| Title: | James Smyth, Canada to [Bella Smyth?], [Castledamph?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 2796 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/57(2) |
| 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, Bella M. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth. |
| Doc. No. | 0604053 |
| Date | 25/09/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 723 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [No envelope] [Page 1] Essex, Ont, 25 Sept, 1900 My Dear Sister Your letter to hand a few hours ago, and it did not arrive any too soon, as I have been looking for one for a long while I think in the last twenty one days I went sixty three times to the P.O. [Post office?] and came as I went. I am pleased to know that Belle is enjoying herself in good style. I am sure she will see a good more things that she never saw before and shall remember them for a long time. I am living in hopes of being there myself next year about the beginning of July that is if I can save enough money between now and then. It is not the money you earn [Page 2] now a days that counts but it is what you save. So if I can save enough I shall in all probability spend the holidays home. At least that is my calculations. This town is pretty poor place to save money as there are always some ways of spending some. It takes far more to keep one in clothes than if they lived in a country place. The parties here started again this winter. I attended the first two weeks ago again Friday night a second one last Friday night and there is another one on tonight. So we have some fun along those lines though the principal amusement is dancing such as two steps, waltzes and Lancers I have learned all three. [Page 3] It gives one good practice by having an occassional [occasional?] dance but there is no such dancing here as we used to have at home. This is the first day of the exhibition in this town so there will be a little stir on that account. We have a whole holiday in school tomorrow and the afternoon on Thursday so we can put in both days at the fair I shall play with the band both afternoons, We get £7.10 for playing both days so I shall get about 10 shillings as my share There is a comedy company playing in the Town Hall during this week a different play being given each night The Band plays a few selections on the Balcony each evening and as [Page 4] renumeration [remuneration?] we get complementary [complimentary?] tickets so in that I could attend all week free but tonight I shall taken [take?] in the party after playing. I send you a prize list of this fair so you can imagine what the show is like. I did not go down to the grounds today so I dont know if there was a large crowd or not. Well I shall have a vote here at the next election as at the court of revision today my name was put on the list. I had to attend in person. The reformers here have kept me off for a long time saying that I should vote in woodslee as there was the place I made my home. However the Conservative [Page 5] party shall have one more vote in Nov as the election takes place then, I shall help old Tapper all I can, I should have had a vote for 6 years but I didn't. I suppose the elections will soon take place with you people also. Likely Salisbury shall go back to power with a sweeping majority. As Belle leaves on the 5th prox [proximo?] she shall land about the 17th of Oct so as the 18th is a holiday (Thanksgiving day) I shall be able to get an extra day away. It shall be almost as good as being there to hear of all the old acquaintances and old [places?]. I am sure I will be pleased to hear of everybody and every place. [Page 6] I saw aunt in town on Friday last but they did not know when Belle was coming back. It was rather bad that Belle [sic] visit was not made before Cassie was married as then her mother would not have had so much work to do. However she came through it all. As [I?] must fix up now and go down to the hotel for supper as it is almost 6 o'clock so Good Bye Write soon again your previous letter was interesting. Yours in a hurry Jas A [James Alexander?] Smyth B M [Bella Margaret?] Smyth [Written under in lighter writing] B M [Bella Margaret?] Smyth Castledamph arrived Wednesday October 18th 1900 Transcribed by Chris Devenney |
