Urker May 15^th 1895

My dear Tom

            Yours of April 11^th has come to hand. Many thanks for your kind notice of my birthday. I have received numerous congratulations on reaching my 80^th year. I ask them are they glad that I am so old that in the course of nature I cannot be expected to live much longer? They all disclaim that idea. Thanks be to God and to the instruments of His goodness, I am as happy an old woman as in this world. Relieved from the burden of debt which was the plague of my life, comfortable in my circumstances contented in my disposition as well as can be expected in my health, and above all leaving the means of grace and the hope of glory. Your birthday will not be forgotten when it comes; it never is.

            Ere this reaches you, you will have learned that the greatest cause of anxiety that I have had for some time; the illness of dear little Julius [1] . But it was a great mercy that his illness took place here; for no strangers or hirelings could be expected to pay him the same attention that his Aunts have done, & are doing. Sally [2] and Mary [3] sit up with him every night; Sally in the beginning of the night and Mary in the latter part of it. D^r McBride [4] visits here every day, & D^r Wilson [5] of Castleblayney has been thrice here.  Since the 27^th ult. he has been confined to bed, but is not suffering pain and is the most quiet and patient creature imaginable. The Doctors say that his complaint has been working on him for a length of time & they said from the first that his recovery would be tedious, but now they say that he is getting on as well as can be; but that he must not go back to England till his health is quite restored. Julius himself is delighted at the thought of staying in Ireland; he jumped with joy when he heard that he was to stay.

            Beatrice [6] and Tom [7] are here still, they did not like to go while Julius was considered to be in danger.

            Beatrice Brown [8] is again ill with jaundice; she has had many attacks of that complaint. To this day she and Hugh [9] never showed Elizabeth [10] either her father’s or Mother’s will, nor never gave her the least portion of their property. It was always hard to understand the doings of that family. They are still in Sandymount [11] for Beatrice could not be removed.

            Old Aunt McCullagh [12] and Johnny [13] are still living, but no hope of recovering. Aunt Bessy [14] has grown very frail and weak & James [15] is still in the same way. Peggy [16] & her family have had influenza, but are better.

            The Gilmores [17] and Browns [18] are all well. How thankful I am that you can say the same of your family, and of the old cow [19] ? Blessed be God, you will be surprised when you see your own Tom [20] , & Beatrice [21] ; they are both very tall & Beatrice very pretty.

            With ten thousand times ten thousand blessings to you and yours, I am your ever affectionate Mother,

                        Eliza Jackson