Friday, July 27, 2012

July 1, 1909

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St. Allston, Mass

My dearest Frank

I received your letter last night and was very glad to hear from you.  We are having very warm weather over here now.  We got those books that you sent us also the post-cards they were very nice.  I hope you won't forget that book I asked you about.

We had the annual Sports here last Tuesday, they were very nice, and there was a great crowd of people at them, we are having a Feis on the 4 July.

It is surprising to say that any of them out at Tullig don't write to Mrs Morris, I must tell them the next time I see them what she thinks of them.  I never wrote to her but I will do so this week.

Ye will have some good time about the 4 July, it will fall on Sunday this time, but father told me a few days ago that the day after will be kept a holiday as it is falling on a Sunday, you ought to send us a bundle of papers after that day, as we want to see how ye got on, put in some comic papers for George as he finds great pleasure in them when he gets any of them, he shows them to the boys around this place and they have a great laugh over them.

Would you like to go up where Mrs Morris is living.  she would be delighted I am sure to get you up there.

You will have to be looking out for a place for me in three or four more years as I intend to go over there when I am old enough.  I hate this old place also Annie does, we are about sick and tired of it, if I once got out of Ireland it would be a while before they would see me back to it again.  Don't forget to send the papers.  I don't think I have anymore to say at present so I will close Hoping to here from you very soon again.

I remain
Your loving sister
Mai.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

June 6, 1909

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St. Allston, Mass U.S.A

My dearest Frank,

I received your letter a few days ago and was very glad to hear from you.  I hope you are well as we all are at present.  I have got my teeth they are a lovely set, I found them very awkward at first but I am quite used to them now, it is too bad about your teeth decaying they must be awfully dear over there to say that you have to pay 8 pound to settle them.  I suppose you did not hear about the tax that was put on liquids and other things over here, the government wants L15 millions this year so they have put on a tax There is 2/9 put on every gallon of whiskey and 8 pence a pound raised on tobaco and all the factorys and manufacturing places are taxed even the motor cars has to pay so much a year, & the licenses are twice the amount now according to the population, I think the people in Listowel will have to pay about L12 pound licenses now instead of L [6 7.6?].  How are times going now over there they are very slow here.  The Annual Big Sports are going to be on the 29th June.  and the Tralee Races are to be on the 16th and 17th June.  I don't think that we will have any races in Listowel this year.  I hope you will not forget to send that book that I asked you for I want it badly and as soon as I can get it.  We never get a letter from Mrs Morris now I don't think we got one for the las 8 or 9 months.  Father did not say anything about what you said about Annie yet.  It would be nearly time that she had something to do for herself now.  I suppose you know about the cheap fare that is from America over to this country has Mrs Morris any talk of coming home this summer, because she was going to come last year to see the old people.  They were in from Tullig last Friday they are very strong for their age especially the old man.  they are getting the old age pension 10/ shillings a week fro the two.  I hope that you will write very soon again and don't forget the book

I remain
Your loving sister
Mai.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

June 1, 1909

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Co. Kerry, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St. Allston, Mass U.S.A.

My dearest Frank

I hope it is not anything that is wrong with you as you are not writing, did you get my last two letters it is nearly two months since you wrote last I have got in my false teeth now they are a lovely set.  Mind that you write as soon as you get this as we don't know the reason of your writing.  Hoping to hear from you very soon.

I remain
Your loving sister
May Gleasure.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

April 13, 1909

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St. Allston, Mass. U.S.A.

