May 31, 1904

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

Dear Brother,

I received your letter a couple of weeks ago and I neglected writing since. The weather is very changable here, it would be a hot day to-day and to-morrow raining again.

I was telling you the last time I wrote that I wrote to Miss Reardon but I haven't heard from them since. They told me they would send some papers on civil service examinations but I suppose I won't hear from them anymore.

Peter Buckley is about getting a job in the North driving an engine in some factory. He used to get 2/6 a day whenever Jim Moloney would be away. He is the same old Peter as when you saw him last nothing troubling him but punching bags and developers. He tells me you must have great influence to get in any kind of a job in an office there and I want you to tell me is it so, and also if you could send me any circulars about the civil service. Whats troubling me is I might be too old when I go over to compete for any civil service exam. I am improving greatly in my writing, but this is not my best, and also all my other studies. I also spend half an hour at dumbbells before going to bed and I have put up great muscle since I began. A good smart fellow ought to get a nice job in an office in some big house or in a railway office. I am sure you should be very smart to pass a civil service examination over there as ther would be a lot competing for the same vacancy.

Deny Lyons died about a month ago, and Mike has taken up the auctioneering and the agency for booking passengers.

I hope you won't forget to send us your photograph, and I will shortly send our photographs because I have a small camera and if we got vacation I would take all of us and send them.

We would very much like to see your photograph now after been so long away. I promised to send some to Miss Reardon too but I won't until I hear from them again. If you were writing to them anytime you could ask them did they get my letter but I suppose they did. It must be lovely to be over there now coming on Summer. I would get very lonesome when I think of America or if anybody was talking about it. I suppose you would never think of coming back again like more of the fools. There are several around this town who went over for about three months and came back again as if they spent all their life there. The time won't be long slipping when I will be standing on American soil again. The Connor's have no talk of going now as when you were here. I think if Jim went over that time with you, you would have to carry him around with you, for he is very stupid to be talking to.

Father and all the children are all well at present and they are all quite well out at Tullig. Grandfather is still very strong and hardy.

As I have no more to stay I will remain

Your Dear Brother
Joseph Gleasure