| Title: | Mary Smyth, Ontario, to E. C. Smyth, Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 2963 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Mary/34 |
| Year | 1902 |
| Sender | Smyth, Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | student |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Presbyterian) |
| Origin | Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Castledamph, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, Eliza C. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0508015 |
| Date | 11/08/1902 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 23:08:2005. |
| Word Count | 1622 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Miss E. C. Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co. Tyrone, Ireland. [Stamped] [SOUTH--------?] AU 02 ONT. [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART 5AM AU 29th 02 [Written on Back] Arrived Friday August 29th 1902 [Page 1] South Woodslee August 11th 1902 Dear People one & all:- I want to write to you today to let you know how we have spent these last few days. Well. As I told you in my last letter that we intended going to Niagara Falls on Saturday. We did go and had a very fine time. Jim & I & Cass & Fred & a good many others from around here went. We left here at a quarter to seven that is the station. Jim came from Essex I got up at 5.30 & got lunch up & all ready & Glenn left me down halfway to the station. I had to wait a long time at the station & Cass & Fred only got there just in time. We had a very good time on the train the quartette from Essex were [sic] there or part of them and they sang [nearly?] all the way but one of them got drunk in the end. I did not think that Jim would be in company with people that were drinking atall [at all?] by the way he acted at home but I saw Saturday that he was there a good part of the time We got there at a quarter to one so you may think we had a good ride. It is 210 miles from here After we got there & had seen the falls we took a 30 mile [Page 2] ride on the electric car to see important places. The falls are something worth seeing and we had a ride on the “Maid of the Mist” a boat that goes in to the side of the Falls. And we had to put on rubber suits going on for there is such a mist like, where the water falls that it is just like raining all the time. We were all covered with the rubber suits only our eyes & mouth. We saw a lot of things too numerous to describe. We left there again, before eight o’clock and got here by four in the morning Sunndeey [Sunday?] eight hours on the way. If you would just see the train about 12 o’clock with people sleeping. I was the only one that did not sleep in our gang. I enjoyed watching the rest sleeping with their mouths open and in every position. We went from the one end of the train to the other that’s something you can’t do there. You can see every one that is on the train. Jim he went on up to Essex so Cass & Fred and I came up and they went on home & I came in alone and I went to the back door first thought that it would be open but I had to go back to the front door again, I slept till 12.30 Sunday & then got up and got dinner my head was dizzy untill [until?] supper. Cass and Fred came down on the Evg [evening?]. & All of us went to church only Uncle & Aunt they kept the youngsters’. Belle has just finished washing today I gave her [Page 3] a little assistance I had on my linen dress Saturday and got it all grease round the bottom going in the train so I had to wash it today and I tell you I had a job ironing it as there is a deep flounce around the bottom The Sunday School picnic is going to be on Wednesday 13th I am just after writing to Jim & telling him about it as I forgot before. Annie is coming out tomorrow for it. Belle & I are going also & the boys. It is a place for bathing but I wont go in as I have not got a bathing dress Uncle has got his oats all cut. They cut the last five acres in a day or less for they did not commence till [10?] o’clock. They stook it up like there and then takes [sic] it into the barn he expects to put it in this week Jim is going to be editor of the Essex Free Press this week so I must send you a copy I think the editor is going someplace for the week so I suppose he left it for him as he understands a good deal about it for, he spent most part of his holidays in the office. I have not got a letter since the one I got about the 12th so that is almost a month now. I sent Glenn down to the office so perhaps [Page 4] there is one tonight or I expect there should be anyway. It is only three more weeks till school starts again so the holidays were not so long going in I think I will go out next week to Leamington Tomorrow twelve month James & John went to Derry and I was up with John from the Plum. [Plumbridge?] on the Evg,[evening?] that was my last day at the Plum [Plumbridge?] I have not got a letter from Miss Asfield [Ashfield?] for a long time nor Miss Moore. How are they getting along with the shop? The weather is very nice now not very warm about 80 [degrees?] in the shade. I suppose you have not commenced cutting the corn yet or oats as they say here they made fun of me for saying corn till I stopped it. They were making fun of me today for saying cars they say “Kars” and we say cars you see. I must stop now as Aunt is going to get supper so she wants the table (Monday night) Sarah just came in as we were at supper and Annie came about half an hour afterwards so you see there is a good many here now. Sarah has got her holidays I dont know how long I suppose a few weeks. Just the same as ever. There are just 11 people here tonight so the beds will be all full. I didnt get a letter tonight either so I suppose I may live in hopes [sic] till tomorrow night. Good Bye for the Present Mary Smyth [Notes on following Pages] [Page 1] I suppose Tillie Mac gets the dress no matter where the money comes from. Does Mr. James visit there yet I suppose Miss James has the same one still. What about the Gordon girls? I suppose Bella J Ballantine has been left all he had She came out lucky in the end. [Page 2] (To Eliza) B. C. Must have given up writing Altogether for I have not got one for a long time nor from J. MC. either but I would not answer his if I did get one. [Page 3] Well I can’t go out to Leamington now as Annie is gone for a two weeks visit to friends in St. Thomas. I am pretty busy getting things ready for going to school. Sara has got two weeks holidays so she has a week in now this & day week she will be going away The boys are not going to take any holidays this year atall [at all?] [Page 4] This is Jim’s paper he left it the last time He was down so I thought I would have a few Letters out of it Aug 18th Got a letter Friday I would have written before this, but I was away from Tuesday till Saturday night. After the picnic on Wednesday I went away with Miss (Continued on Blue Pages) [Page 5] Jones out to their place about five miles from here. One of the Miss Jones stopped at Belle River with Mrs (Dr) Millen camping so I went home with the other one & got back again with Mrs Millen on Saturday night We had a very good day the day of the picnic Jim was there & Sara & Annie’s & the boys & Belle & I. Belle & I & the little boy went in one buggy & Annie & Sarah & Glenn & Leslie went in the other. Glenn rode the wheel from Essex. He came down Saturday night again & is helping Uncle with the oats today putting them into the barn This day two weeks school commences so I have not very long now I think I will go up to the city on Wednesday there is an excursion & I want to get a jacket [sic] same as my skirt for wearing when the Evgs. [evenings?] get cold [Page 6] Well I see the people are all well there I suppose Sam & [Alice?] is [sic] the talk of the country. I hope she don’t come here but I suppose it would not matter if she would conduct herself. When you say anything about Jim in your letters put it on a separate slip of paper. He was in Sat. night when I got the letter & so I had to let him read it, there was nothing in it about him only what [he?] had written beforehand I think you should be able to bank a little money now out of the butter & eggs when there are not so many to feed. I’m afraid Chs. [Charles?] Mc’s folks are going down I suppose the [they?] have not as much money on their hands as when the [they?] had the agency I’m expecting a letter from J. C. [John Charles?] this last while but has [sic] not got it (as yet) How is Bella and Davy tell them I am waiting patiently for those long looked for photos of theirs I would like to get my photo [taken?] this summer [but?] I don’t know whether I shall or not - I would have to get a good many copies If I do to supply all my friends Good Bye Mary Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
