| Title: | Eliza Marshall, Belfast to Isabella Allen, Augusta. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1657 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Marshall, Eliza/224 |
| Year | 1839 |
| Sender | Marshall, Eliza |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Augusta, Georgia, USA |
| Recipient | Allen, Isabella |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | D/1558/1/2/40 : Presented by F. D. Campbell Allen Esq, 15 LondonRoad, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex, England. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9805145 |
| Date | 09/01/1839 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:05:98. |
| Word Count | 814 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Belfast, Jany 9 1839 I have just got breakfast despatched and I am likely now to have a quiet hour. I see not what better I can do, than sit down to my desk, by the side of a blazing fire in the parlour, and talk a little while with you, my dear sister and brother. I think I have already given you two stormy epistles and I am afraid this must be one also, in one sense at least, for I have to talk of the most tremendous storm with which we have all been visited. On Sunday night when we had all retired, Rosy and I, to your little room, where we have established ourselves for the winter as being warmer, and cosier, than the large room we were awakened by a tremendous crash, and then another and another, till we fairly sat up in bed forthere was no use lying down, when about half past two, in came mother, with a candle, looking the picture of disway and she gave us, such a terrfic accounts of the storm in front, that up we rose , and in the lobby met father looking if possible more raised, and aburned. We went up stairs, and I asssure you anything equal to the thundering, and rattling, and whizzing through the roof we never heard ; I can liken to nothing but the most awful thunder and bullets over head. My Father, got up one of the heavy weights of the jack, and two sticks, to try to keep the roof down (for about two square feet were completely bared) and he succeeded, for although the storm increased very much afterwards, yet nothing more was stripped, and he and Mother came down to the parlour and sat through the worst, when they ventured to go to bed again. You can imagine poor Mary, she lay trembling and dancing in bed till she could bear it no longer, and up she got, raised Jane. and on the stairs at our room, we met, Mary, with all her bed cloathes [Clothes ?] gathered round her, and Jane lighting her with a lantern, the former looking like a ghost and Jane following trembling, Then look at your two poor little sisters, with their nightcaps on and cloaks, standing condoling with the others, and starting at every rumbling of the roof Really the group was too ludicrous at last for me, and in the midst, I burst out laughing, Ross joined, and we only wanted the great roar to complete the chorus, I assure you would both have been amused, as well as terrified, and Poor Isabel would have given us one of her irresistable laughs. After a while (as our room was comparatively quiet) we thought fit to retire once more, and try to sleep, which we succeeded in doing about five, and did not waken till after nine, We had imagined ourselves had suffered more than anyone else, but we soon learned quite the reverse That Mr Hodgson's house was almost unroofed. Dr Stevensons very much injured, and all the back sections of Mr Blair's houses quite stripped. Mrs Tennant's chimmney falling on Mr Steveleys laboratory, his again on James McAdank's, and so on, Margaret's escaped pretty well. Uncle James was much injured by the falling of Mr Fleuton's chimmney, In fact scarcely a house has escaped. We have not been able to get down street since, for the next day, on came heavy snow, but as we have got a covered car now ,a nice new car, and as the mare has just gone to be rough shod, we hope to see your Mother in Law and shall report of her before I close this. The chimmneys of seven or eight factories have been blown down, and many poor creatures will be out of work for some weeks at least, which is a most lamentable thing at this season. My preoccupation has consisted in reading aloud [___?] as (Rose could not, owing to a cold in the head) housekeeping and mending and making neccessary habiliments Is not this enough ? It is now growing quite dark and as it is nearly post time I shall bid you goodbye for a little while. Your eyes must be strained reading this crossing but as I like to receive a well crossed letter, so do I like to send you the same hoping you will perceive it with as much pleasure, as I do yours I cannot tell you how gladly I drew out the three shillings and tenpence for your last. I know no money which is given away so readily and cheerfully Just to be assured you are both in good health is indeed [___?] conselling May we receive the same assurance in every letter Is the sincere and earnest prayer of your ever affectionate and loving Little Sister Eliza Marshall |
