| Title: | J Smyth, Ontario, to B. Smyth, Castledamph, Co Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2807 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/67 |
| 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, 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. | 0410088 |
| Date | 22/11/1898 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 26:10:2004. |
| Word Count | 1282 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Front of Envelope Miss B. M. Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland 5D to pay over 1/2 an oz. POSTMARK ESSEX NO22 98 ONT. Back of Envelope POSTMARK NEWTOWNSTEWART DE 5 98 Handwritten Arrived December 5th 1898 Essex. Ontario Nov. 22nd 1898 Dear Sister, I received your letter yesterday at noon and there is no need of me expressing myself in regard to its effect. I wrote a letter yesterday and had I sent it, the boys would had [sic] my opinion in so many words, but I left it over until today so I write a milder one, I have not been able to get it out of my head yet nor won't for a long time, It is bad enough to go to law, to spend money in that way, but when it comes down to quarrelling on the public street and know perfectly well the participants will be put in the lock-up, there is no excuse for [either?] sides. Would to God I had never been able to hear of it, There is no use me speaking to the boys. I have told them time and again to avoid every appearance of a conflict, There is no use in my repeating it, neither is there any use of any one repeating it, Had William & [Tom?] taking a sound thrashing, Had they been unable to rise out of bed for three month, had they spent the same amount of money in a Doctor Bill [sic], then it would have been a honor [honour?] to them, Then I would felt [sic] very thankful that they played the part of the coward, Have they lost all sense that they had when they will lower themselves to engage in a fight with such a disreputable class or [cum tali turpi perdito geuce hornicium cum tali inhosto geum mulcesium?] as Cicero might express it, How many time [sic] have I told them not to quarrel with them no matter what the provocation might be, until they learn to do this there will never be any peace, and if William and [Tommy?] are bound to keep it up, and give back an answer when any of the Duncans speak to them, I don't know what to say, Had [Tommy?] moved out of the way when John Duncan spoke to him it would avoided [sic] all this, neither should William spoke to [Gilkin?] when he saw him in James Houstons, it would have avoided the second engagement, Now I will quit writing of this or I may say as much as I had in my letter yesterday, But you will see that my argument is that the boys should avoid these engagements, When they get a blow they should run out of the way and be thankful that the [they?] got no worse, I cannot think nor imagine where they see the honor [honour] in talking to them. You say mother has no peace, certainly not. I don't see how she would, How long will the boys be in learning this. They know now they knew long ago that the Duncan's are always anxious to pick a quarrel and I repeat it again Why do they not avoid it? It seems we will never be out of law, Money seems also to be very plentiful on both side [sic], I don't mind hearing about money being spent but I certainly hate to hear of people arrested & such like, It is bad enough to have boys & men fined, but it is worse for women, [-----?] a very creditable way to bring children up. By adding a few more pounds to your expenses one of you could have taken a nice trip out to this country and learned something. and how much better it would have been, We are having a half holiday this afternoon. One of the Board of Trustees of the school is dead and the teachers are going to the funeral so we are off for the afternoon. The bell is just tolling for the funeral now, We have another holiday on Thursday as it is thanksgiving day, We are much annoyed this week in connection with school as one of the best Teachers A.B. Cushing B.A. the classical master, is leaving. He is getting a position in [Brandon?] [Manitoba?] at $100 dollars dollars per year. He only got [$50?] here and last year he asked for $100 raise but the board would not give him a raise, so when he got a better chance he took it, we are much afraid the new one may not be very good, He comes here on Monday. Last year there was an excellent staff of teachers, but the science teacher this year is not very good and if they do not get a good one now, They will find a good many of the boys will go somewhere else, It all depends on at least a good deal whether one passes the examination or not Certainly, if they don't get good teachers, I won't stay, It is all right for those who live here to remain, We are going to have the commencement exercise for the school pretty soon. We are going to play the Merchant of Venice, I act the Dukes part I attended a swell party in town last Friday night, dancing etc They [the?] people of the house had a darkey for the amusement of the guests, and he gave some good dancing, cake walk, all in darkey style, Say you need not mind sending any of those story books as I get all of those I can from the library, here, one can get pretty near any kind of a book to read, Send a few of the Tyrone constitutions now as I want to see how this trial with [Alex?] and breaking the peace goes I may perhaps write up a piece for that paper some day and have it published, In regards that picture you say "We were told that you would laugh as soon as any of them" What do you mean by laugh as soon as any of them. I can't see any meaning to it, You say when I reach home I may have gray hairs etc with studying etc, No not unless I stay away for fifty more years, I do not study so hard as that I am taking it easy this year, Hearing such news from home has very little to attract one back there, when I look on the bright side of things I would like to be back for a year and enjoy myself but when I look at the other side I am thankful that I am not there, I might take a trip home next year but I would not have long to stay as I will [commence?] teaching a year from now and if I happen to get a good School I would have no opportunity of visiting home for a good while unless I would give up teaching or otherwise visit in holidays which would give me a month there, There is not much use in writing on this better perhaps take something more in [reality?], I am going down to Woodslee Thursday and stay to Monday. I must write to James Houston this week and give him all the news, and I owe William Gilkison one, Well I must close up now as I must go up to school and have a practise on the Merchant of Venice this afternoon and have some other fun, I think if [William?] [&?] Tom came out & spent the winter here when they have not much to do, they would have a good time & see something and it would not cost much over fifteen pounds. If they [the?] people over there travelled more it would be much better for them, This is all good bye James A Smyth |
