Letter from West Croskery (5 June 1897)

Transcription
S. S. ``Rosmore''

at sea

5$th$ June 1897

Dear Minnie,

I must tell you how shocked I was to hear of poor Alex's death. When I got home last voyage I had written you such a gossipy letter before, when at sea, I had let it go on, for I have such a short time in port that really I have not one minute to spare when in Liverpool. Last time only 54 hours so you see how quickly we are moved around.

Mary was very sorry. She always liked Alexander more than any of my brothers. He had such a kindly nature with him. Nora sent on your letter to Wallace at Eckington, and he sent word to Father. Poor old man he will I fear soon follow his Son. I have not seen him now for three years but hope to this fall. I fully expect that Mary and the two girls, Nora and Marion, will cross over to Dublin, when I return next to stay there for a month. I am sorry to say Mary is very far from well. Her heart has been giving her a lot of trouble as also a rupture of the navel, and being very stout, as you know, its very bad for her. However I hope the change, and at the sea shore, Bray or Dalthy, will do her good for she is a dear good wife to me, and I would not like to lose her. I am sure the old man will also be very pleased to see them again. I am sorry to say Fred's children do not pay the attention to Grandpa they ought to do, and so close to one another. Last voyage, I picked up 26 passengers of a shipwrecked steamer on the coast of Newfoundland, and brought them on to Liverpool. There was a very nice letter from them in the Liverpool papers of which I may be able to send you a cutting. I do not know if you will have heard of Capt. Herron, Capt. Weaver's father in law. He died just the day before I got in and I was at his funeral. His wife died just a month before. She had sailed always with him, and all the children were born at sea.

I was glad to hear your boys are able to do a little for you, dear Minnie, for you are and always were a brave woman, I was going to say girl but those days are gone, and I'm getting quite gray and bald myself. I see you have struggled nobly, so far, and I hope you will be able to pull through. I will not forget you now and again with a little help.

Does John live far from you? I suppose his son is also quite a big man and at business. Its a long time since I have had a line from him; Kindly remember me to him.

I am now on my way to Montreal again. We generally take about 28 days on the round trip, so that I'm every month at home, although only for a short time. During winter the St Lawrence is all frozen up, and then its to Baltimore. Last voyage out I had a dreadful time among the ice fields and thought at one time I was going to lose my ship as it was so dangerous among it. At the first of the season there is always a lot about. Our people are building a lot of new boats, and I'm in hopes of getting soon back in my old trade to Baltimore for this is far too risky a trade to be in with Ice, fogs and a bad coast to make. And there are times in fact nearly every voyage while close to the coast, I have not the clothes off me for five or six days. Hugh's daughter which was over on a visit sailed for Jamaica a few days before I got home. She had been for six weeks in Downpatrick. But with two babies, it can't have been much pleasure. Charlie Hugh and Henry are the only two not married now. I don't have any word of Wallace. So I suppose he is going to be an old bachelor.

Now dear Minnie, I will say good bye and will post this when I get out. Give my love to each of the boys and my niece. Tell her I wish she was nearer us to visit her cousins who grieve for her loss. God bless and comfort you. Mary desired me to give you her love and made me promise to write you going out.

With much love to yourself

I am your affect Brother

West