| Title: | Annie Allison, Ontario, to John J. Smyth, Castledamph |
|---|---|
| ID | 42 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Allison, Annie/20 |
| Year | 1904 |
| Sender | Allison, Annie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Castledamph, Co. Tyrone, N. Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John J. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | niece-uncle |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth. |
| Doc. No. | 604123 |
| Date | 21/1/1904 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1293 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. John J. Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge County Tyrone Ireland [Stamped] ST THOMAS 20 JAN 22 04 ONT [POSTAGE STAMP] Canada Postage Two Cents 2 2 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] [-----?] [AM] 5 0 FE 5 04 [Page 1] St. Thomas Jan 21st 1904 Dear Uncle Aunt & Cousins you no doubt will be surprised at getting a letter from me but as I was not very busy thought I would write and give you some of the news we are all well here just at present had a letter from home the other day they have all been sick up there but are all on the mend again which we are thankful for. Mary read me part of the last letter she received from you folks in it Eliza wanted to know how much board she paid us. Dear Uncle I cannot understand what made you think she was [Page 2] paying her board am shure [sure] Charlie or I never thought of such a thing, we would have no more thought of asking board of Mary than one of our own sisters. When Mary was ready for High School we were living in Leamington Charlie & I told both she & Jim that Mary could come & stay with us & go either to High School or Business College which ever she wanted & it would save Jim paying her board in Essex but Jim would not hear of it he wanted her in Essex so he could help her he said but it was not that for Mary said he never went near her only to scold her. So when she had put her year in up there [Page 3] she decided as you already know to go to B.C. [Business College?] and as we had moved here in the meantime she asked us if we were still willing to let her come we told her certainly she could come in Welcome but such a thing as asking her to pay her board was never even thought of. I did tell her she might give me 25 cts. a week for her washing thought if she gave me that much I would put it away for her until [until] she would need it sometime. but so far it has taken all her Money paying for her Music School & buying her winter clothes she could not save any but thinks from now on she will be able to put some away. [Page 4] well when Mary had everything as she thought ready to go to Business C. [College?] Jim came down to Fathers one Sunday when we were all there and such a row as he kicked up there it was terrible. Well to try and please him Mary said she would go another year to school providing she could come here and go. he is scolding all the time about her spending his Money and yet he does not want her to go to B.C. [Business College?] where she could soon be earning for herself. She has been doing her best ever since she came out here to please him & is not any nearer it now than when she started and about her going up to the Debate he never even hinted to her that he wanted her to go. The first she had any [Page 5] Idea he wanted her to go was when she received your letter. another thing Jim did he tried to make hard feelings between Bella & Mary by telling Mary something that Bella never even thought of. Mary got herself a new Fur before Xmas & in so doing she run a little short of Money well she wrote Jim telling him what she had got and asking if he could let her have a little more money. When Jim got the letter he went down home & was finding fault to Bella about Mary spending so much Money. Bella told him he had Mary just as he had learned her. he scolded around & said it was to [too?] bad she could spend so much money on a Fur & he could not get an [Page 6] Overcoat. Bella said well Jim if you are so hard up as that a less expensive Fur might have done Mary then he turned right around & wrote to Mary telling her Bella said she did not know what need she had of a Fur & several other things making out Bella did not want to see her dressed well Just as though it made any difference to her how well Mary dressed. That is the way Jim is doing all the time telling things to suit himself no matter who else it hurts and I am shure [sure?] they have trouble enough at home without Jim going on as he is. Oh Uncle and Aunt you do not know how we miss our Dear Mother. Father especially it is a loss he will never get over [Page 7] no person knows what our heart aches are only those who have lost a good Wife & Mother but Gods ways are not our ways. do not know how we would have got along without Mary when Mother was ill. She took hold & did everything so nicely also at Xmas time when Bella was sick before she could get a girl, but she will not be forgotten for what she has done for us. regarding those people of my Sisters that Jim spoke of they are good deacent [decent?] Respectable people have lived up there for years & Jim is the first one I ever knew of to speak a disrespectable [disrespectful?] word about them but of course they do not spend all they have in style & that is Jims God, style is all you [Page 8] hear from Morning to night when Jim is around. if he were earning half as much money as Charlie does & have the home we have none of his Relations dare look near him but thank goodness we have a higher aim in life than all style and parties but enough of that. we are having a very severe winter here the coldest I ever remember that is steady cold. The Thermometer as [has] hovered around zero & from that to twenty below for fully two months now Mary is certainly getting a taste of Canadian Winter but she does not seem to mind it as much as I do. She is having quite a time learning to skate & is getting along nicely Glenn & Leslie are at [Page 9] it also and they all have great times. Tell cousin Bella we would like for her to send us a Photoe [photo] of that wonderful Baby we are very anxious to see her. Glen has a great time calling Mary Auntie. well think I have written you all a long letter for the first and as it is getting late had better close and go to bed Mary is writing also. Charlie is away from home so much I would get very lonely if it were not for Mary if she makes up her mind to stay out here & go to Business Co. [College?] we will be glad to have her with us. She is just like one of our own Family. Charlie is more like a brother to her than Jim & advises her when she needs any [sic] which is not very often. [Page 10] Mary does not know I am writing this letter, no person but myself, thought it would do no harm to let you know how things are for Mary’s sake not that it makes much difference to us what Jim says about us so unless you like you need not say anything about it but suit yourselves. I am living in hopes of sometime getting over there to see you all and hope when you have spare time some of you will write to us. With love & kindest remembrances to all I remain your loving Niece & Cousin Annie Address Mrs. C.H. Allison Box 1103 St. Thomas Ont. Transcribed by Liam Boyd |
