M.M. Rutherford & Co.
Grocers, Ironmongers 
Seedmen, Stationers
Paint, Oil & Color Merchants

Tue 10 Aug 97 
Ballybay

Dear Mr McCullagh [1]

               I send you 8 years rental and draft to balance please look over the whole [thi??] and see if it is correct  I dont know when I sent you the last rental  You see all [??] Gray [2] paid since 1888 is £8.17.5 nett.  We strove to make him pay as formerly and spent £2.18.6 in costs but the tenants got the rents reduced and all the parties suffer the same in future you will get something after paying the amounts due to Gray the whole property is awfully mixed  When you get this write at once and I hope to have 1896 rents by then and will forward them as soon as ever I get them and in future I will send you every year a/c complete in itself.  Please look did I send you a draft in 1895 I thought I did but cannot lay my hands on the duplicate but you will know I am sure whether I have entered all I have sent you correctly.  Your brother Andrew [3] died at Slieveroe on 21st July took something on his lungs was about two weeks sick your brother James [4] was with him for near a week before he died.  I suppose you know he has sold Derryvalley and Drummuck sold all out and is living in Lodgings in Warrenpoint still keeps [Annamere] I am managing it for him.  I believe he has plenty to keep him and he is improved and seems quite content

Andy [5] made a will left all to the wife [6] in trust for his children

  I hope you and family are all well Thank God we are all well here

    With kind regards

              I remain

                     Yours sincerely

                           M M Rutherford [7]