| Title: | M. Smyth, Ontario, to E. C. Smyth, Co Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2971 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Mary/38(2) |
| Year | 1903 |
| 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. | 0505578 |
| Date | 19/11/1903 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 953 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Miss E C Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Ireland. [Stamped] ST THOMAS 14 DE 7 03 ONT. [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART AM 10 0 DE 19 03 [Page 1] Coll. Inst. St. Thomas., Nov. 19th 1903 Dear People All, I suppose you will wonder what has become of me when you have not got a letter for so long but I suppose by this time you will know the cause as Jim told me he wrote one or two letters. Well I may begin and give you a full account of all. I think it was Thursday the 25 or 26 of Oct that I got a letter for Annie at noon from Cassie telling her of her mother being sick and then that afternoon she got a telegram to go home so when I got home from school we had to prepare to go. and got there by 9.30 o'clock. There were quite a few people there as is usually [sic] in such places. The next day I had to get the work all done as Bell was [Page 2] was [sic] not in much humour of doing anything. Some of the neighbors helped with the work but I was the one who had everything to look after I never knew before that I could cook a meal I surprised them all and I may say myself too. Sarah came the next day after we got there and Tillie came the following Monday so she and I did the most of the work then From we went there were never less than ten for meals and from that to 22 we had twenty for dinner several days and then they could not all have dinner at once as some had always to stay with Aunt so we had always to have the second table Joe came the Saturday before Aunt died The doctors did not expect that she would live as long as she did [Page 3] Friday night I will write a little more tonight. continuing where I left off. She died Sunday night just at 6.15 or so I had everything on the table ready for supper when she died so of course there was no supper for quite awhile [a while?] after. They all felt bad and especially Bell she was a long time before they could get her pacified She suffered something awful. Those that were around her were glad to see her at rest. There were four and five sat up every night with her during the wake a few of the neighbours came in nothing like at home. The funeral was quite large. Service In the church and a prayer in the house and also at the graveyard. For the mourners there were three carriages Uncle, Bell, Charlie Annie and Leslie in one and Cass & Fred & Howard & Glen [Page 4] and Sarah & Joe in the second and Jim & Tillie and I and Mr & Mrs Padden in the second. We were all dressed in black I had to borrow a jacket and a hat as I had no black up with me. [Joe scored out] and Tillie and Jim went away the night of the funeral also Mrs & Mr Paddon of Windsor. Joe and I left them down at the station Joe went away the next night and Sarah went Saturday morning and we left the following Tuesday night. Belle feels awful bad she goes around and never says a work [word?] unless you ask her something. Everybody talks to her and tells her that it is not right for her to worry so much over Aunt. @@@@@@@@@but she thinks she can never live without her. She was conscious right to the last. [Page 5] and had them singing about two hours before she died. When we went up that night we all went up and spoke to her so the next day as I was up and just looked at her but she did not see me so about night she was asking where I was and if I had gone away again when I was not up to speak to her. She asked several times for me and I always hated to speak to her. She always talked to us telling us to be good and to prepare to meet her in heaven and such like. She lived a good life and was rewarded for it. But she suffered something awful especially the two days before. She moaned on Sat. night that we [she?] could not sleep the pain was so bad and they had to stand by her and could do nothing for her but give her morphine. Well I must stop about this subject though I could write three more pages on all that happened I suppose [Page 6] you will get a memoriam card as they have got them for all. Now as regards school I have got away behind with being so long out but I will have to study the harder. The weather is pretty cold here now we had some snow a short while ago Today is nice only a little chilly. Well I was sorry to hear of the departure of W.J. [Willie John?] I think I will write to him some day. to hear what he has got to say for himself. Got a paper from you the other day. I think you are about as long in writing as I am. This is Saturday I am trying to finish this up and post it today. I suppose you will know the cause of my delay by this time. I see the Orangemen still gather. Well now I wonder if none [sic] of them noticed me. I would like to see those [sic] all again. How is Master James? Did Bella get nervous when she was getting the baby christened I think I would have. I must quit now so Good Bye M. Smyth. [Mary Smyth?] Transcribed by Alan Houston |
