Urker March 13 1895

 

My dear Tom

 

            I must endeavour to write a line in reply to yours of Feb 6^th. Words cannot express how happy and thankful that letter made me. You say truly that I am just as much pleased as if the whole concern was my own property. That Bank is never out of my thoughts, and daily I entreat the Lord for it, as if it was one of my children. I often say and truly feel that I am not worthy of such a mercy as to know that two of my Sons [1] are the instruments of so much good. I always expected it from you, but I was not so sure of David [2] . Glad I am to find from your letter that he is giving such satisfaction and I had a letter from himself lately saying that his health is improving daily.

 

            You had not hear[d] of poor Aunt Brown’s [3] death when you wrote;  but of course the news of it has reached you long ere this. Her end was happy and peaceful; and they gave her a splendid funeral; a very foolish one to my thinking and quite contrary to her own expressed desire. She is buried in poor Willie’s [4] grave. She made a will some time before her death; but to this day Lizzie [5] never saw it nor heard it read. All she knows is that they have given her nothing. They make a complete step child of her and always did so. Dear old Gmother [6] departed this life just 15 years ago. Yesterday was the anniversary of her death. Well do I remember how she used to take you and Johnny [7] time about with her to Glenburn [8] and I remember Farmer the horse and Jack the pony as well as if I had seen them yesterday. What a dear old woman Grandmother was! everyone that knew her loved her; both poor and rich. I never ceased to regret her; though that is folly as she was 92 years of age 15 years ago.

 

            As I know that Mary Menary [9] wrote to you today, and I suppose gave you all our news. I need not write much A month since, each less time I could not have written any [10] ; but I am much better than I was all winter and able to rise out of my chair without being pulled up. And the stout old heart is as stout as ever it was.

 

            Julius [11] would be very anxious to come to Ireland; and we are all watching every day to hear from Tom [12] if they will come. They were at sea on the night of that awful storm on the 21^st Dec^r that did so much damage both on sea [13] and land. They slept through it all. How good God is.

 

            I wish you had sent me the report of the meeting at the Bank. I would understand that better than figures & would say Amen to all the praises they gave you. I could believe every word of it.

 

            Ten thousand times ten thousand blessings to you and yours, and an immeasurable quantity of love to you all from your affectionate Mother

                        Eliza Jackson