My dearest Frank,

I got your letter a short time ago but neglected answering it before now.  Dodey Nolan died a short time ago her sisters did not come home at all.  Jim Parkinson is leaving home to day he only stopped a week at home, Those last book that you sent were very nice also the last papers.  We are playing on the organ again.  We had a great foot-ball match in town last Sunday (Easter Sunday) it was a match between Kerry & Dublin Dublin won the game.  There was an awful crowd in town, there was a cheap excursion from Dublin 8/ shillings for a ticket to last three days, there was a lot of fighting in the evening a police man came near being killed he had to be carried to hospital.  I suppose you remember that Ned Dillon that called on you one Sunday I heard that he is now working in the same place that Joe was working.  I am going to ask a request and that is would you be able to send Annie & I some money a pound each if you could spare it, we are awfully hard up at present and we want to get a few things for the summer.  I hate asking you to send us money but I will not do it again for a long time again.  I will be taking the impression of my gums on Thursday so I will have my teeth very soon I don't think that I have any more to say at present so I will close Hoping to hear from you very soon again

I remain
Your loving sister
Mai.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

April 3, 1909

From: Mai Gleasure, Listowel, Square
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A

My dearest Frank,

I received your most welcomed letter a few days ago and was very glad to hear from you. The weather here is not to good for the last few days. The girl of the Nolan's that you spoke about arrived last night, I suppose you remember the one that use to wear the glasses, her name was Dodey, she was sick and died yesterday morning her sister was not home in time to see her before she died it was consumption that she had. Do you remember Jim Parkinson the policeman that was out in Canada well he arrived here yesterday he is a detective and caught a fellow out in Canada that was missing for the last year, he was a German, so he had to carry him over to Germany, and then he came home. Mary Ann is not at home for the last seven years except on holidays she is a milliner up near Dublin some place. Henry Gleasure is back near Tralee working for a parson and taking care of the Church back there. They are all very well out at Tullig. I am collecting post cards all the time we have a lot of them now, hope you will send us some more. We opened our organ a short time ago. We got the books that you sent alright, they were very nice ones. The next time that you are sending any to me, I'd like if you send me "Kingdom of Love and other poems". written by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It is a collection of poems suitable for recitations and readings, and I want to learn some of the recitations so I hope you will send it to me as soon as you can. Or if you can't get that one get one called Maurine by the same author I think I will be getting my teeth next week, he is going to take the impression of my gums today. We did not get a letter from Mrs Morris for a long time now. Has she any talks of coming home this summer I'd like if she came home. I don't think I have any more to say at present so I will close hoping to hear from  you very soon Hope you will enjoy a happy Easter
I remain
Your loving brother sister
Mai.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

March 9, 1909

From: Mai Gleasure, The Listowel Square
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass., U.S.A.

Dearest Frank,

When I was writing last week I forgot to put in some Shamrock it will remind you of old Paddy's day here in Ireland. We had a heavy fall of snow since I wrote to you last. The weather is lovely we are getting the real spring now. Hoping you are well as we all are at present.
I remain
Your loving sister
Mai.


Shamrock from May, Mar 1909

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

March 4, 1909

From: Mai Gleasure, Listowel, Square
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St, Allston, Mass. U.S.A.

My dear Frank,

I received your letter yesterday morning and was very glad to hear from you. We have very cold frosty weather here now, with hardly any rain, we had a small fall of snow last night. They did not win any more money the dogs since, they had them in Tralee last week, but they only brought a couple of pounds with them. The coursing is over now until October, we have a pup 6 months old is he the funniest little grey-hound, he will be in racing condition next season.

We got the two bundles of papers alright the last ones you sent were very nice, I hope you will not forget those books. The old folks out at Tullig are all well, they are getting the Old Age pension (10/ a week for the two). Old George Parkinson and his wife died about three weeks ago. Rich Parkinson got married to one of the Pollards I heard that Jerry Carroll is getting married over there on Easter Sunday. There is another one of them going out there in a short time he has got his ticket to go. I am going to school still  I wish that I could have off going I am the biggest one that is going there now and George is the next and then there is only a pack of young infants all the big boys & girls have left this year. Do you ever see any of the Buckley girls now? I don't think that I have any more to say at present so I will close. Hoping to hear from you very soon again
I remain
Your most loving sister
Mai.

I thought that you were going to change your address.

Monday, July 16, 2012

January 13, 1909

From: Mai Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St, Allston Mass, U.S.A.

