| Title: | James Smyth, Ontario to John Smyth, [Castledamph?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 2696 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/6(3) |
| Year | 1898 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | student |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John C. and Mary |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0604106 |
| Date | 15/01/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 87 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Two letters] [Letter 1] [Page 1] Essex Ont. Jan 15 98 Dear Brother I received your letter the other day and as you are talking about going away I was almost afraid my letter would find you gone if I delayed an answer, However I think such an idea is contrary to the law of facts, so I think it is a fact that they could not drive you away. You know little birds do not dare to leave their nest until they are fully fledged so the same law, again, hold [sic] good therefore you must stay, [Page 2] Pardon me if you think I am going to bore on the subject. although for my part I always tell people what I think. You have improved wonderfully in your writing it is quite readable, of course there is some grammatical mistakes but I fall into this criticism, often, my self - so for fear you would not-write again I shall pass over this part of it. Now you say one should be a [Q?], C, well if I get that in ten years, I think I shall be a happy man, But if I get a second class this year I shall feel much happier, This is Saturday night, and after 11 o clock now I was down at Woodslee today. I went down last night and came back in train tonight again. [Page 3] Now I have a whole lot of news to tell you, so you may think it is about time I was commencing I sent two Essex Free Press papers to you folks to day. Dont miss the "High School Votes"; You will see I got defeated, I ran for the office of President in the Literary Society this term but I must say I got defeated. However it was one of the most closely contested election for Pres. [President?] that they have ever had here. I was defeated by one vote, and if my supporters had all voted I would have been in by 1 of a majority as [two?] of my voters did not vote on account of forgetting the money and young [girls?] [Page 4] they were too bashful to ask for the loan of 10 cents. All last week from nomination day there was lots of election talk and [there?] was pretty near a quarrel between me and the successful one for Pres [President?] after the counting of the votes. The first count brought us out even and no [number?] of votes polled and counted did not correspond so they counted again and he was one ahead. I was anxious to be President as this was my last term in school and therefore will not [sic] the chance to run again. By the three running for Pres [President?] it spoiled me. I could have [beaten?] with one [alone?] but the 3rd [man?] got some of my votes, [Page 5] There was not as much interest in any of the [other?] offices as there was for the president This Pres [President?] was defeated last xmas elections by about 30 of a majority so some of them took pity on him this time, If I had the chance of running again I can defeat any of them; Now I think I have said enough about elections although I have not told the one hundredth part of the talk of last week The next item I have to say is that I have changed my [boarding?] house, I changed at xmas, I pay just the same as before. and my room is better:-much larger [Page 6] There are four other boarders here All High School pupils Walter MacKai [McKay?], Miss [Arnold?] + Miss James, Walter ran for Pres. [President?] so we both console each other one of the girls play [sic] the Piano and we have some good music both with Piano + Violin, I am glad to know that Wm [William?] is getting along allright [alright?] again I would advise him not to work so much in wet weath [weather?] after this. [Uncles?] Folks was saying he should come out here and spend the summer this would be a good idea if the purse would stand it of course you that [part?] [of?] [it?]. [Page 7] I suppose I am the only - [Suitless?] man at present in the family My Bills are not very heavy are they? You see a [guiltiniaissis?] [guiltiness?] so that’s where we differ. As to the weather - that used to form a considerable part of my letter - it is not very cold and you can wear a heavy coat comfortably. There was a [nice?] fall of snow last night but the ground was [slippy?] so there is no sleighing yet. The skating was fair a few days last week, I was out a few nights. Well Sir as to xmas cards I got, I think, too [two?]. so that was not very many for a popular fellow like me. Well good Bye John write again. |
