March 6, 1906

From: Joseph Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 82 West Canton Street, Boston, Massachusetts

Dear Frank,

We received your most welcome letter last week, and were surprised you did not write sooner.  February was a very bad month but we are getting some finer weather now.

I can understand from your letter that you did not get the pictures or the Christmas Cards I sent at Christmas.  I sent a letter also and another in January.  They must have been stolen or lost if you did not get them, for I was surprised when you said nothing about them.  I sent them the time the large picture and the handkerchiefs were sent.  Georgie and May also wrote you a letter about the time that you wrote yours, and I suppose you had changed at the time.  Work must be very scarce over there now I suppose.  It would be very hard to get back firing again I suppose.  A driver or conductor on an electric car ought to be a nice job if you could get it.  You wouldn't ever think of being a policeman I suppose, but I believe you must pass an examination for them.

I am going to ask you to take me over this summer.  I am only wasting my time here and if I waited any longer, I would be getting too old, I will be twenty years old next month.  I am learning short hand for the last six months myself, and in another few months I will be able to write it quick enough for an office.  So there will be no fear of me when I go over.  I couldn't stop here any longer idling around.  I took a prize too a short while ago for a test in handwriting, which was given by a civil service institute in Belfast.

Annie and May are very nice players now on the organ.  I never told you Georgie is able to play the violin.  He is quite a player now after father.  I have a photograph taken of him which I will send when I have some more ready.  It is a pity you didn't get the ones I sent at Christmas.  I will ride out on a bicycle to Tullig some Sunday and take the people out there soon.  They were in town last week and the old people are very strong yet.  The old man is about 81 years of age now.  I will send you some papers if you would care to see them.  There is not much of interest in the papers here.

I will now close hoping I will meet you this summer.  Write soon again, and trust in the Lord for he will bring us out of all difficulties.

I remain
Your loving Brother
Joseph