| Title: | Maggie Black, of Chicago, to her sister Susan Hall in Ireland. |
|---|---|
| ID | 208 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Black, Maggie/30 |
| Year | 1890 |
| Sender | Black, Maggie (n. Hall) |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Destination | Loughgall, Co. Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Hall, Susan |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | D2041/Bundle 13: From the papers of Thimas Hall, Loughgall, County Armagh, Solicitor; purchased from J. A. Gamble, Esquire, 44 Taun Avenue, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9310469 |
| Date | 25/06/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C.R., 15:10:1993. |
| Word Count | 1041 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 342 Winchester Av [Avenue?] [Chicago?] 25th June 90 [1890?] My dear Susan I believe it is your turn now, but I am not going to promise you a very long letter as the heat is something dreadful these days and consequently I am not in the best of order for writing. The past week it has been so hot I can do with very little extra clothing. I can assure you the pespiration [perspiration?] never never dries on me & for all that I am fatter than when I left home, the children feel it greatly too. It appears it is warmer this season than it has been for two or three years. I suppose you will get used to it "like the man & the hanging!!" I had a letter from Mrs. Patterson & two papers from George Lawson on Saturday & a letter from Mrs. S. Wilson to-day. Tom had a letter from Jack Stevenson too. Mrs. Wilson told me Sam has got an appointment on the Commission [the Land Commission?] & that his father has resigned. Dada should try for the next appointments, are they not made about August? He could only fail at the worst & it would be worth an effort - but of course he knows best. The children are gone to a surprise party to-night. The [They?] all assembled in this house (about 20) & then marched to the house for whom it has been got up. It is such a funny proceeding. Every one seems to enjoy it very much. About a week ago, they asked me if they might all meet here, so of course I said yes. You would be surprised how many friends the youngsters have already. They don't fret much at any rate. We had a visit from Willie Sloane & Miss Burke on Sunday last they spent from about 2 o'clock till [until?] 7. Miss Burke gave us a very pressing invitation for Thursday. However we thought it better not to go for a week or two yet. It is fully 8 miles from where we live & so many of us travelling at once (she wants us all to go) costs a good deal, as we must take the train to it & we do not want to spend a cent we can possibly avoid. When our dollars become more numerous we shall be able to go about more I guess!! We spend such pleasant Sundays. We cook our dinner partly on Saturday evg [evening?] & can all go to church which begins at half-past 10 o'clock. We remain for S.S.[Sabbath School?] & are home about half-past 1 o'cl [o'clock?] then have dinner & generally go for a walk, if not too hot. Tea about 5 oc [o'clock?] & spend the time in various ways until #PAGE 2 half-past 7 o'c [o'clock?] when we start for church again. We can walk to it in 15 minutes. We are home again about 9. This is the way we have spent most of the Sundays since we came! There are a great many non church goers in the city, however, too many spend the day in driving "baseball" & other questionable ways. Still on the other hand there are many earnest christians. Most of the stores are open, druggists, saloons etc etc. Street cars are constantly running (they do not call them tramcars here) you will get the length of the city for 5 cents & you pay that even if you only go to the next block. Lytle was speaking to the gentleman about Tom this morning & he says he will have an opening for him either on the 1st or 10th July so I hope he will soon be earning some money he seems anxious to be doing something. "Barnum's Show" came to the city yesterday morning & you may be sure Tom was not far away when it arrived altho' [although?] it is three miles down to where it is. He saw the procession & spent most of the day in the locality. He goes about exploring nearly constantly & knows a good deal about the ways of things. I do not think it so strange as I imagined I should. I would be quite happy if you folk were nearer me, & I should forget altogether that I was in America, indeed I can scarcely realize I am sometimes! I am living in hope that some of you will take a notion & come over here, would not that be grand!!! By the time this reaches you I suppose Jessie & Florrie [Hall?] will be home. They will be in time for the strawberries! You never saw such miserable wee gooseberries as they have got here, just for all the world like what used to grow at the end of Lukes path at the bottom of Eden Hall hill!!! and 8 cents a quart. There are plenty of raspberries, blackberries, cherries & peaches plums & everything you could fancy. Melons & tomatos [tomatoes?] are in too. Such quantities of things are used! This hot weather people want something cool. I daresay when this reaches you Miss Darbyshire will be with you. If so, give her my kindest regards, & I hope she will enjoy her visit to "ould Ireland". The young Andersons are awfully hard on the "Irish" they have no patience with us, when their Father & Mother & we are talking over matters that are dear & familiar to us sometimes they'll rise & leave the room, it's amusing!! Lytle wishes me to say that "he thinks I treat him very badly" but I'm sure you won't bilieve [believe?] his story. I'm better to him than he deserves!!! I'm afraid if #PAGE 3 this hot weather continues I'll be melted away! really it is hard on me. I must bring this to an end or else have to pay extra & I cannot afford it. I had to pay 20 cents on Mrs. Wilson's to me & the one Tom got from Jack Stevenson. I got none from home this week. Don't get lazy!! With our united & best love to all, hoping all are in good health (we are all in splendid health notwithstanding the heat) I am dear Susan Your fond sister Maggie |