My dear Frank,

I received you letter last night and was very glad to hear from you. We are getting some very bitter weather over here now. We got the book you sent us at Xmas they were very nice but I did not like the stories that was in Annies & mine I would rather a book with cheap covers and nice stories than those with the good bindings. I am glad that you liked those Sticky backs, there is not anybody in town at present for taking them or else Annie would take hers and send it to you. I was delighted to get those ones that you sent us they are very nice. Our dog (Guiless Girl) won a Stake down in Limerick last Thursday (Jan 7) But Gay Gladiator was cheated because I am sure they they not want all the money to go to the same man. They are going to some other part of Limerick next Wednesday. I am sending you the slip of paper about the coursing.

They are about building a rectory in Listowel this year, we had a meeting about it to day we had a party after the meeting.

Will you send us some more books soon if you can, we will soon have you robbed from sending them to us when you are getting them get ones with cheap covers and they will have nicer stories. Or if you could get some journals I am sure they would have some nice reading in them such as The Ladys Home Journal or Youths Companion if you can get them. I got a lot of presents this year I have written a list of them on next page. I don't think I have any more to say at so I will close Hoping you will write very soon again
I remain
Your most loving sister
Mai



A post-card album. A pen knife. A box of honey. A silk handkerchief. A Gold bracelet. A brooch. A pendant. Two pairs of kid gloves A purse. and a book from yourself. Annie and I got a pair of kids gloves each from Cashmans in Cork I suppose you know we are dealing with them.

Results of the 7 Jan 1909 coursing match from the Irish Independent

Sunday, July 15, 2012

December 16, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A.

My dear Frank,

I hope this will find you in good health, as we all are at present. What kind of weather are ye getting over there now, we have a fairly good winter so far, we hardly have any rain, but frost.

We sent you some presents I hope you got them all right, how did you like the sitcky backs. Annie is writing to you one of these days. I think I had a card ready to send to you and we forgot to put it into the box. I am sending it to you now. I don't think I have any more to say now at present so I will close. Wishing you a happy christmas and a bright and prosperous New Year.
I remain
Your loving sister
May

Friday, July 13, 2012

December 1908 [Christmas postcards from the family]


A Christmas greeting
Hoping you are well
G.G.


A Happy Christmas
Wishing you a merry Christmas & a happy New year


Glad Christmas Greeting
"Night on the waves, and moon is on high
Hung like a gem on the brow of the sky" - Hervey
From May with best Christmas wishes

Thursday, July 12, 2012

November 27, 1908

From: Helen A. Reardon, S. Natick
To: Frank Gleasure, Brighton, 28 Herrick St., Mass.
4 Franklin St., Alls.

My dear Frank.

Will you come out and spend the day Sunday? We have thought about you a great deal and I have inquired at the Station for you but we do not hear anything.

We certainly hope you can come.

Very sincerely
Helen A. Reardon

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

November 21, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A.

Dearest Frank,

I received your last letter & was very glad to hear from you. We have had the finest weather you ever saw over here for this time of the year, but it is very wet today. We did very good business on the Nov. big fair we were kept busy the whole day. The photo's that you sent were lovely, I will not send mine untill I will be sending you something for Christmas George has one of his to send to you also, we have one of our grey hound that we are sending too, we had him at the coursing match in Tralee, but he lost his course he is a very good dog, we are putting him in again for St Stephens day.

We got the bundles of papers that you sent we got a bundle this morning. There is going to be a lady teaching the fiddle in town now she is a splendid player. We did not play our organ since, I am longing for a play on it. I got a lovely church hymn book with the much for a prize at the Sunday school exam. this year and George got a story book.

I suppose ye had a fine time at the election I saw some post cards of the new president that came from New York I hope you will send us some of them. Don't forget to send us some more books when you have time we have got another grey hound pup, we got him from the Fitzells down at Tocherbarn, so we have three of them now. I will send you something for Christmas about next week. Hoping to hear from you soon again

I remain
Your fond sister
May

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

October 8, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A.


