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Yester Park To Andrew Allan Aberchalder, By Fort Augustus Dear Son and Daughter, We received your letter and we was very happy to hear that you and Ketty and your family was well at that time. You will minder that I have not written to you for this time. I put off till we heard from Richard to let you know that he is biding still again. And then your mother turned very badly about the end of March. She was very ill with a sore host, and ill with her breath for a week. She did not get her down in the bed, but sat propt up for a week. She was so ill with her breath and she got a small bottle from the docktor. She was sumthing the better of it. She could take very littel to live on, the most of ther living was a littel wine. She was very pourly for 3 weeks, but I thank God for it she is abel to go about the house again altho weakly. And I not wrote to you till we saw how she was. And the rest of his all well and David and Richard is both well. They were both in our house at Gifford Fair. And Sibbly is well and is biding still again. And your cousins Haldins is both well in Americka, and they are speking of cuming home again the fall of the year. And Peter Nisbet is well and he lent £14 of money to a stranger in Americka, and it's thought he will niver get it again. And he cannot get his wages from his master that he is living with or else he auld cum home the back end of the last year with James Kirkwood and James Dodds. And James Kirkwood is going to Snadon to be herd in John Darlings plase. And our eaus we got from you is doing well. We brought them down off the hill the end of February to turnip, and got 6 weeks turnips. And they begood to lam the 22nd of March. The two first weeks we had not many lambs, but the third week we had above 200 lambs and 40 pair of twins sucking. For bay sume I took off and the largest lambs that ever I did see out of a Cheviot eau the third part and more could not lam them. I think there is one score of your eaus but rather low in condishon, but all the rest is in very fair condishon, and all in a very thriving state, but one of the sickness and one died of the laming. Our laming time is all dun. 36 eaus of our 18 score of eaus I have 4 pair of twins out of my half dozen of feiding on, and they are all going about the park and the mill. And the oldest of the lambs is very large and fat. And David is still dealing among sheep and cattle yet. And attends Edinburgh market every week. He sold the shots of your eaus in Gifert fair at 23/- the head. I think they will have paid him. The prices of Cheviot eaus at Gifort trayst from 1 pound to 24/- the head. You must have had a very sore storm of snow when you wrote to us. We had course blasts of snow from the midel of February till the midel of March, but not very deep. You know Andrew Hutson of Bedshiel, he was perished cuming home from Greenlaw in a course night of snow and drift the Mundays night after the old Hanselmunday. And was not found till the Thursday about Kettelshiel ground about Foulburn near the foul ford. He had been down getting there laird coheired. William Hutson went to Americka at whitsunday. And as soon as they landed he died of the Cholera and his wife is died since and a large family in a forn land. And your unckel James Haldin is going to Edinburgh at Whitsunday to try the cow feiding, and your cousin William is going with him. They are all well and your unckel Peter Nisbets family is all well and is staying still. And we had a viset of your anty Allison from the Chapele a few days since, and they are all well and they are staying still. And it is not long since we heard from your anty Margaret and they were all well and is staying still. And I got a bandage about the 1st of harvest but at times I have to take it off. It works down below the end of the bandage and it prises onto the sore. But I am the better of it. Had I got it 15 years since it auld have been better for me. It dis not easly bide out of its old presented spot. Your mother and Margaret is compliments to you and Ketty, and auld be very hapy to see you. You will write soon. No more, but remains you loving father and well wisher. Richard Allan Yester Park To Andrew Allan Aberchalder, By Fort Augustus Dear Sun & Daughter, I take this opertunity of writting to you to let you know that we are all well at present, I thank God for it. For without health, nothing is a pleasure in this world. I received your letter and we was hapy to hear you was all well. Andrew you would be very sore struck when you heard of your mothers death. We hearing that she was in her ordinary way of helth not long before that. And you will be mourning her loss as well as I. She was a frail woman for many years, but we niver saw her more stout for about 3 months before her death. And she did begin to complain the 3rd day of the year of a cold and grusing in her flesh and of her face being sore. And I said to her, "I niver like to hear you complain of your face, you often have a sore but of the cold". And from the 2nd day of the munth she was niver over the bed but to get it made. She had a sore host and ill with her breath and complained of