| Title: | Bella M Smyth, Casteldamph to James A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2600 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/94 |
| Year | 1900 |
| 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. |
| Doc. No. | 0604067 |
| Date | 16/08/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 1131 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] [Stamped] Newtownstewart PM 10 - AU -- 00 [Postage Stamp underneath] [Postage?] and Inland Revenue Mr J. A. Smyth Essex Box 234 [Crossed Out] Essex Co, Ontario Canada [Written above address to be inserted?] s-Woodslee [South Woodslee?] [Back of envelope] [Stamped] Essex AU 27 00 ONT [Stamped] Plumbridge A AU 17 00 [Stamped] New York AUG 25 PM 19 00 N.Y. [Stamped] South Woodslee AU 23 00 ONT [Stamped] Paid All [Page 1] Castledamph August 16th 1900 Dear Brother Your letter for Mary to hand to day and I may say we are getting them pretty regular now. Mary wrote to you last week again but she may answer those questions pretty soon. She is getting along very well she has nothing to do with dressmaking but I expect she will do something in the millinery line though she done [sic] nothing yet she attends to the sales as well as possible She can stop at home any day she likes Mrs Nelson is no way stiff on that line. [Page 2] She knows what it is to be home sick and she pitys [pities?] any one that way. We pulled the flax on Friday so Mary came up and stopped till Monday Her and John are both talking about getting bicicles [bicycles?] but Im afraid they will earn the money first So I believe there is nothing like leaving home they have all ways the best times and others working for them, Willie John calls them the gentleman & lady This is the fair day our men are all down & Willie John also, they have about thirty ewes and thirty lambs down. This is usually a good fair for selling so they thought best to take them down I suppose you would not call [sic] to run the hills looking for them now Tommy and William had to go yesterday evg [evening?] after working hard all day at the hay [Page 3] We have very warm weather here since Sunday but it was very wet up till then Everyone is busy at the hay and the corn is commencing to colour. Belle has not come back here yet nor I cant say where she is but we heard that they went to the seaside two weeks ago Im afraid if she doesnt hurry up she will have very little time to stop in this locality She would liked to have been here when we were pulling the flax but she missed that part but she may see the spreading which will be the best Im sure she will like the smell We have twelve young pigs she did not happen to be here when they were young either and we were just as glad. Your letter for her arrived here [Page 4] & two papers we may keep them till she comes there was one from Cassie but we sent it to Donegal but we are not sure where she is now She has not been up to Omagh yet but she said she would go there when she would come back here If she goes up there I hope Aunt will stop in the house and keep steady as she has still a bad habit. Bella and Lizzie was to be home about the twelfth but I cant say whether they came or not She has seen all the others except Annie Lizzie and Joe Joe is twelve months in the Infirmary today This fair he got his leg broke it is a great pity of him up there all this time and I believe no hopes of him getting right better Aunt told Belle that he would soon be home but no word of him yet [Page 5] Monday was the celebration of the relief of Derry there was a great day in Derry and the Douglas band came to Plumbridge in a waggonette it was rumoured that newtown [Newtownstewart?] men were all comming [coming?] but the one band only came The Plum [Plumbridge?] band was out that was all John Charlie [John Charles?] stopped at home & went down he and Mary was all was present the rest of us was busy at hay This band has got very lazy and they have got a bad name as well. Sarah Elkin has reported that Father Tom and Wm [William?] is put out of the Lodge and that the [sic] reason they cant go out, John Hugh Brien went behind in the rent and was going to be ejected and a few men got papers [Page 6] printed to collect money and five or six names signed Father happened to sign his so Sarah says he is expelled for that and she is keeping it no secret either. The Catholics knows it as well as Protestants. I had a letter from Miss B Dunbar yesterday they are all well down there she wants us down when Mary gets her holidays which will be soon now but I intend to write and tell her that we wont go down till they come up here I think we are in their debt a little now so we will try and pay back first. Mary likes the place she is in very well Im sure she has more peace than she had with Mr Stein But I tell you he is something wiser now he gives very little heed to stories [Page 7] no matter who tells them Tommy Hay is three weeks away yesterday and we have got no word from him yet I cant say what is the matter with him for he said he would write sure Some are obliged to say that he has deserted and gone to America but I dont think he would do that when he has only three years to put up. He never talked about doing so to any of us though he had a great dislike for the army but I hope we hear from him shortly Miss Jane McFarland is going back to America on the 25 inst she did not stop very long she was in the boat with Sara and Belle comming [coming?] over but they never knew each other till they came to Derry. I believe the girls and Johns [Page 8] Wife dont agree very well so that is a help to hurry her away She said she hardly knew how she would spend the time If that was the case with you, you would not fret so much about comming [coming?] to the old country. But I suppose new "Kings makes new laws" Mother says you ought to get a wheel it doesnt cost so much there we must try and get Mary and John one each so that when you come home next year there will be good times, three "iron horses" about the door would look well and the rest of us may learn to ride and go out now and then. John Gilkison was down on Sunday on his and John C [Charles?] was practising a little This may do at this time someone may write next week again so Good bye Your sister B M S [Bella Maggie Smyth?] We will try and send those things that you want as near the style as possible B M S [Bella Maggie Smyth?] Transcribed by Chris Devenney |
