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Title: J. A. Smyth, Canada to, B. M. Smyth, Caastledamph
ID2793
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, James Alexander/55(2)
Year1900
SenderSmyth, James Alexander
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationschool teacher
Sender ReligionProtestant (Methodist)
OriginEssex Co., Ontario, Canada
DestinationCo. Tyrone, N.Ireland
RecipientSmyth, Bella M.
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsiblings
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge.
Doc. No.0410122
Date10/09/1900
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 27:10:2004.
Word Count755
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of Envelope]
<
Miss B. M. Smyth
Castledamph
Plumbridge
Co. Tyrone
Ireland

[Stamped]
ESSEX
SP 13
00
ONT

[Back of envelope]

[Stamped]
NEWTOWNSTEWART
AM
GE 23
00

[Stamped]
[HAMILTON?]
SEP 13
23-[?]
"OO"

[Stamped]
[WINDSOR?]
AM
[SP?]13
ONT

[Page 1]

Essex, Ont.
10 Sept, 1900

My Dear Sister,
Your letter just reached
Essex as I came back Monday eve [evening],
to resume my teaching. I had
changed my place of abode and
so just read your letter before going
to bed. I am now taking my
meals at the hotel and rooming
in a private house, It costs
me 13 shillings per week, now to live
So one is not able to save much
money when he takes his expenses
out I get discouraged sometimes
when I see what it takes to keep
me going. Last year I was
barely able to pay expenses, and
I don't know how I shall
end up this year.
School work is going very

[Page 2]
well this year. I did not have to
trim any of them yet and I
hope they continue in their good
ways. I heard miss Arnold trim
one today. I don't know how
he felt about it but likely he
deserved it. The great fault
with my pupils is that they don't
know enough, and its pretty
hard to cram it into them.
I have not been down at Woodslee
since last Monday so I don't
know what news they got from
Bella. I intended going down
tomorrow evening, I think I
shall borrow Dr Brien's bycicle
[bicycle?] and take a trip down.
I am glad to know that
Bella is having an enjoyable
time. I tell you next time I
am there I shall see more,
I shall make a great sacrifice

[Page 3]
in order to save enough money to go
next year.
When you mention pulling flax
etc I just wish I were there to work
at it for a while. I would enjoy a
few days work exceedingly well.
This has been a terrible hot summer
and I have felt the effect of it this
last two weeks especially.
I sometimes feel so tired I can
hardly move around, yet doing nothing
so a few weeks in your rain
would be a welcome change.
I received your three newspapers
today. Glad to get them, have
read them all already. Quite a
piece about the horse, ass and
the cow. It is now 9.30 P.M
so I shall quit tonight and
finish tomorrow, am going
out and take a stroll [sic.] around
town, before going to bed.

[Page 4]

Sept 11 Tuesday.
I left off writing
last night and went out a while.
Now it is the same time again
and I am just came in so I
decided to finish it tonight.
Well to begin with, we have a
change in the weather, praise de Lord,
as the darky would say. It is
blowing quite a gale now and
has been all evening also interspersed
by a few showers, which I am
thankful for as I always feel
a hundred percent better when
it rains. I feel like a new
man and no other reason than
that of the change in the weather.
I tell you Belle missed one
of the hottest summers we
have had in a long time
and I think I would just
as well like to see it raining

[Page 5]
all the time as to have the sun
burning the very face off you.
I wheeled down to Woodslee
this afternoon after I dismissed
school, left here 20 min to five
oclock and reached Woodslee in
30 min. I had the wind in my
back and so it helped me somewhat
but, oh, my, comming [coming?] back
I had to pump against the
wind and it took me an hour.
I had supper at uncles.
They had a letter from Belle
last night and they were telling
me that she was not going to
leave until the 28th inst. so they
are comming [coming?] back on "City of Rome"
as that ship sails on that date
so they may arrive here about the
8th of Oct.
I hardly know what other
news to tell you, as I am through

[Page 6]
with all I know, I sent a photo
to uncle Chas [Charles?] some time ago
perhaps he received it by this
time. There are others I should
send to also but I have no
more on hand and have not the
money to purchase any more.
Now as it is getting late I
shall close. I might still [stay?] up too
long at night and then sleep
too long in the morning and then
I would be in a fix.
Wishing you all a merry
Xmas or whatever holiday is
next I remain

Your Brother
James A Smyth

Transcribed by Greg Floyd