| Title: | James A. Smyth, Ontario to John J. Smyth, Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 2711 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/12(3) |
| Year | 1900 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | school teacher |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John J. and wife |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 0405002 |
| Date | 24/02/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 04:05:2004. |
| Word Count | 789 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Front of envelope POSTAGE STAMP Mr John Jas Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland Back of envelope Arrived March 9th 1900 [Postmark] [NEWTOW?]NSTEWART AM [- - -?] MR 8 00 March 9th 1900 Letter Essex, Ont [Ontario?], Feb. 24th, 1900 Dear Father & Mother, I have received I think three letters since I last wrote you so I think it is time I answered again. I have received your two money letters the last one I had cashed yesterday. I could have got along without it as pay day in school affairs comes once a month. The first day of every month, so next Thursday I shall get $30 more. However it takes a lot to [strengthen?] me up I have a good many shirts socks etc to buy now, as my stock of clothes was pretty slim. I bought a waterproof coat at $4 this week, pair of pants at $5.00. and two shirts at $1 each and several other things so it is easy spending money. However do not send any more money for me as I shall be able to live on my salary. As far as I [am?] [concerned?] now I have a pretty good time I can go out any eve.g [evening?] I like and not worry over lessons. I get invitations to all the swell parties in [town?]. I was at one last Friday night at Dr Briens, and last night I attended one at a Mr Brickers, had a good time at both. Home this morning at halfpast 3 o clock Dancing and progressive card playing is the chief amusement. The dancing here is nearly all waltzes and two-steps both of which I cannot do very well. An ordinary party is about 30 couples. That would make 6 tables for cards. When you go usually a few minutes after eight you are shown to the dressing room, you leave your hat, overcoat [etc?] there and then come on down to sitting room. Then when all are in they [the?] host and hostess pass around plates with cards on them and another goes around to the girls. These cards [usually?] bears a name and a corresponding name is found on each of the cards passed to the girls. Then you go and find your partner for the first start Then you take your seat at which every table your number calls for and your partner along with you. As soon as every body is seated the head table rings the bell and every body begins to play cards. Then when the head table have won a game the [they?] ring the bell again and those who have the most points move to the table [higher?] and the two at head table who lost the game come to the very bottom Then when you win and have to go a table higher or loose you have two [to?] change partners. For instance if I loose a game my opponent and his partner [leave?] and go a table higher. Then two others take his place and I play with his partner and he plays with mine and so on until the end so that you may not play only once with the partner you started with. I send my card for last night. The [sport?] indicate (sic) the [games?] [room?]. My name was Col. [Colonel?] Otter (war names) partners was Mrs. Otter When card playing is ended there is a prize given for one that has most A gold pen was prize last night Mr [Krieghoff?] won it. This is progress in card playing. Last night we played a game called [cuchre?] played with nothing [but?] face cards. [Lunch?] takes place as soon as card end and you keep the partner you are playing with at that time, then dancing begins. such is a brief outline of a party here. War news is running very high here now. Canadians were in battle and there are three from here killed and wounded. I know one of them I am going up to Windsor on train as soon as I finish the letter and I shall [probably?] have dinner with his people. We had a patriotic concert here on Friday evening, proceed amounted to about £30 Four of us took up a collection after the absent minded Biggar was [suing?], and we collected $28. Gen [Cronji?] I see by the papers today I [hope?] [is?] [all?] surrounded. I hope they wipe him off the earth. We are well supplied with news here. There are three morning papers come in [thru?] at noon and three at night so we get all the news now I was in a hurry to send this off before I would go and it has just taken me 16 minutes to get [it?] down on paper. I will write Monday and give some school news tell you how I [strap?] the boys etc. Good Bye for present I hope you can read [this?] letter James A Smyth |