My dear Frank,

I received your most welcomed letter last night and we were very thankful for what you sent us. We had very good races for the last two days, father and George went to the island the two days so I had to stop at home but I had good times from 7 till 10 for I was let out then.

Dick McCarthy died this morning, he got a fall off a ladder about a fortnight ago and split his head. He got all right then, and was walking about, and in two days he had to go to bed again, it was the way that Dr. Dillon did not sew his head right and Dr. Lane did half wash it, so it turned into blood poison I did not send those papers that I promised you, because I was out at Ballyhenessy for a few days I will send you some now so you will see all about the races. When the people were coming across the bridge yesterday there was an awful crowd on it and about the middle of it down it went and in all the people went to the water. father and George were on the bridge and John Parkinson told them to stand back for a half an hour to let the crowd go and so they went back and they were hardly of the place where it broke when it went down so then they had to around by the road. There was one man nearly drowned he was carried into the castle hole and some other fellow went in after him. I think I will close now, hoping to head from you soon

I remain
You loving sister
May

I will send you another one of my Stickyback in the next letter so hurry up and write. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

September 12, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A.

Dearest Frank,

I received your letter a few days ago and was very glad to hear from you. We are not getting very good weather here lately, it is very unsettled. We also got the books which you sent Annie's must have being delayed somehow or other because she did not get hers untill Wednesday morning, they are very nice books. The Tralee race's were held last Wednesday and Thursday, father and George went to them on Thursday they could not go on Wednesday because the rain was something awful on that day. We are having the Listowel races on the 6th and 7th October.

The old people were in from Tullig about a week ago, they are all well out there. Tom & Ned Dillane were home on their holidays, Ned is gone away again, but Tom is at home still, he won't go back until next Saturday. We got those P.C.'s you sent they were very nice one's I will send you some more later on. I heard that Myra Smyth was coming home, do you ever see her now.

John P. Buckley is home on his holidays now he is not a bit changed only that he got a bit stylish. I suppose you remember the Sullivan's the painters that were living in the Square, well they are left the town now and are gone to Dublin. I will send some papers on next Monday. Would you be able to send Annie and I something for the race's, if it was only a pound between us we would be very thankful, we don't like to be asking father for every little penny and half penny we want because you know the kind he is yourself. I think if you wrote to Annie I am sure she would answer to you, she doesn't like letter writing at all. Hoping you will write before the race's,

I remain
Your loving sister
May

Dear Frank,
I had to open my letter to let you know that we got three more books again yesterday morning are are very thankful also the lovely P.C.'s Hope you will not forget what I asked you for. before the races.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

August 4, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston. Mass. U.S.A

My dear Frank,

I received your letter yesterday morning and was very glad to hear from you. We are all quite well and we have some splendid weather here. We got the papers all right. Our vacation is nearly over now we will have to go back to school next Monday, George was out at Connor's for the last two weeks. I could not go out in the country atall as I had to stop in the shop, because father was doing up the house and we can't trust young Carroll in the shop by himself. I got two of my teeth taken out last Friday I am taking out some more to day, he told me I had not a single good tooth in my head except 6 or 7 of the lower ones, it is Dr. Lane that is taking them out. Matt Behan died since I wrote to you last. Last Saturday week he felt a little sick in the morning and said that he would stop in bed for awhile, in the evening they saw that he was getting worse so they sent for the three Dr's, and on Sunday morning about 9 o'clock he died, he had something wrong with his stomach. I will send some post cards this week. I hope you will not forget to send me some more books as I would like to pass the time away, it is very dull to be in the shop with nothing to do sometimes. We did not get a letter from Mrs Morris for a long time now. We had the annual sports here last Thursday they were a dead failure. there was no crowd here as they were held on a Thursday the weather was to warm and they were trying to get their hay saved. I am sending you another one of my photos I hope you will be able to get one of them enlarged. I hope you will answer this very soon again and don't forget the post cards.

