| Title: | Jane White, Goderich to Eleanor Wallace, Newtownards. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3299 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | White, Jane/8 |
| Year | 1856 |
| Sender | White, Jane |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Presbyterian?) |
| Origin | Goderich, Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Newtownards, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Wallace, Eleanor |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | D 1195/3/9: Presented by J. W. Russell & Co., Solicitors, 4 High Street, Newtownards, Co. Down. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9112090 |
| Date | 01/04/1856 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 29:11:1993 |
| Word Count | 960 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Eleanor Wallace [Newtownards?] [County Down?] [Ireland?] From: Jane White Goderich [Ontario?] [Canada?] April 1 1856 Goderich April 1st 1856 My dear Eleanor, I received your kind letter of January 16th I was glad to find you were all in the land of the living we have had a tremendous winter of it, but I hope it is nearly gone we had no January thaw this year but a close constant winter all the time, we may reasonably hope for an early spring after such weather, I suppose we will have a hot summer after so much cold, so many persons have been frozen to death this winter, if they fell down in the snow they never rose again, I fancy there is a great likeness between the winters of Canada and Russia, we had great talk of war with the United States, but it is no doubt nonsense, I hope it is a false report a large military force will likely be kept in Canada for some time, I think surely the Americans would not be so mad as to make any fuss at present How do you enjoy your health, I feel quite sickly at present, but I suppose I will get strong again when the weather gets good, so as I can go out and have a walk. I wish I had you to walk beside, I would like one of those long walks with you up the Belfast road, sometimes when alone and I begin to think, I often wish for my old home and then change again in my notion and try to fancy myself happier here, we are never contented in this world it would seem, I do not have much society with the exception of some young ladies, of course that is quite enough my former acquaintance, Miss Parke returned from New York last summer that pleased me very much she is the one who supplied your place to me since I came here though I like you better, now do not suppose I am [rubbing?] you with soft soap for indeed I'm sincere my dear Eleanor. I received a newspaper from you this morning containing an account of the reception of three young persons at a concert in Belfast, such a scene is something new in that Protestant town, but still one does not like to condemn it though I would rather keep my liberty either as a married or unmarried person, the scene must have been very grand and imposing, The Roman Catholics seem an enthusiastic people I never liked any I knew, I was slightly acquainted #PAGE 2 with a Lady here of that persuasion, my mother advised me to drop the acquaintance, I did so and do not regret it, they are so bigoted and uncharitable _ If you could conveniently enclose me a little migionette [mignonette?] seed and a little wallflower seed you will do me a great favour it will be time enough to sow it about the middle of May or even later, in this place. Mr Fred White is in Goderich still, he comes to see us sometimes I told him I was going to write to you, he sends his respects and begs of you to let his sisters know he received a letter from them and intends to answer it. Do you often see Mrs Hill, I suppose she is as pleasant as ever please remember us to her. I think you never saw such a fuss as is made here about learning to play on the piano every one [everyone?] who can manage it is getting pianos and such great instruments too, I fancy few of them will be of any use to them as the difficulty is to find teachers, the only one competent is a Mrs Charlesworth (I mentioned her name to you before) but she charges four pounds per quarter this some people think too much I never would give any instructions of the kind to anyone, I could do it just as well as her I soon snapped any one [anyone?] who asked me for lessons, any person knows I have no occasion, but I suppose they would give me the trouble for nothing, but I give Miss Clarke a lesson sometimes merely for friendship's sake, Remember me to Mrs Harrison tell her I don't know when I am going to get married, I am always expecting to hear of your's you never tell me anything about it I suppose you intend to do it quietly, but do not be in a hurry, you and I have both plenty of time to wait, and should not let ourselves be blind to our own interests, but I do not say this to prevent you from marrying any time. How is Mrs Andrew Moore, remember me to her. The railway is further awy from us than we thought it has passed into the hands of an English company, so we will not have it for two years it seems, but it is bound to come now, the Canadian Company who had it before did not give any satisfaction as usual. I hope your mamma is quite well, give my kindest love to her not forgetting your dada. How is Anne Dobson does she go to your house now at all, I suppose she is the same looking girl as ever, I never hear how Abigail does, but she lives in a wild far-away place but the places in this part of the country are improving very much, she lives about thirty miles away I think. I will hope soon to hear from you, I am sorry I cannot send you a more interesting Letter, but trust you will take the will for the deed, with kindest Love, I remain My dear Eleanor your ever sincere friend Jane My mamma sends her love |
