| Title: | Mary Smyth, Ontario to L. C. Smyth, Co. Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2970 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Mary/38 |
| 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, Castledamph, Plumbridge |
| Doc. No. | 0410201 |
| Date | 30/09/1902 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 28:10:2004. |
| Word Count | 1290 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Miss. L. C. Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co. Tyrone Ireland [Stamped] Essex SP 29 02 ONT Back of envelope Postmark Newtownstewart 10.0 OC 10 02 [Handwritten] - "Arrived Oct 11th 02" [Start of Letter] Dear Sister I suppose you will think that I must be forgetting all about you all when I don't write oftener but that is not so. I would have written last week but I went down to Woodslee Friday & stopped over till Monday So I had no notepaper & I did not want to borrow. So Jim wrote to you since and let you know that we are all well. So I thought that would do. I never get time to write through the week so I have to break I am tired waiting for those photos of David & Bellas I suppose they'll come when we are least expecting them. Now as regards School I am kept as busy as a bee. I am taking French now I don't have to take it but I thought I would like to know something about it. We had two half holidays Wednesday & Thursday on account of it being the fair but we should not have got them if they had known that it was going to be wet when it was announced. I am taking music lessons now from Professor Thompson I took the first yesterday I am going to take one every other week 75 Cts [cents] a lesson. I expect you will be thinking that the money must be plenty with us. Well its not very plenty nor not very scarce, if it is always the same it will do but his certificate runs out at Xmas & if he leaves the school I dont know what he'll do. I guess I'll have to quit school if he does and I would rather not started atall [at all?] as to quit then. I don't think I'll go any longer than the one year as it takes too much money I would rather earn a few dollars before I would go home or else have some thing to be able to earn over there. After this year at school I think I should be able to pass the exam for Dublin. If I would think that I would like teaching I would do that but I don't know whether I would like it or not. I don't know of what else to start at. I would like the book-keeping what Sarah at (sic) but when it is not well paid over there I don't know what about it. So you see I don't know what I should do or what I'm going to do. What do you all say about it? what would you rather I would do. Maybe I'll land in Castledamph at last with nothing. Sunday. Well, I have just come home from Sunday School and we also had a funeral service before S. S. [sunday school] so that we were kept longer than usual. I attend the Methodist Sunday School here as the girl here goes and I go along. I would go to the Presbyterian but Jim don't go to Sunday School so I wouldn't go alone. Jim & I were to the Presby [Presbyterian?] Church this morning not very many attends. The Methodists has the majority here. Next Sunday will be Communion so I must go to see how they do. I was at the Methodist one Sunday Communion & they don't do the same as at home at all. Essex Fair was on Tuesday Wednesday & Thursday of last week but it rained the three days and spoiled it. I did not go at all Jim went the last afternoon but they had to stay in the shade all the time. I suppose you folks did not go to Strabane Shows this year either. Well, I suppose you didn't forget that I am a whole year and almost a week out here now it seems a long time in one way and another it seems short. Jim had a letter from home & I had a paper & also a letter from JoC. I see he has got into an office in Strabane. Jim had a letter from Tillie McC. she say she is for stopping in Philadelphia for a while She wants me to send her my photo Mabel Wigle & I got ours taken last week so I may send her one if they are good. I will send one of them home next week. They are cheap ones 3 for 1 [dollar?] so we are getting six. I must hurry up as it is getting near night & I must prepare for church again. Jim was mad because I went to the Methodist twice since I came up here he says I should go to my own but there were two [strange?] ministers to preach in the Methodist so I thought I would go & hear them. The Presbyterian minister that they have here is just like a drone bee there seems to be no life in his preaching atall [at all?] Jim & these Wigles folks has arguments over the two churches. I don't say anything in the matter. I think it shouldn't matter much to Jim for he did not attend very much until I came here and he is one of the ushers in the church & lifts the collection too but still he didn't attend I believe he was that late getting up today that he went to church without his breakfast. It is going to rain & it is very dull looking & dull otherwise too. These are nothing like the Sunday [evenings?] we used to have at home but I suppose they are not the same there now either. A wet day always makes me think of home I suppose it is with being used to so much rain there. This last week has been wet & it is not all over either. You will think I am getting homesick but I am not I would like to get home for a while but I would like to get back again so I am going to stay to I get satisfied. I never have been real homesick yet. Sarah was asking me when she was at home if ever I had a bawl & I said not & she says that many a one she has yet & she has been out here nine years. I never felt very bad not as bad as coming on this boat oh! I hate to think of that week. I expect by this time that you have all the corn in & I suppose will soon be digging the potatoes. It is a good thing that you got the reaper I suppose you got done all the quicker. I did not hear any more word of Old Warnock dying I guess he is worth a couple of dead ones yet. I see you had a party for Lillie Mc. She said in Jim's letter that Bella & Davey looked like a happy couple. I would have liked to been for a dance. I have not danced any since I left. Has Maggie McK left for America yet? I had a letter from Miss [A-lfad?] a short time ago. What about that knife of mine how many hands has it gone through by now? I would just like to have it now to sharp (sic) my pencils. I think I will close. Write soon don't wait for a letter from me. I enclose a piece of my dress. Give my love to all enquiring friends Goodbye M S [Mary Smyth?] for Liza alone (writing inverted by use of mirror) I have a notion of sending a few xmas cards to A. f & A Mc and a few others just for the fun. What you M S [Mary Smyth?] Transcribed by Kyle Smith |
