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Falmouth Augst
7th/71
My dear Son
Your welcome letter of the 8th July reached me on the 5th instant,
many thanks for the nice Photos enclosed. My little namesake I and
Lucy think very
pretty and very like her dear brother only having your mouth and eyes
but the expression is Mama's. The wee ___ is pretty also but her hat
is too much over her face. I think there is a great likeness
between Fanny
and her angel Brother, he too must have been very like his Mother. Her
pretty dark eyes and lovely ______ with her likeness. We are all much
pleased but you my dear Son look almost as old as your Mother and
Lizzie says you
have grown an ugly fellow (but you know she was always a saucy child)
but she adds you are just as dear to her as ever. She sends fondest
love to you all but has not time to write you by this mail.
Augustus is still here waiting an opportunity for New
Orleans. He is staying with a friend of ours in the Country who has
three Estates under his charge and he says he finds him so useful to
him in aiding him with his Plantation work that he only brings him
down occasionally to church when he drives his Wife and
Gus all down
together and the poor fellow is looking quite a different being since
he has been amongst us, both his sisters and myself can contradict,
Lizzie in whose house he always sleeps when in Falmouth, never has
anything more than a cup of Tea or Coffee to give him, and his days
are spent when in the Town with Lucy, if she offers him a glass of Rum
and Water with his dinner will take it, but if she does not ask him,
he drinks water and as he came to us on the 24th May, we have
certainly had time to judge of his habits. I can only say God forgive
the person who ever it was that so maligned him. He would have written
you himself but from his only seeing with the left eye it is a task
for him to write. We are hoping a vessel will be here shortly for New
Orleans for I cannot afford to send him by way of New York as he's
travelling by land from there to you would greatly increase the
expence. I shall be much obliged if you can send the ten pounds for I
have been obliged to borrow it from my true friend
Mr. Barker so as
to have it by me at any moment that vessel comes in to pay his passage
here.
Lucy and her Boys are well, she sends much love
for you and says she will pen you a yarn when Gus goes and by him you
will receive all the Cartes that are worth sending but we have more
that have been taken lately and there is now no artist in Falmouth.
I could not help smiling at your saying you
hoped in a few years to pay me a visit here. You must my dear Child
have forgotten that your Mother is now in her 71st year and can only
count now by days not years. I must not omit to tell you that your
Aunt Elizabeth
sent me from Yorkshire three months ago five pounds with which I was
enabled to assist my poor Lizzie in paying her rent, and Elizabeth
Mellin as you would perhaps remember her better as.
Cousin Charlie,
sent me the like sum with which I got warm clothing for Gus. My paper
is full so I must close this. Very much love for my daughter Anna and
yourself and Kisses for the dear Children from
Your loving Mother,
F. L. Swire
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