|
Jamaica Jany 12th 1872
My dear Phil
Packet after packet arrives and I get no letter from you which makes
me feel very uneasy. After having found my Son I do not wish to lose
him again whilst I live. I know that you have many things to occupy
both your time and thoughts, but when you are tired or busy am I
asking too much for
my daughter
to write a few lines to her Mother for husband?
I am aware I have been somewhat
remiss in not writing of late as often as I should have done, but I
was in daily expectation of the vessels arriving in which
Augustus
was to go to New Orleans. She did arrive here in Novbr but was
immediately seized for her owners debts, so that we were all
disappointed, and I had not the means of paying his passage from here
to New York and from there on to you, so Augustus is now trying to
save as much as will enable him to go to you about April. This delay
has been both an annoyance as well as expence to me, but I trust all
will turn out for the best in the end.
We are all as we were when last I
wrote you, but I think
Hannah
has written you since I did. I have been anxious to hear of you and
yours, and also of Kissy
since this
fearful fire in Chicago but trust it was too far away for you
to have suffered from it. Myself and
Lizzie's two children
have been spending our Christmas holiday with the
Revd. George Hall
his wife and three children, his sister Sophie, and poor
Henry's
two girls Lydia
and Alice, and a
very happy time we have had. The Children and myself will return to
Falmouth next week. You would I am sure be delighted with Lydia and
Alice Swire. They are two very nice girls, and very pretty also. Lydia
is very like my Lizzie and Alice is like her dear Father, so now you
can fancy what they are both like. I will try to send you cartes of
them when Augustus goes to you.
Well! I think I have been writing
quite enough about ourselves, it is time, I should make some enquiries
after your dear Wife and little ones and alltoo last not least about
your own dear self. I trust all are going on well; I brought up the
cartes you sent me, and every one admires your wife and children, but
Sophie says she would not have recognized in the cross looking Man,
the merry Boy she remembers in years gone bye, but that for all that
she was delighted to see even that likeness.
I heard by the last mail from
Roger Swire. He
is living in Dubuque, Iowa. He says he intends writing you and asked
for your address in hopes that he might do so for as you are his only
blood relation in America he would like to know you. He is a good
steady lad, a good Son to his Stepmother and a very good Brother to
his Sisters.
I wish I could give you good
accounts of our dear Lizzie but she is struggling on in her poverty
striving to support her poor Fatherless ones but oh! it is such a hard
task. I seldom hear from
Fashy,
but frequently from Hannah and
Emily. They with their families are all in Status quo.
I think I must now have quite tired
(?) you out, so will conclude this scrawl with wishing you and yours
many happy years, and my best love to you all in which I am joined by
all here and with my blessing on you and yours and earnest prayers for
your welfare. Believe me my dear Son.
Your affectionate Mother,
F. L. Swire |