her back and breast and side with hosting, and could take nothing but drink cold water. And the old Hanselmunday morning she took about a half a glass of wine out of my hand not long before light, and about daylight she took a very ill turn. For a long time we thought it she was gone. And Margaret and Sibbly and John and James making a weeping at the bedside. And she recovered a littel again and said, "Be quiet and let me depart in peace, and see that you agree one man with another". And cried to Margaret for a drink of water, and she drank it very helthy-like, and drank a cup of tie. And she was sensibel to the very last. And she had not spoken for sum time, and Mr Usher came in asking for. her, and she heard his tung and said, "Mr Usher, it is far on with me now". And he took her by the hand and said "poorbody". And he went out and she did depart in peace. She slipt away without the least struggel about 11 o'clock forenoon-entered into the 61 years of age since the 15th of June last. Ripe for the grave like a chook of corn. It was a very soryfoul Hanselmunday to us all. Your mothers loss is the sorest loss that ever I met with in this world. We have had sum losses of worldly things but we got it made up again or if not, it often gave me very littel concern. But this is a loss that niver will be made up again. A loss that will niver be forgotten. Altho' I have laid her body in the grave and wept over her dust, I think I find her as it were hingeing about my neck. I bear her image in my heart. I need not now weep for her that I hope is arrived safe at her jurneys end. But I weep for myself who is on the tempetuous oshun. And I think it was the prophecy that out of your mother we took no thought of it at the time. But short time after there was not many but had it both old and young. Our next door neighbours all had it but I thank God for it non of his had it. In sum places there was not a man able to yoke a pair of horses and down the coasts by Dunbar, there was whole familys laying of it and not one abel to give another a drink of water. There is been a great death among both old and young, but more so among old. People that is been complaing and frail in the conclushon more death then was of the cable. I was very sorry that I could not get your mother to our burial place, but the far distance and such a storm of snow on the hills and no passage, I had to resign my mind to my lot and bury her in Gifort Churchyard. She died on the 16th of January, and was buried on the 19th day. The sorrowfulst day it were I had in the world. And Andrew, we had all our family to see the last of your mother but yourself. And I would have been very happy of your cumpany to have seen the last or your mother, but I know it was out of your power. And God only knows but it may be the same with myself. And if God spared my life we are staying still for another year. Sibbly is well and is staying still. Richard has had the Scarlet Fever lately, but is going about again. He is staying and all our finer friends is well. We have had a sore storm of snow since the 11th of March, its not no better. Stock is very low in condishon. Write soon if you are staying still. Margaret is her compliments to you and Ketty, and my own to you. No more but I remain your loving father, Richard Allan Yester Park To Andrew Allan Aberchalder, By Fort Augustus Dear Sun & Daughter, I take this opertunity of writting to you to let you know that we are all well at present I thank God for it. Hoping to find you all in the same. We heard word from you with 3 country lads that came over to the harvest, and they told us that they were in your house and you was all well. They did not see you for you was at the hills among the sheep, but they did see Ketty and the family and told us they thought very much of Ketty for being so kind to them. And we was very hapy to hear that you was all well and they told us you had written a letter a few days before to send to us, but if you have sent it away, we have not recieved it yet. Your brothers is all well for anything I know and John went to Midelthird by Gordon at Whitsunday and is herding there. We have not seen him since. We had a viset of unckel Richard the fore end of August. He is out of Gordon at Whitsunday and is at Byerwalls by Gordon. And for as long he has been with Mr Barner, he niver had him stay still again, but sent him a letter saying he took the oportunity to let him know that he thought he was not fit to go out to fair or market, nor to go out in a stormy night. And he thought be this time he had plenty to keep him. He has been in Gordon for 42 years, and he looks after the parks at the same place where his son Richard is. And Richard is well and your anty Margaret and all their family is well. And unckel and anty is well. he gets a cou and a stone of mill a week. It is better than doing nothing. George Graham and wife and family is all well. David is still carrying on the buying and selling yet. He had above 2000 lambs bought about Melrose fair, and sold a good number of them in it. He bought 9 score of clipt half bred hogs from Mr Usher at 26/- the head. He must be making sumtl1.ing then he could not carryon such a