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Title: Mary Smyth, Ontario to L. C. Smyth, Co. Tyrone
ID2970
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, Mary/38
Year1902
SenderSmyth, Mary
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationstudent
Sender ReligionProtestant (Presbyterian)
OriginOntario, Canada
DestinationCastledamph, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland
RecipientSmyth, Eliza C.
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsisters
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge
Doc. No.0410201
Date30/09/1902
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 28:10:2004.
Word Count1290
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of envelope]

Miss. L. C. Smyth
Castledamph
Plumbridge
Co. Tyrone
Ireland

[Stamped]

Essex
SP 29
02
ONT

Back of envelope

Postmark
Newtownstewart
10.0
OC 10
02

[Handwritten]
- "Arrived Oct 11th 02"

[Start of Letter]

Dear Sister
I suppose you will
think that I must be forgetting
all about you all when
I don't write oftener but that
is not so. I would have
written last week but I went
down to Woodslee Friday
& stopped over till Monday
So I had no notepaper
& I did not want to borrow.
So Jim wrote to you since
and let you know that
we are all well. So I
thought that would do. I
never get time to write through
the week so I have to break
I am tired waiting for those
photos of David & Bellas I
suppose they'll come when we
are least expecting them.
Now as regards School I am
kept as busy as a bee. I am
taking French now I don't have
to take it but I thought I would
like to know something about it.
We had two half holidays
Wednesday & Thursday on account
of it being the fair but we should
not have got them if they had
known that it was going to be wet
when it was announced.
I am taking music lessons
now from Professor Thompson I
took the first yesterday I am
going to take one every other
week 75 Cts [cents] a lesson. I expect
you will be thinking that the money
must be plenty with us. Well
its not very plenty nor not very
scarce, if it is always the
same it will do but his
certificate runs out at Xmas
& if he leaves the school I
dont know what he'll do. I
guess I'll have to quit school
if he does and I would rather
not started atall [at all?] as
to quit then. I don't think I'll go
any longer than the one year
as it takes too much money
I would rather earn a few
dollars before I would go home
or else have some thing to
be able to earn over there. After
this year at school I think
I should be able to pass the
exam for Dublin. If I would
think that I would like teaching
I would do that but I don't
know whether I would like it
or not. I don't know of what
else to start at. I would like
the book-keeping what Sarah
at (sic) but when it is not well
paid over there I don't know
what about it. So you see
I don't know what I should
do or what I'm going to do.
What do you all say about
it? what would you rather
I would do. Maybe I'll
land in Castledamph at last
with nothing.
Sunday.
Well, I have just come home from Sunday
School and we also had a funeral service
before S. S. [sunday school] so that we were
kept longer than usual. I attend the Methodist
Sunday School here as the girl here goes and
I go along. I would go to the Presbyterian but
Jim don't go to Sunday School so I wouldn't go
alone. Jim & I were to the Presby [Presbyterian?]
Church this morning not very many attends. The
Methodists has the majority here. Next Sunday
will be Communion so I must go to see how they
do. I was at the Methodist one Sunday Communion
& they don't do the same as at home at all.
Essex Fair was on Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday
of last week but it rained the three days and
spoiled it. I did not go at all Jim went
the last afternoon but they had to stay in the
shade all the time. I suppose you folks did
not go to Strabane Shows this year either.
Well, I suppose you didn't forget that I am
a whole year and almost a week out here now
it seems a long time in one way and another
it seems short.
Jim had a letter from home & I had
a paper & also a letter from JoC. I see
he has got into an office in Strabane.
Jim had a letter from Tillie McC. she
say she is for stopping in Philadelphia for
a while She wants me to send her my photo
Mabel Wigle & I got ours taken last week
so I may send her one if they are good. I
will send one of them home next week.
They are cheap ones 3 for 1 [dollar?] so we
are getting six.
I must hurry up as it is getting near night
& I must prepare for church again. Jim was
mad because I went to the Methodist twice since
I came up here he says I should go to my
own but there were two [strange?] ministers to preach
in the Methodist so I thought I would go & hear
them. The Presbyterian minister that they have here
is just like a drone bee there seems to be no
life in his preaching atall [at all?] Jim & these
Wigles folks has arguments over the two churches.
I don't say anything in the matter. I think it
shouldn't matter much to Jim for he did not
attend very much until I came here and
he is one of the ushers in the church & lifts
the collection too but still he didn't attend
I believe he was that late getting up today
that he went to church without his breakfast.
It is going to rain & it is very dull looking
& dull otherwise too. These are nothing like the
Sunday [evenings?] we used to have at home but I
suppose they are not the same there now either.
A wet day always makes me think of
home I suppose it is with being used to so much
rain there. This last week has been wet & it
is not all over either. You will think I am
getting homesick but I am not I would
like to get home for a while but I would like
to get back again so I am going to stay to I
get satisfied. I never have been real homesick
yet. Sarah was asking me when she was at
home if ever I had a bawl & I said not
& she says that many a one she has yet &
she has been out here nine years. I never felt
very bad not as bad as coming on this boat
oh! I hate to think of that week.
I expect by this time that you have all the
corn in & I suppose will soon be digging the
potatoes. It is a good thing
that you got the reaper I
suppose you got done all the
quicker. I did not hear any
more word of Old Warnock
dying I guess he is worth a
couple of dead ones yet.
I see you had a party
for Lillie Mc. She said in
Jim's letter that Bella & Davey
looked like a happy couple.
I would have liked to been
for a dance. I have not danced
any since I left. Has Maggie
McK left for America yet? I
had a letter from Miss [A-lfad?]
a short time ago.
What about that knife of mine
how many hands has it gone
through by now? I would just
like to have it now to sharp (sic) my
pencils. I think I will close.
Write soon don't wait for a
letter from me. I enclose a
piece of my dress. Give my
love to all enquiring friends Goodbye
M S [Mary Smyth?]

for Liza alone (writing inverted by use of mirror)

I have a notion
of sending a few xmas cards to A. f
& A Mc and a few others just
for the fun. What you
M S [Mary Smyth?]



Transcribed by Kyle Smith