Letter written by Thomas Gribbin [?], Philadelphia, to Patrick Gribbin, Anahorish, Castledawson
1110 Sumerset Street Port Richmond Philadelphia July 29th 83 Dear Patrick Your letter came safe to hand I was thinking that mabe [maybe] you were to get a an- other from me before you would write & so you could if I was a writer of any account but I am such a poor hand at it that it is a task for me to answer the ones I get. But I hope to long able to answer yours that is if we cannot talk otherwise then by letters. There is times when people meet pleasure mingled with savour. And that is often the case when I get a letter from you telling me of the beauty and pleasure of my native land. and the joys that are gone and the friends that are no more I move ---- or see any one that I could talk to about the fields and roads I used to roam in boyhood days. All the walks scenes and sounds still keep fresh in my memory and the neighbourhood kind & true with ------- pleasant & free I often think is it fate that drove me from home. Well as for general news I have got none for I must fill letter with with something you see by the heading of my letter that I have changed my boarding house I am now in the upper part of the city working in a shipyard I am helping a little fellow from The J.Head Jack Straw is his name. I am working steady this summer for so far but do not know how long it may last. I am glad to hear of you being able to hold your own these times and prospect of doing better I suppose Mary & Eliza will be Going a usual to see the Isle that Is crowned with shamrocks I wish them pleasure on their visit I got a letter from William down east he expected Hugh to pay him a visit soon Well neither me nor the spirit had moved yet in the direction of making a change of life I dont care how soon we would both move if it was for the better But I have not found out yet who is going to move in the same diriction [direction] for spirit or no spirit I cant [cant] do it myself I cant [cant] tell you much about any of the neighbours here I do not visit many of them I go once in a while to see Thomas McGrogan he lived down in the lower part of the city & keeps a Segar [Seggar; Sugar?] Store Eliza Stinson is married again to a man by the name of Galligher James & his care is doing as well as could be expected I may go out to him in winter This month has been verry [very] warm I think hotest [hottest] of the summer is over after next month is comes the pleasan- est [most pleasant] season of the year in this country if ever you visit America come in September or October American scenery in fall is rich I am scribbling this on my knee you will hardly be able to make it out when the spirit moved me I might have something better Yours TG [Thomas Gribbin?]Close