trade. There was a very large market of lambs at Melrose, but the buyers rather scarce. Current prices for half bred lambs was 13/- and 14/- the head. And I was told that some small Cheviot eau lambs sold at 14/-. There has been a very great loss of lambs in Gallawater at the Bow where Richard is. They have not over a half a crop of lambs, and had some loss of eaus. And across the Lammermuir hills there are many one is not half a crop. At the Harehead out of 40 scores of eaus, they have but 14 scores of lambs, and a great loss of old sheep. We have had no loss of eaus nor lambs. We had a few turnips to them the munth of March and April, and a little bog hay. I sold my own hill lambs at 13/- and 6 parked ones at 17/- the head, 19 in all. We have had a very fine summer since the first week of June.There has been a very great growth in everything on the ground. The summer had been very warm and not much rain. We had some very great falls of rain about the fore end of August. A very great deal of thunder very loud. There is a very fine crop of corn in our cuntry and apearing to be a good crop of potatoes and turnip. There is many one throng with the harvest down the cuntry. There will not be much cut with us till the midle of September. Your cousin Petter Nisbet is writing home from America and he is well. And your cousins Hadons is well but no word of cuming home. And Sibbly is well and is with Mr Hood, and remains. And Margaret is well but she is very sore wrought having things to do. It has her working both let and sun for to get the out bay work attened to. She does miss your mother as well as I do. And James is well and is at home with us, and looks after the parks and works out when he is out. He gets 6/- a week And James Darling is lost Milknow. A Berwickshire farmer is got it. They are still in of it for this year. They have their crop of corn and turnips, but they have got a great vast of more hill land this summer. They have got Calepalet and Priestlaw and Penshiell and Kingside. I have been well in my health this summer I thank God for it, but very low in spirits since I lost your mother. I see many more worse than me. Some is but one trial, and some is many twisted together, some but one loss and some stript of all. But I will trust in God when he casts down the one hand he is abel to uphold with the other. Your loving father, Richard Allan. Yester Park, To Andrew Allan, Aberchalder, By Fort Augustus Dear Sun & Daughter, I take this opertunity of writting to let you know that we are all well at present I thank God for it. And I received your letter on the 12th and we was hapy to hear that was all well. And you have heard that David has got the wife. When he told us he was desired to be married I told him to write to you that he need not expect your cumpany, but it was the least thing that he could do to let you know. And he promised to me to do so. And when he came back in the end of March, I asked at him if he had written to you and he told me had not. They were over long of being married. I was very sorry for it being so ill conducted. Had it been but one day sooner it auld looked some better. Margaret went over to the wedding and had to come home disappointed. There house is near by the Stow, and all her providing was home, and a very valuable one it was. And a great store of good silver spoons. And Margaret was much stund when the brides unckel of the Threeburnford came when it was late and called David out of his bed, and told him the bride had a young daughter. But there is no help for it now, time past cannot be recalled back again. I went over to see David and his young wife, and first went to your unckels George Graham, and they are all well. And I came by the Bow and saw your brother Richard, and he was well the first week of April. And then I came up Torsunce and James and Margaret is well, but his mother died this winter the time of the sore storm of snow. And I heard that David and his wife was not at home, they were at the fathers at the Hawkburn. And I stayed all the night James Allan. And I thought it was a pity to go home and not see his wife and I went over next morning and David was away about one hour more before I went there, to sort a lot of eaus at Colmslie to go to the house. But I saw the young wife and her young daughter, as fine a child is have I seen this long time. My tea with her and her father and mother and her older sister and they were very kind to me, and she is a good looking young woman, not very big, and well ascented with working both out and in the house. And Richard is leaving the Bow at the term, and going to Crounnie to be herd. James Allan's sister Agnes is come home this winter from America, and she's a widow and is left with one sun and three daughters. And Richard will stay with her, it is his own blame of flitting. And John is going to Walter Elliot the dealer to herd at a farm. He has a place they call Hattop(Whitehope?), up Leithenwater, not far from Peebles, and to stay in the herds house. The ground keeps 44 score of black faced eaus. It is high stormy ground. And Sibbly is well and is staying still again. I was in at Edinburgh seeing your unckel James Hadden and your