| Title: | James Buchanan, Milford to Robert Buchanan, New York. |
|---|---|
| ID | 406 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Buchanan, James/98 |
| Year | 1890 |
| Sender | Buchanan, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Milford, Co. Donegal, Ireland |
| Destination | New York, USA |
| Recipient | Buchanan, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D1473: Presented by K. Baxter, Milford, Co.Donegal. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9705011 |
| Date | 16/11/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 01:05:97. |
| Word Count | 638 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Milford Co Donegal Ireland. 16th October 1890. Dear Robert I hope this letter will find you well. We are all in good health here. My father is very much improved since I came home, he eats his three or four meals a day, the work I give him to do is to mind the Kitchen fire, and he keeps a roaring fire all the time, my coal bill will be heavy. If Miss Gilliland happens to have the fire any way small when he gets up the first thing he does is to go to the wood pile and bring in an armful of fir when he soon has a roaring fire. I cleaned the chimney once since I came home. I think I will need to clean it often as we keep such big fires that soot is sure to gather rapidly and I fear sometime the Chimney and the house may take fire, as father persists in smoking in bed, and as I sleep in the garret which would be a death trap in case of fire. I keep a rope tied around each purloin (front and rear) so that in case of fire I can let myself through the Skylight to the ground. I have tried to make the garret a comfortable room I have plastered all the Slates in the Closets trying to keep out the wind and the rain I have whitewashed and painted it until it begins to look decent but the old rotten Skylights that I have spent days in trying to mend still let in the wind and the rain, last week I ordered metal Skylights from Derry and when I get them in I expect to be more comfortable. I often think of the many nights my poor mother slept there when it was not so comfortable as it is now, but it is yet very cold, altogether the house is now very much improved. From garret to kitchen I have put everything to rights that needed mending. I often wonder that the Bank man did not move somewhere else. Madge and my father kept the room in such bad order, I painted the walls and put in a registered grate, and the old grate that was thrown there I put in my room in the garret so that if I cannot stand the cold I can put on a fire. I have only had one day of idleness since I came to Milford. I keep tinkering about the house all the time, sometimes I will not be on the street once in three weeks. Miss Gilliland is getting along nicely with my father, she takes him to his room a cup of tea when breakfast is ready and then she gives him breakfast when he rises about eleven oclock, he eats his meals very well and I have now got him toned down to one or two small drinks in the day. I limit him to a bottle of whiskey in the week, that cost 2/6 and a sack of potatoes cost the same price, and is by far the best value. Miss Gilliland likes it here very well, only it is always raining and she is scrubbing and working away from morning till bedtime. I believe we have now the cleanest house in Milford and the next time you come home you will say the house never was so comfortable before. Miss Gilliland is never done talking of what trouble she gave you in Brooklyn and of how kind you were. She bids me give her love to you and she will write when she has time, the money you gave her she will be able to send next spring. I have only been once to Rathmullan, Aunt is well, hoping this will find you well and at work Your Affectionate Brother James Buchanan |
