| Title: | Bella M. Smyth, Castledamph to James A Smyth, Ontario. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2571 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/52 |
| Year | 1896 |
| Sender | Smyth, Bella Maggie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farming household |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 0310009 |
| Date | 01/04/1896 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 16:10:2003. |
| Word Count | 845 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Envelope Addressed to:- Mr. James Alex Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario Canada Envelope Postmarked on Front:- [NEWTOWNSTEWART] April 1st [97?] (with unreadable small print) Postmarked on Back of Envelope:- ESSEX ONTARIO April 14th [97?] PLUMBRIDGE April 1st 97 Castledamph April 1st 1896 [97?] Dear Brother I again take the pleasure of writing to you to let you know that we are all well hoping You are enjoying the same. We rec. [received?] papers from you yesterday we saw in last week (sic) that Mr. Allison had his house burned, the insurance money wont pay for much but its better than nothing." I expect you will be surprised when you hear that Archie McClelland has started to America on Friday morning without anyone ever hearing about it unless James Houston Auctioneer he left word with him to Auction all on Tuesday, Wednesday. It appears from what we hear that he had £700 from James Hamilton" and Lizzie has to administer so if he wouldn t pay she told him she would put him in gaol so he was afraid and started without selling anything There was a great auction, piano chairs tables lamps and a new car that he only had got made and all that he had in the shop and pigs cows horses and everything Some say that he has money off a lot of people but no one is sure but he must have been destructive when he started so sudden and has got such a bad name, he is in the ship along with Peter Patr [Patrick?] "Owen" and one of the ["roddy"?] from Glenrone. That McFarlane [ McFarland?] and one of the brothers was at meeting on Sunday. They both is for going to West Australia after some time he never came up here yet, he is to be up in Joseph before he goes, Did you get the Shamrock in time Willie got the roseatte [rosette?] in [Conroys?]. Mr. Conroy is always asking how you are doing and what are you learning for:: We are asked that question pretty often "What are you going to be", but we cannot tell yet we always say that we will know after July, I suppose you have got the money by this time and the Lodge Book" We have had a terrible deal of wet weather this last month there was nothing got done but yesterday and to-day looks pretty well. Tommy and John was [threshing?] this last two days down in Duncans barn they have sold all the straw at 2s per cwt there were 35 cwt on the two stacks and about 140st corn they will have the corn to spare too but it s not sold yet I suppose Willie was telling you about the Songs that s going round here. There is great anger about the last Jamey Gordon is nearly mad and he didn t come in here since he blames Tommy Bob [McKernan?] and James Barker for making it.. and Andy John should seen (sic) Mary Dunbar writing the song and Tommy.. Bob Mc Kernan Dictating it to her in the school but I m afraid they are all mistaken but it s only fun" and they might not been so angry. It s not the first that was made The one on Dunbar s party was as bad I have one verse of it but [its?] not the worst Mr [McCullagh?] and his wife And Mr Houston as well The Rev [Stein?] and his [mistress?] The gathering for to swell The one on Campbell was some thing [like?] this In Bradkeel town There grow a lily Far away among the heather It is charming for to see how it grows in all bad weather It went out one day to ask a party Letterbratt was its first call Next came Eden plumbridge City And I cannot name them all Three of the Gordons were asked Jamie Maggie and Mary Jane but Tilda said that she would go And let Mary Jane nurse the wean The Dinner on the table The guests all seated round Lily began to say the grace With his hat raised from his crown The grace was as follows --- Hold the forks the knives are coming The plates are on the way Fall till and eat this [wether?] Cooked on the Sabbath day Now Sarah Dunbar and Tilda fought but Sarah win the day They threw a cloth on Marshall (sic) head And made him grope his way but As for great big Lizzie She didnt care a bit Whether it was Jamie Gordon Andy Mc Clelland or Little Tommy [too?] The last verse is Farewell to Lily Party And the Sunday at the mote Sure for everyone was there I do not care a grot The end This is not it all but it s pretty near it There is not so much in it to rise so much anger but there was pictures of men and women made along the bottom was worse than the song, and everyone saw them. Sam Dunne got one John Bradley Johnnie Cochrane Charlie Watson and a lot more I think this will do this time please excuse the writing This is all fools day We have fooled father two or three times Good Bye Bella M Smyth Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice Verified by Mohamed Souissy Validated by Lorraine Tennant |