aunt Margaret. They are all well the end of March. They are desired to drop the cow feiding at the term and see if they can tray a shop. The meat is not easy got and your unckel works to a farm near the town and is the way of Greave. There is no word of your cousin cuming home from Americka and our friends is all well at Byerwalls. And they are staying still again. We have had a stormy winter and a great deal of snow and a hard frost. And we had some very stormy blows of snow and drift and very high winds. We fed our eaus and hogs with hay. We could not get many turnips for the snow was so deep. We have had weeks of a deep snow till ever it was a fresh day. And it was two fresh days and then the storm over loped for another 2 weeks. I not mind of such a long storm since the year 1795. Hill stock is but low in condishon. Our stock is in a very thriving condishon. We sold 100 Cheviot eaus at Gifert trayst at 25/-. 6 prizes of Cheviot eaus from 24/- to 26/- the head. And we auld be very hapy of a viset of you as soon as it is convenient. And I am well in my health I thank God for it. But dull since I lost your mother. We have all our compliments to you and Ketty. No more. I remains your loving father. Richard Allan Inverlair To Richard Allan, Yester Park, by Haddington Dear Father, I received your letter after your arrival home, and was glad to bear that you was nothing the worse of your journey to the North. I suppose that you have had good harvest weather with you. I see by the papers that Edinburgh has been bad for the want of water, and by that I was thinking you would have dry weather. We could easily spare some of the rain that we have had. We have hardly one dry day since you left, till this last eight days. I only got the hay in this week. It has been a long, tedious concern. The weather was sometimes very cold. Snowfall very early on the heights, earlier than ever was seen about the first of September. It never used to fall earlier than the 26th of September. I was gathering to send away our ewes on the 6th Sept, and going over the feet on the tops. We have had 8 days of good harvest weather which has done this part of the country a great deal of good. We was expecting good weather for a while after the long ill, but it is like a change again. The hill tops is all laid white today again. My fine crop of potato is going with the disease that they went with last year. There is full the one third of them gone already whether any of them keep or not I cannot say, but it did not come so early this season. Perhaps we may get some food of them. You mentioned that you saw the steamer carrying the Queen to this quarter. She stopped a month in this quarter. I see'd her when she came, and when she went away she was just like any common lady with a plain straw bonnet and plainly dressed. I will believe not so much pride as many of our highland farmer's wives. Some of our west country highlanders was much disappointed. They thought to see her wearing a crown of gala in place of a straw bonnet. She put great confidence in the highlanders. There was not one single slur to attend her when she left. There was only one lady in the carriage with her and two of her children. Prince Albert is a good looking fellow. The Fate's wife died very sudden that week that you left. She was out walking in Fort William at nine o'clock at night in health, and before eleven she was a corpse sitting in her chair and never spake. She was in the family way, and near her time. They opened her and took the child out in life, but it did not live. How many instances of the awful uncertainty of human life we hear of. This leaves us all in a ordinary state of health, thank God for it. hoping this will find you in the same. Catherine sends her compliments to you, and to you and Margaret and all friends I do the same. I am dear father truly, Andrew Allan Inverlair To Richard Allan Yester Park, by Haddington Dear Father, In you last letter I was glad to hear that you was in a ordinary state of health. I should have written you long ago, as I mentioned to you that I was once thinking of being your length. But now I have no expectation of getting away as our smear in, will be on immediately. All the summer season we are not well over with one job among the stock, till we have to begin another. And so much hay to work among, and very little strength of people for help. That keeps us always busy. We got a very good hay harvest this season, and also the corn. I never see'd better in this country. We have had very fine weather since the middle of August, and still continues. I never see'd so long fine weather in this. The sheep stock has got well up in condition this season. The Falkirk markets has turned much better out for sheep than what us North country people expected at one time, but very bad for cattle. You will have meat very cheap, and seed in your quarter this season. We have it in this quarter at 15d/6 per barrel. The potato crop in this quarter is all gone much worse than last season. I planted 5 barrels and they looked to be a good crop, but they are completely gone. We will get little use of. It appears to be of no use for people to be planting them any