| Title: | Alex. Wilson, New York to Mrs J. H. Denham, Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3367 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Wilson, Alexander/34 |
| Year | 1899 |
| Sender | Wilson, Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Denham, J.H. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | D 1921/3/12: Presented by A. Fetridge Esq., Hardware Merchant, Church Street, Ballymena, County Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9311033 |
| Date | 18/06/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C McK., 03:11:199 |
| Word Count | 807 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Brooklyn 18th June 1899. My dear Sister, I received your letter some time ago and should have answered it sooner but really I did not have the heart to write, it has been a very trying time for us I have at least succeeded in getting a kind of a situation but it only pays half of what I had before just two dollars per week and the hours are very long from eight in the morning until eight of nine and on the Monday nights I do not get home until after twelve o'clock and I am standing on my feet all day long never get a chance to sit down only at dinner time and we get no extra pay for the long hours, it is quite a change from the other place where it was from eight until half past five and could do as I liked and no one to trouble you and now to have to turn in and work so hard and long for such small pay I tell you it is rather hard on me now at my age 46 years, but I had to do it, as it means bread and butter for us all and I don't know really what we would have done if this thing had not turned up, it is rather a come down but will have to make the best of it when I come home at night my feet and legs are so tired with standing on them, but it is just home and get your supper, go to bed and get up and go to work again. I often wonder if I will get anything better as you see I have no trade and there is no other places around here that were like the one I was in. I get so completely discouraged sometimes when I think of it that I feel like giving up completely, but when I think of Lizzie and the children I don't know what to do, if they were only older and able to do something for themselves and the Lord only knows what is in store for us, you see here #PAGE 2 what girls are taking all the places that men used to have in all the stores and offices and everything you casn think of and boys are doing men's work now at about half price and there are not so many people out of employment that they will work for about enough to pay their board I tell you things are pretty hard just at present around here. I hope and pray that you may get in enough to meet your payments as it would be both hard and unjust that you should loose [lose?] all through Jack's carelessness I tell you what you do not really do not really know on whom to depend nowadays as your best friends are generally the ones to give you the cold shoulder when you get a little down in the world. I have found that out lately and I suppose you have to [too?], when you have money it is all right, but when you have none you are not wanted. Lizzie is about completely worn out and tired waiting on her Mother who seems to get worse all the time and she sees so many strange people and things sitting on tables and chairs so that she would almost put you of your mind. I don't really know how Lizzie stands it day and night as the little time I see has me bothered about the strange men and women she sees carrying away every thing in the house she sees men as plain as can be and gets very mad when tell her there is no one around at all, her mind is completely gone, although for a few minutes sometimes you would think she was all right again but the Drs. [Doctors?] say it is all a delusion of the mind but she thinks it is all so real she keeps us all a going. I tell you it is a terrible strain on anybody who has anything to do with any person who is afflicted in that peculiar manner, we have had very hot weather for the past week or ten days , it was 109 degrees one day and there have been a large number of deaths from sunstroke from the great heat, but today and yesterday it was a great deal cooler and people commence to live over again, which is a great relief from the great heat. #PAGE 3 We are all in very good health at present I often wonder what the Lord has in store for us next You must excuse this writing as I must now close and say goodbye from your loving brother Alex Wilson Write soon |
