Letitia Hester to Sarah Bracher, 18 December 1864

File: Letitia_1864_12_18.doc File:Letitia_1864_12_18.pdf

2010 March 8: typed by IB from a transcription made 10 August 1988 by H M Wilson, and checked against MS

Letitia Hester to Sarah Bracher, 18 December 1864

Transcription

Blackwood Grange

Dec^r 18 1864

My dearest Sister

I rec^d yours of the 21 Nov last night. I am very sorry to find you are still so much like ourselves regarding the things of this world, I wish I had it in my power to send you something more than this little bit of sisterly sympathy. I hope both you and I will live to see some brighter days than the past have been. Still our lot might have been worse what if we each had nine youngsters. Why if we did as some do with their income we should have nothing to spare out of eight hundred a year, at least that is the sum Ed has spent this year and no one can see what they have for it, of course he grumbles and says his family consume all he gets.

Robert & Ed have been out in the bush looking for land and I took the children & my black girl and stayed with Theodosia while they were away it only took them 3 days and E very kindly gave Rob^t £5.0.0 for his trouble. R has an order from a person in Bunbury to select a run for him for which he hopes to get from 15 to 20£ We are not in the new house yet want of means keeps us from finishing it. I suppose you have rec^d my last letter you must have missed it by returning to Kangaroo Flat about the time it got to Raybrook, I wish George would make up his mind to return to the Swan I’m sure he might do well in a short time, look at the numbers of persons that get on well that have not half the ability that you & your husband have. Rob^t says he is sure George might make a fortune in a few years at the North not as far away as dear Shake is but at Champion Bay. It’s my opinion if you were to write to Mr Shenton he w^d give you advice and help too. Walter Padbury told Robert that there is a great deal to do down there & a great deal of money always [indecipherable] went to the north just as I came here and he is now quite independent We are too far from the town for small farmers I hope I am not to spend all my days here and at last be laid to take my long repose under a Black boy or a Blackbutt, there are plenty of either

Jany 8 my little Reginald was 5 yrs yesterday. Rob^t is in the bush selecting Ramsay’s land and I am quite alone and have been for the last week. Rob^t has to chain the land and give a plan of it to be entered at the office. Two of Theo’s children have just been here they say their mama was not well enough to get up to breakfast. I hope there is not another youngster on the way. When we go to our new place we shall be 2 miles from the park, I have often been to the junction in the morng and to T’s in the afternoon and home by about 11 o’clock I’m not a bad wa[l]ker tho’ I am getting up the hill of life. We have some nice gooseberries growing in our garden (English I mean) and a good supply of other fruit there is a large pool at the back of the house where we frequently catch fish and what we call lobsters very large shell fish something like those they bring from Rottenest — Since I wrote the above my dear little girl has been very ill with Diptheria she is better now but not out of danger, and little Eva is very sick with the same complaint it is making sad work in the colony every mail brings word of some death Mr W Brockman has just lost a son about 18 years old, Mrs Adam Armstrong lost a boy last week 9 yrs old

Rob^t is going to Bunbury tomorrow and I have to prepare his things I shall write again soon but I could not let him go without this — Robert joins me in kind love to yourself George & the dear children — you must tell Amelia I should like a little note from her and believe me to be

Your affect sister Letitia