I remain
Your loving sister
May

Saturday, July 7, 2012

July 6, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St., Allston, Mass, U.S.A

My dear Frank,

I hope this will find you enjoying the best of health as we all are at present home. We have some splendid weather here now you could hardly go out with it, there were two policemen went mad last week with the heat one was from Lyre and the other from Lisselton. We got the flags and books which you sent all right they were very nice flags we wore them last Saturday. I suppose you had a good time that day.

We are having a Feis in Listowel next Sunday and I think the annual sports will come on soon.

We are getting our holidays about the 20th of the months.

I am going to send some papers this week. Those were lovely P.C.'s that you sent with the books I have a good share of them now I must get some and send them to you Hoping you will write again very soon.

I remain
Your loving sister
May

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

May 23, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 4 Franklin St. Suite 2, Allston, Mass. U.S.A.

My dearest Frank

I received your letter on the big fair morning (13th May) and was very glad to hear from you.  We have fairly good weather over here now, but the last 2 days were very bad.  We were very busy on the big fair day we were kept busy from about 8 'oclock untillwe shut the shop we had to put out a very tough crowd at 10 oclock, I guess you know the kind they are.  The baliff came on Henry Gleasure last week and he had to sell his farm Rich Parkinson bought it and gave him L475 for it, he payed him yesterday and then father advised him to put it into the bank.  You know if Jane came around it it would not be long going.

We got the papers and books you sent, the book you sent me was something lovely I like books like that one was.  Hilda McCarthy is getting married in July to a Dr in Dublin they are to be married in London.  It is a swell affair you.  Did you get that last Sticky Back I sent you, you did not say anything about it, will you get one of them enlarged and send me one I would like to have one as all the one's that I had were taken from me.  Will you send us some flags the next time you are writing, for the 4th of July some nice ones now mind as we have not got any.

Rich Parkinson's mother died about a month ago.  Father and I went to the wake it was of a Sunday night.  And then Father and George went to the furnell it was of a Tuesday.

Write as soon as you can again.  I have no more to say at present.

I remain
Your loving sister
May

Monday, July 2, 2012

April 8, 1908

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 34 Hichborn Street, Brighton, Mass. U.S.A.

My dear Frank

We received your two letters last Tuesday and was very glad to hear from you.  We are having some fine weather now for the last week.  I must have forgot to mention the money which you sent to Annie and I, we got it all right and was very thankful to you for it.  Annie did not get any letters from S. Natick yet.  Paddy Connor is going to live down at Gentleman's lodge now untill he gets a more sutiable house, he brought his wife home  We are expecting her into town today this is a horse fair day in the town.  Annie did not get her sticky back taken the man went away sooner than she expected.  I am sending you one of mine, the girl that is along with me is Eva Cuthbertson she is my only companion.

The measels are raging in the towns and country now now, there are any amount dying form them, all the schools are shut up in towns and country alto ours.  The whole lot of Adam's children got them but they are rid of them now.  I saw by the papers that there was forty people died from them in Tralee during the last three weeks.

Did you get the P.C. which I sent you by post, do not forget to send the books which you promised us.  I will send those long promised papers this week for sure.  Will you try and get our Sticky backs enlarged and send us one of them.  Dick McCarthy is giving up business in Listowel he is having a cheap sale father was down there yesterday and Dick carried him out to the stores and when he came he told us that he couldn't sell out the things that are there for the next 3 months, there are some of them things there for the last 15 years or more.  We are all quite well at home here I hope you are the same way.  There are two girls from convent street going to America this morning I expect they are halfway to Tralee by this.  I will close now as I have no more to say.  Hoping you will write soon again

I remain
Your loving sister
May

Excuse this scribbling as I am in a hurry for school.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

March 11, 1908

From: May Gleasure
To: Frank Gleasure, 28 Herrick Street, Brighton, Mass. U.S.A.

My dear Frank,

Hoping you will like this P.C. Could you get our Sticky Backs enlarged send us over one when you will Annie said she will write when she get hers taken.  Send us a bundle of papers soon.  Hoping you are well as we all are at present.

May.