July 4, 1917

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 36 Litchfield Street, Brighton, Mass. U.S.A.

Dear Frank,

I really don't know how time slipped by on me without answering your very welcomed letter received some time ago, well except I answer a letter right after I getting one I grow very careless about it.  We are all in fairly good health here at present enjoying the summer weather after such a very hard winter as we had, by the way father got a severe attack of cold and cough last winter it shook him very much he did not lay up but he was no more than able to move around, at times he has the cough all the time it has stuck in him some way or other.  Old Patsy Dillane died the 30th May he passed away without an hour's sickness the poor old man it was better for him as he had no one to care him there its funny after all the family he had not one of them with him when he dying except strangers the place belongs to Pat now but he has two more years to spend in the force.  Mat Carroll has passed away also I wonder did you know him he only came home from America last November in delicate health he was in Boston last September and came across Mike he was going to call and see you he said but had no time to spare.  there's a brother of his lives in Boston I don't know what part I except you hardly now him as he is one of the younger boys.  Do you ever meet any of the Dillanes now you can tell them about old Patsy if you do.  George is all the time working here but is trying for a change the pay he gets here is not up to much Tom Dillane is trying to get him a place up at Queenstown there is constant work of his kind going on there at the dockyards and the pay averages from 50/. shilling a week upwards.  anyway I hope he'll get a change as he would be better off out of this town he makes up and down with too many cadgers  he is very quick and intelligent and his boss gives him the top praise as regards his work but he is growing very careless lately I'm sure its over the little pay he gets, if he could get to Queenstown he would get on better I'm sure Tom & Pat would be near him there as they are in Cork City and he would have plenty to amuse him there and that would keep him from loafing.  Just fancy writing so much and never asking how yourself and family were I do hope well you spoke in your letter about removing I hope this address will find you out.  I was dreaming last night about you I thought you were coming home to see us how I wish you were.  Annie did not start out yet of course it would be madness to think of going now when she had any notion of going at all she had aright to start years ago.  Times are very bad here now in our line of business its pretty bad there are such restrictions put on liquor we can't get it for any money the rule is you only get a third of your last years supply that really means we have only enough stuff to keep us going one week out of four.  its pretty hard to deprive a person of there living, the taxes they were putting on were bad enough but to cut us short of our supply was worse.  and then a person has to turn around and pay enormous prices for everything the eat and use I don't see how it can be done when we have no way of making money a person would not mind the high prices for stuff if you were making money in proportion what a relief to everyone it would be if this war would end.  I don't think I have any more to write about at present I hope this will find you all in the best as we are presently what kind of a summer are ye having there its fairly good here and everything points towards a good harvest so we won't starve this year I'm sure, you know the farmers were made till a lot of there land to raise food stuffs so we won't be short this year.  Hoping I shall hear from you very soon again Iremain
Your loving sister Mai.