longer, and they are a great want for the poor people here. We are all well and in good health, but James he is never very stout. He is very bad troubled with Asthma. He takes very hard turns at times, and in a very pure state. He will, be for weeks that he hardly shuts his eyes to sleep for the want of breath and a bad cough. We have been trying the doctors about Fort William, but they have done him no good. That fearful disease the Cholera has been very bad in Inverness this harvest. A great many people died of it. One of the head doctors and some of the town Magistrates. There has been some cases about the neighbourhood of Fort william. I believe that Inverness is mostly clear of the disease now. I hope this will find you all well. Catherine sends compliments to Margret and you all, and I also send her the same. I remain your affect. Andrew Allan *********************************** Newlands To Andrew Allan Inverlair, by Fort William Dear Son & Daughter, This comes to let you know that I received your letter on the 20th, and we was very happy to hear you was all well. James is still faring better. He is able to rise and sit a good part of the day, and can walk through the house, but his legs is a little swelled - but no great reason to thank God, for it is he been pleased to raise him from the gates of death again. We was very sorrow to hear about that fellow forging a bill in your name. He must be a complete villain, and he is giving you a poor reward for what you have done for him. But I hope for his sinful ways God will cause his sins to find him out. The first letter I received in the year 1849 was the 14th of Feb, and I did not receive another till the 28th of June. And I fell a searching among your letters and could not find one before May. And I got this in my pocket. I had carried it more than a year. It is a soiled and dirty, but it is a wonder it is not far worse. I could have sent you as they are - a half a dozen if you had taken them. And you will send us word how you get it settled. And send us word how he got a hold of the £40. It will be a very sore pity if you lose it all with him. We had a visit of John the 8th of March. He and his wife is well, and he is got a herding from his Masters son at Blackhaugh. It marches on with Newhall where his Master lived about 5 miles from Stow up among the hills. David is well and wife and family. And Richard is well and wife and family for anything we know. And Sibbely and Thomas Logan is well and family. We have had very good weather for these 4 weeks and all the oat seed is mostly over in our quarter. Our ewes is all down at the Newlands on turnips since the 4th of March. And I attend them about 300 ewes and hogs. I am for 14 hours on my feet every day, and close picking. I had to write this with the light of the candle and my sight is sore faded. No more but may we be minding the uncertainty of our time into this world. James and Margaret is there compliments to you and Catherine, and I join and send you the same. I remain your loving father and well wisher Richard Allan ***************** Newlands, To Andrew Allan Inverlair, by Fort William Dear Son and Daughter, I take this opportunity of writing to let you know that we are all well at present, I thank God for it. We received you letter and we was happy to hear you were all well. And I received another paper from you and I have not had no post to pay for none of them. We had a letter from Gordon the other day from Sibbely, and they are all well. David and his wife and family is all well and is staying still. And all our friends at West Gordon is all well. Richard and his wife and family is all well, and they are staying still again. Your uncle George Graham and Aunt is well and family, and they are staying still again. John is well and wife and son, and they are staying for another year. We had a letter from your cousin Margaret Foggo about the end of February to let us know that her brother David died a few days before we received the letter. He was not many days worse than his ordinary. He died very sudently at the end without the least struggle. And your aunt and all the rest of the family was well. We had about 4 weeks of a very deep snow for about 14 days. It never was much fair, one blast after another. There was not a black top to be seen on the hills. James fed our ewes with hay for 16 days till the hay was all done. And they sent down to the Newlands on the 5th of March to turnips, and will have them for another week or 10 days. They are in very good condition, yet it is feared that there will be a great deal of very lean sheep in the hills this year. We have not had as much snow for this 15 or 16 years. It carne afresh about the 6th of march for a few days, and just a good deal of it away and carne on another storm of snow on the 16th of March. There was not a top of a bush to be seen. We have had no right fresh yet. There is not much snow below our house, but our hills is but beginning to spot yet. There was large .prices for sheep at Gifford Fair. Cheviot ewes as high as 33/- and black faced from 24/- to 26/-. We had eight scores of half langs hogs. They were paly lambs from Dalgleish and were sold at 