| Title: | Maggie Black, Chicago, USA to Adela [Hall?], Loughgall, Co Armagh. |
|---|---|
| ID | 213 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Black, Maggie/70 |
| 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, Adela |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | D 2041/13: Purchased from J.A. Gamble Esq., 44 Taunton Ave., Belfast 15. |
| Archive | Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9403031 |
| Date | 23/10/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:03:1994. |
| Word Count | 1207 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To Adela [Hall?] [Eden Cottage?], Loughall [Loughgall?], [County Armagh?], [Ireland?] From: Maggie Black (nee Hall), 342 Winchester Avenue, Chicago, U.S.A. October 23 1890 342 Winchester Ave [Avenue?] 23rd October 90 [1890?] My dear Adela Your nice long letter received yesterday. How many old country papers do you think did we receive by same mail do you think (sic) only seven so we have enough reading for the week at any rate!! I was awfully sorry to hear of poor Mrs Connor's death you cannot imagine how much I felt and do feel about it I wonder what was the cause of her death when you hear let me know. she was such a big strong girl when she lived at Eden Cottage So Tommy Hall is to be married at last. I do hope he will be wise in the future if not I should pity his wife let us hope for the best anyhow. I have often thought of Mary Hall since I came here she is a very foolish girl to remain where she is except it be on Uncle Jerry's account look at Margaret here with 3 dollars a week and a much easier time of it than poor Mary. there is no doubt of it folk have to be up much earlier than at home but then their work is done much earlier & you can go to bed almost as early as you like she has to rise at 5 o'c [o'clock?] where she is now. I was telling her the last evening she was in that I would have had [some?] trouble to get her up at seven in Dungannon. I am up every morning except sabbath at 10 past five & don't seem to mind it very much now. I used to go back to bed & take a "nod" after I got Tom started but since these gentlemen came I do not as they go out to breakfast at 1/2 past 6 & are in again a little after 7 so I just have time to have their rooms settled before they return. they are out from 9 to 12 and from 2 to 4 or 5 (these latter are the hours they are at the College) of course they go to lunch & to dinner. they are nice quiet young men I have had more to since they has to get a fire in their room. we got a stove put up in another room next theirs this evening which we hope will heat most of the house. Lytle and Mr Cameron put it themselves they are not like the stoves used at home are more of an ornamental kind and most of the folk do not allow them go out (sic) all winter night or day. They are cleaner in a room than of fire __ every one seems to be preparing for cold weather and getting things in readiness for Winter. I hope it will be mild. The coal that are (sic) in the stoves here are quite different from any we used at home, they are called hard chestnut coal & are very small & difficult to light but are more lasting. they are 6 1/2 dollars per ton. soft coal, that is the kind used at home are not so expensive about 3 1/2 or 4 dolls [dollars?]. I cannot imagine why they keep up such a heat in the houses, it's no wonder they feel chilly and have to wrap up so when they go out of doors. I was at Mrs Meloys on Friday and I was nearly sick her room was so awfully warm if I can help it _ The homes are so differently furnished here and now that the weather has changed they have got heavy chenille curtains drawn across the doors and windows and they look rather cosy. I confess we have not gone in for any of these extras yet they all mean dollars!! and they are not so plentiful esp [especially?] up to the present. the commonest people here have far more taste for keeping their houses neat than the same class at home and they have more inducement as all these things can be got on time why you can even buy lace curtains & any other quality at so much cents per week!! and in this way many are possessed of nice articles for home decoration, who could not have otherwise. it is a temptation too. Edna is home from school to-day with toothache she has had it a good deal of late. Florries's knee is all right again and Tom is working away as usual. he is as great a favourite here with any who know him as he was at home. I hope he will grow up a good man I think he is taller than his papa now. seems all legs like a young colt!! I had a bad cold for three or four weeks but am better of it. I still got it renewed after wash day but I escaped this week Lytle was threatening to get in a woman to do the washing but that would mean a dollar & a half and her board and [giving] it out would be worse. it's very expensive to get any charwork done here and they are so saucey & so hard to get. I hope I shall be able to continue to do it myself once the the print dresses and white shirts are put past it won't be so heavy __ We are to have a grand concert here in our church on Friday week 31st Mrs Wilson sent me a programme for one in connection with 1st Dungannon it was to be last Tuesday. Mrs Kennedy was to appear will she ever retire from the stage do you think? We shall be very glad to see T. Cherry when he comes this length & hope he will be able to tell us lots of news of you all. None of you mentioned Miss Derbyshire lately. I thought matters would have been one way or other before now. no word of any of you committing matrimony? is it not time? or are you waiting for Americans? If you were once here I think you should like it. I do I know, altho' [although?] I have pretty close work and bad pay. I sometimes threaten to leave if they don't pay me better. Lytle & Tom tell me I get all they earn & what do I do with it. I tell them they only lend it to me for it disappears somehow very quickly!! there is one blessing however if we have but little we have but little we are happy & that's something to be thankful for. Now this is a rambling letter with very little in it but I suppose it's better than none. Has Mamma begun to get her finery ready yet for her trip here? I am often wishing the time were come when I could see some of you it's a pity the fare is so much out here. Florrie did not send her photo yet. they are not very expensive here you can get a [day?] cabinet for a dollar. now I will cease for this week & hope you are well not forgetting Martha. With love to all I am your loving sister Maggie |
