| Title: | J.A. Smyth, Ontario to B.M. Smyth, Co. Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2745 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/26(3) |
| Year | 1899 |
| 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, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| 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. | 0410192 |
| Date | 23/04/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 28:10:2004. |
| Word Count | 809 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Front of envelope Miss B.M Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland STAMPED ESSEX AP 24 99 ONT Back of envelope Handwritten Arrived May 7th 99 STAMPED: NEWTOWNSTEWART MY 3 99 HAMILTON APL 24 20- 1899 ? AM 8 15 MY 5 99 ? AM AP 24 99 ON? Letter Essex April 23 '99 Dear Sisters I have been intending to write for the last weeks but some how or other I keep putting it off until Sunday. It is now almost ten o'clock and I have just got in from church after having a walk up & down the street a couple of times so I thought I would scribble a line or two before I should go to bed. I received the money all right this week. I see by your letter that father is not yet in his usual state of health: did he have the doctor attending him yet, if not I think he should do so, We have very nice weather here now, Spring has set in and everything is budding forth very nicely. The farmers are ploughing and I think there is no sowing done yet. However I don't know much about what is going on around the farm, except what I see on those around the school, I am rather sorry to hear that Miss [Dawes?] is sick It is a wonder that school is allowed to be closed, [one?] would expect, they would place a substitute in charge until she got better. I think John McFraland [McFarland?] was perfectly right in not withdrawing from the election, Why did not one of the Winner s withdraw? They had as good a right to do so as he had, besides I don't believe in this principle of always putting some big bug in office, I don't know why they nominated S. [Dunne?] J.P and thos addler [Thomas Addler?] as neither of them are much acquainted enough with the wants of the country to know what kind of legislation would be best. The best man for the position should be elected regardless of religion anyhow I fail tosee [to see?] where any religious sect is going to benifit [benefit?] by the elections, we have the very same elections here every year and there is no such nonsense about religion. That was the curse of Ireland 200 years back and I suppose will be for all time and it is the reason which keeps the people of Ireland today so poor and so ignorant, Now Imust [I must?] change my subject I shall be writing on politics the first thing I know, Our Principal was away at Toronto and the other teachers did not hold the pupils down so well so so (sic) there was a kind of a play day at school on Friday. There was a concert given by the ladies of the town in the Town Hall on Friday night and the proceeds amounted to over £20 It was called the Temple of [faure?] a very nice affair and everyone acted their parts very well, of course there is no use one discribing [describing?]it as you never seen anything like it there, anyhow I never attended a good concert in Ireland all the time I lived there. There has been several good ones given here this year, Studying is coming along along (sic) a kind of slowly. I am not able to stict [stick?] to it like I used to, It is alright until it comes evening and then I like to go out and sometimes stay out too long and then I have a [hustling?] time to get my work up for next day. These other years I liked it far better than I do this year, and I liked the teachers better also, so everything was a little better, However I must make the best I can out of it and try and pass this year and that ends it. I am afraid of a couple of subjects this year and they are the ones that I hate to look at History is one of them and Greens English History at that, I just hate to study that book and besides it so (sic) large, something like an old family bible. It will only be a short time until examination, The time seems to go so quickly. There is going to be celebration here on May 24th I expect we shall have as good a time as last year, The Band has began (sic)[begun?] to practise (sic)[practice?] again I look the suave [draw?] again also, How is your Band now I expect there are not many players there now I often think it would be a nice thing if you had a brass Band there but it would cost money [here?] the town people usually subscribe enough for us buy (sic) the music etc and the band usually make enough to pay for its [?] I was down at my Uncle last week, they are all will [well?]. I think I must close now and go to bed I had a bad pen writing the above so I changed it [Yours?] James A Smyth |
