." (78). Jack did not get back into the car. He went pail and started sweating. "She turned back and looked straight into the shotgun's double barrel, inches from her face." After the explosion, Polly's generous heart stopped. -
Jack Moves On
Jack was not well and puked everywhere. It took two hours to burry his wife and unborn child. After leaving the scene, Jack got into an accident. The car lit on fire and burned down. Nearby residents saw the car and talked with Jack, him not making any sense and telling lies. The men noticed blood and Jack lied saying it was from the geese he had shot. -
Jack and Jessie Get Married
Although Jack never did show his divorce papers to the Pattersons, Jessie was still willing and able to marry him. They got married in a house. It was a short reception. Jessie had absolutely no idea that Polly came to Canada, Jack had two kids back home, or that Jack had recently become a murderer.
