| Title: | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright to O'Brien, Joseph Sinton, 1843 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6156 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/160 |
| Year | 1843 |
| Sender | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unemployed |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Buffalo, NY, USA |
| Destination | Collins, Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1364 |
| Genre | finding work, enquires about family, wishes him well on his recovery |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Buffalo 11th Month 8lh 1843 My dear brother Joseph, I suppose that long ere this you have all been anxiously looking for some news from here and I am almost ashamed or not having written before. I suppose however that I would not have put it off so long, only that I was waiting to find out whether Margaretta could get any kind of employment for the winter here and wanted to know something certain about it before writing. I think it rather doubtful about getting enough to make it worth her while to stay, and tell her that if she can get a situation to sew with Polly Herrick she had better. She wants thee to go and see P and try and get her in. I have been about down town several times to try and get some kinds of work but have not yet succeeded though the man who let me have shoe-binding to do last summer said that by-and-by he would have some more for me. I went to several tailors shops and clothing stores to try to get some pants to make but there are so many already that do such work that the prices are so low it is hardly worth one's while to try to get work of them- only from two to three shillings a pair for "pants" and they expect them pretty well made for that. I would have tryed however to get some at 3 shillings the pair but I have been several times to see about getting some and they never have any ready and I am almost discouraged trying any more. I will however go once more, I think, and if I can get any I will be glad to have Magt stay with us this winter - if Mother can spare her. Cortes wants her to stay very much. He was some disappointed in nor having some Caps for her to make, but Mr. Hall concluded not to have may made, as the material was very scarce and of course dear. I suppose only for him I would not have tryed so hard to get some work for her. I went also to see a man who does embroidery- he told me he had already several employed, but if he had any for me to do he would call die next week at the store: that 2 or 3 weeks ago and I have heard nothing from him yet. I tried to have Aunt Susan get plain sewing for us among her acquaintance but they have their old seamstresses engaged and would not like to leave them and employ new ones. So thee sees it is not for want of trying that I have not succeeded – I may though get some pants yet, though it B by no means certain - there are so many glad to get work at almost any price that the tailors seem almost surfeited with hands and are therefore careless about engaging any new ones; and, when they do promise work, are very careless about fulfilling their promises. We are glad to have Mag' here: indeed I do not know how we could get along so far without, as I have not been able to do much yet since my sickness except sew. To-day is the first time I have helped about the washing Cortes says he will give her an order on a store to get herself some things she needs. She told him he need not, but he said if she was not here he would have to get some one else; and he had rather pay her, for he would have to pay another and might as well pay her. If Polly does not want Margt, perhaps Isabella Taylor might want her, and if thee can go and see her, do, for M is very anxious to get some place for the winter and I do hope she may. How is thee and all of the family getting along. I hope the boys try to help mother all they can. Tell them so from me and give each of them a kiss from me, if they are good boys. I hope the cold weather has improved thy health all kinds of business is decidedly better and improving; prices are coming up and he thinks by spring it will be pretty good. Has thee any thing laid out for thyself for this winter yet. Mag' told me thee had some thoughts of trying to get into teach at S. Boutlet's [Bartletts?]. I hope thee may and perhaps if thee should and M should not get a place elsewhere, Sally would let her work for her board and study with their children. If thee can get there, do try to' that is if thee cannot do better anywhere else. I do not think thee could get employment here this fall or winter that would suit thee; and if thee could get even thv board this winter in the country and without much labor, and give thyself tune to regain thy strength and wait till spring to get into employment, I think it would be better for thee Perhaps B. Boyces folks would like to have thee teach their children if thee should not go to Smiths; or L. Woodwards maybe would like to have a school where they had it last year; or may be G. McMillen would let thee have a room in his house, and thee would get a small select school in that neighborhood very easily, I think, if thee would like to try if and perhaps thee might get enough to pay for thy board in that way, if no more. I merely suggest the thing to thee as thee may not have thought of it. Thee might take any kind of produce for pay, if that would be any inducement for the people to send to thee, as father would like to get any thee could not dispose of otherwise I suppose by this time thee begins to think I have forgotten to say any thing about the baby. She is now just 4 months old and a laughing playful little toad. She has grown a good deal since thee saw her but is still small just a handy little play-thing, and she has such a merry roguish eye when she is in a good humour that thee could not help laughing to just look at her. She is pretty good most of the time, indeed much better than one would suppose she could be when I am not well. Tell mother that I wish she would tell me what to do, for my stomach it is so acid all the time that anything almost I eat sours on it, and I have to drink ley a good deal to stand it at all I think it makes the baby cry more than she would otherwise do. I think if I could get my stomach sweetened again I would soon be quite well and strong. I suppose Margt could not get home yet a while, if she wanted to ever so bad, for the going is so very bad- not that there are but [a] few in from the country now. She will come as soon as she can have an opportunity, however - that is if I do not succeed the next time in getting some work. But Henrietta is fretting for me to take her and I must soon finish. Tell Willey if he does not take care, little Henrietta will catch up to him, she eats so much bread and milk and grows so fast. She is getting a nice head of pretty brown hair and begins to rub her gums and show signs of cutting teeth and can jump and spring so strongly on her feet. She seems to be a very strong healthy little thing and has never hardly any thing the matter with her, except that she is now and then "Cross and sleepy". With love to all, in which Magt and my dear Cortes unite, I am thy affectionate sister Maria W Candee |
