July 26, 1904

From: Joseph Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 459 Cambridge Street, Allston, Mass

My Dear Brother,

I am very sorry I didn't answer your letter sooner, but we were cleaning up the shop as I have vacation. We painted the outside and cleaned and whitewashed the shop on the inside. May and George are out at Tullig for the last two weeks. We got the two bundles of papers you sent, and were very interesting, especially the articles about Jeffries and Munroe, but we didn't see the result. If you could get any of the papers with the results of the battle and send them, for I am anxious to know who won.

There was a fellow came home lately Hardon is his name, he said he was speaking to you often. There are a lot of people coming from America this year. Hardon said there are any amount of men out of work in Boston when he was coming back.

I suppose you heard that you can go to America now for £2 and £2-10 from here. 

I didn't take any pictures yet with my camera but when May and George come back I will take their pictures and some more around and send them to you.

I tok Peter Buckley the other day after a swim with his biceps strung up. He uses the dumbbells every day yet but he isn't as strong as he should be. I sent away for a pair of 4 lb. dumbbells because the two pounders were too light. Any fellow should use them for a few years to make him hard and strong to bear the hardships of the world.

I would like to be an engine driver in America, but I think I wouldn't be strong enough to go through the firing part of it. I was thinking if I stopped another year at school and when I go over, if I didn't like office work, I could try for the firing job. It's a pity you lost that job firing, you would only have a couple of years more to serve when you would be a driver. The trains go mighty quick over there, but they are only like snails here. It is a very honourable thing to have an express running 60 miles and hour under your finger.

We had the big July fair yesterday. It was a very small fair and hardly anyone in town.

Don't forget to send your picture soon, and I won't be long taking our pictures. We would like very much to see your photo, and I suppose you would like to see ours, too. As I have no more to say, I will remain,

Your loving brother,
Joseph Gleasure