Urker July 17^th 1895

My dear Tom – As Mary Menary [1] is about on a visit to M^rs Wright [2] , I must endeavour to write to you, though I am a bad hand at it. My first item of news is that poor old Aunt McCullagh [3] died on the 12^th inst. very peacefully. I am now “the pickle next the wind”; the oldest person in the family; in fact the only old person in it except poor Aunt Bess [4] , who is very weak & frail, even more so than I am. Johnny McCullagh [5] is still lying without much if any hope of recovery & James Donaldson [6] is as bad as ever; they are heart broken with him. Beatrice Brown [7] is still ill with jaundice; she rises for a little while every day, but never leaves her own room.

Now for the good news. Julius [8] is doing well; though D^r McBride [9] (who examined him last Sabbath) says that some days of his complaint remain still. But he is able to be up every morning & to take his meals with the rest. There was some rumour about him going to England; but I will not let him go until the D^r assures me that he is perfectly fit for it. Both Doctors say that his complaint had been working on him for a length of time; and they always said that his recovery would be very tedious. But thanks be to God that he recovered still. We often thought that we would have to lay him beside his little sister in Creggan [10] . He was the most patient & obedient little sufferer that ever I saw. He is a sweet little fellow; just as harmless as when he used to be sweeping the leaves before the door. Nothing could exceed the care his Aunts Mary [11] & Sally [12] took of him; they sat up with him every night through the whole of his illness, & D^r McBride visited him every day & sometimes twice a day. I gave D^r McBride the whole of the ten pounds you sent; none of us thought it a penny too much. He was very thankful & would have taken less. Eliezer [13] will pay D^r Wilson [14] out of Cavananore [15] money. Andy’s [16] Tom [17] has had a relapse; he made too free, which makes one the more particular about Julius. Tom looked right well during the fortnight that I spent in Forsterstown [18] , but D^r O’Reilly [19] said the remains of the complaint were there still; you can see he was right. Tom was worse than Julius; he was suffering from the complaints at once; influenza, whooping cough, & water on the lungs; for which last, an operation had to be performed. Julius escaped the operation, though he was in danger for some time. Four of Andy’s children were ill at once. Emily [20] told me that she did not take care of her clothes for five weeks.

            As for house news, we are all well & the old place is kept in good order. The road is not finished, nor will not be this year; but it is passable. The crops look well; and thanks be to God, everything prospered with me since I became sole manager, except the Prairie flower [21] ; she will never do another turn of work; but I could not find in my heart to get her put to death. I sent her abroad thinking she might have a foal but no foal came. Foaly [22] is a splendid horse & well supplies her place. It was proposed to me to sell him; but nobody loves a good horse better than I do, so I kept him for myself. Poor white lily [23] was got lying on the road in a dying state about a year ago; she seemed to have been worried; but no one saw it done, or knew what did it. She was the last of your Father’s pets. I was very sorry for her, but not so sorry as I was for the death of Dick [24] . Julius has a pet kitten in which he takes great delight. I do not know how he will leave it behind.

            I think from what Minnie [25] wrote, that she intends to be home before next summer; it would surely be more pleasant for her to be near her children; but what about you? Glad as we would all be to see you; I fear that “the old cow” [26] would not do so well without you. She never throve in your absence. Still I would not say a word to discourage Minnie from coming home. She must have fretted awfully about Julius; & it seems from what you wrote that Hongkong does not agree with the younger children, they are so liable to take turns of fever there. May the good Lord direct you all for the best; for it is not in mortals to direct their steps.

            These kingdoms are now in the throng of a general election. I hope that God will keep out the Home Rulers. Confusion to them for a pack of rascals.

            Thompson Brown [27] came up to see us. He is a fine looking young man; the East seems to agree with him. Sam Gilmore [28] is also a fine young man & your Tom I verily believe is as tall as yourself.

            I have no anxiety at present about any of my children or grandchildren, except Andy’s Tom; for Julius I hope is out of danger, if he takes care of himself.

            That the Lord may bless you all, from the eldest to the youngest is my daily prayer.

            With love to Minnie, Kathleen, Amy, Dorothy, and the younger children, & most of all to yourself, I remain your ever affectionate Mother

                        Eliza Jackson