| Title: | Bella M [Smyth?], Castledamph, to “Dear Brother" |
|---|---|
| ID | 2602 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/95(2) |
| 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. | 0604013 |
| Date | 24/08/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 1024 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [No Envelope] [Page 1] Castledamph Friday Aug 24th 1900 [Page 1] Dear Brother, I promised last week that some one would write this one: so now its Friday and its not done so I have to begin again. Well for a start, Belle and Sara arrived in Eden Back on Monday evg [evening?] and remains [sic] there yet. Belle came over here on Tuesday and went back Wednesday morning at the same time Sara was visiting her old home and neighbours in Aughalane. There is a yankee in Duncans too so I believe they have company enough. He is a son of John Haigneys [Heaney?] [Page 2] from New York. he has been round a good bit of the world and came this length to see his old Grandmother "Hattie" he was in Paris, France and I believe every place that's worth visiting. Willie and he drove them all to Barness [Barnes?] gap, Butterlope so they will see places more than me. They have not managed to the mote yet but Belle says she must go there before she leaves. They visited the Giants Causeway while at Portstewart so Belle will see more than those that are here all their life. The only thing that may hinder them from visiting places is the wet weather last week was very nice but there has been a good deal of rain this week, though it has cleared up very nice Today and I hope it will remain so as everything [Page 3] and everyplace looks bad in wet weather. Belle told us that she might come over tomorrow and stop on Sunday when John and Mary would both be home but they have to go up to Annie Marys so she was not sure how they would do: we expect to have her next week anyway. I don't think she intends to stay very long with Aunt Tilda, nor she may not be kept long in Straughroy so that she will have most of her time around here now. When she gets back we may not trouble writing very much to you as you will get lots of news from her about everything all you have to do is ask questions and she will answer Mr James was here with her on Tuesday evening she thinks him a comic lad: but he would [Page 4] not agree with her about temperance. He says its no use that there is as much drink as before it started. He is a great fellow for arguing father and he goes at it sometimes. By the time this letter reaches you you will be at your work again and I expect shortly after that you will be looking for Belles arrival: it would be lucky for you if they would arrive on a Friday you would have got a Sunday for news. Jane McFarland is away today she was to come up here but did not but I suppose she pleased herself and done us no harm I believe Maggie will be married next month to one of the [their?] cousins over there: he has a farm out in the country so she went far to get a husband. [Page 5] In my last I told you about the boys having sheep in the fair the [they?] only sold half a score lambs at 10s each no old ones at all But there is a man come to McClellands today looking about them he sent Andy Mc round all the sheep men to tell them to gather them in so Tom Wm [William?] and Willie John are all up looking for them I cant say what the price will be but its not so bad if they get rid as people are afraid it will be a bad year for selling sheep Tommy has took Matthew [green?] beside our house for the other part of the lambs: he got it for ten shillings till the first of Dec. I think matthew intends to sell the farm this year as he cant manage very well by himself and there are no men to be got by [Page 6] the day and servants are very costly there is no man willing to work for less than three shillings and feed him: either that or want and a good deal is doing the latter and Matthew is one of them and John Duncan another Jamie Gilkin has Tommy McFarland for three months at £3 Matthew says he will try the half of the farm first and if he cant do that he will let it all go He had some Flax sown this year and thought he would have had as much of profit as would paid a boy but it done very badly so he is in bad humour at present everything seems to be going against him so the last will be to let the farm go. Our people have some notion of trying for it but [Page 7] Father is not for it The other two thinks it would be a good place for sheep and would be very near our own But perhaps Matthew will take some other notion yet Our flax will be for spreading about Monday. Belle wants to see it comming [coming?] out of the damns but she does not like the smell she saw a great union pulling as we call it on monday. Charles McCullough had thirty two men the field was full very near our two was there she said she would liked to be near there as she only saw them from eden Peter McClelland was home seven days. I dont suppose you remember him as he was only a little fellow [Page 8] when you were here. He is on the navy now and he has got to be a clever chap nice looking as well. He was here one evening and Belle saw him in Wm [William] Duncans he gave us lots of news about the warships and naval manouvres [manoeuvres?] which they had lately We have got no word from T [Thomas?] Hay yet We cant know what has become of him when he did not write I must stop now as the post might be down So Good Bye Your sister Bella M Transcribed by Chris Devenney |