25/-. I have often been minding you this stormy winter in your high stormy hills. Not be long of writing to us and send word if you have had a letter from Richard. I think there is over many going away to Australia. It will be the strongest man for it. Send word how James is. I am still able to go popping about and cannot complain in health. I have great reason to thank God for it. But I have a little of an old complaint that I have had for this some years. My legs and fit snals a little. They are worst in the winter time in stormy weather when I am confined in the house. James and Margaret is well and they have their compliments to you and Catherine and all the rest of the family. I join and send you the same. I remain your loving father and well wisher, Richard Allan ********** Newlands To Andrew Allan Inverlair, Fort William Dear Son & Daughter, I take this opportunity in writing a few lines to let you know that we are all well at present I thank God for it. Hoping that you are well. Health is a great bhlessing for without health, nothing is a pleasure in the world. My dear grandaughter, your aunt received your letter and we was happy to hear you was all well. James had not been very well, we were happy to hear that he had got better again. Your aunt sends her kind compliments to you. She says that she should have written to you, but she say she is not very good, and I say to her I think she is not very willing. My dear grandson, I received your letter and was happy to hear that you was well. You have a very long way to go to the school. I received a paper lately and another three before. I see'd David at Gifford fair and they were all well at Gordon. Mrs Allan had another young son lately and they were both doing well. We had a letter from Williamlaw a few days ago and they were all well. And they were going to Ladhopemuir at Whitsunday. Richard got his choice to bide or go to it. Agnes wrote the letter, and she says the Master auld rather that they auld go to it. They will have a better cows pasture. He will have a larger hill and more stock on it. He will have a pony to ride on. The man that is in of it one year has tired him, although he be a friend. We had a letter from John Graham at Allanshaws, and they were all well about the 31st of March. John says that his father is never very well. He says it is an inner complaint. He says that they are very well in the place, and they are staying still for another year. He says it will be a while, or another herd. will. stay 45 years and herd about Buckholm like his father. Thomas Logan and Sibbely is well and all their family. William is not staying again because the Master did not speak to him as well as his father. He told his father he ~id not want to make any alterations and he told his father that he auld not stay again. And Mr Stenhouse was on him himself, and he auid not stop. John and wife and family is all well for anything we know. Isabella had another young daughter about the fore end of the spring. Robert Wight of Longyester is dead and gone. He was struck with a palsy when he was at his dinner on the Saturday. And just fell back in a moment and never did speak another word. And he died on the Friday afternoon. And I was at his funeral on the 7th of May. Dear son, it is very long since I wrote to you. write how your stock is in condition this year, and what kind of weathering you had this while. We have had very wet weather for this month, and blasts of snow. And the sun was never much seen. Our ewes went onto the turnips about the 10th of March and was about 10 days on. The land was that not they were to take of, and then the Gimers was put on. They all have about 10 days yet. James and Margaret send there compliments to you and to Catherine and Isabella, to James and Elizabeth. And I join and send mine to you all. God bless you all and crown you all with the riches of his grace. I remain your loving father and well wisher, Richard Allan ************************ Newlands To Andrew Allan Inverlair, by Fort William Dear Son and Daughter, I take this opertunity in wr i ting you a few lines to let you know that we are well at present I thank God for it. We was very sorrow to hear that James was very pourly. We have been looking for a letter every day all the last week. We are much afraid that more of your family is been unwell, and when you receive this not be long in writing to let us know how you are all, and how James is. I hope he will have got better again. I'm very sorrow to inform you of the death of my sister Jean at Cairneyhill, Bankfoot. She died on a Sabbath morning at 10 minutes past one in the morning, the 28th of last month. She was for some time frail and complaining, but she was in her ordinary till a few days before her death. The young may die, but the old must. My sister was 78 years of age about 8 weeks before Martin-mass. There is very few family is been as long spared to such a very long age. And now I think I hear a voice at my ear to prepare to meet thy God. I hope that we will all meet in a better cuntry, a heavenly cuntry where God is not ashamed to be called our God. For he hath prepared for his city where there will be no more sorrowful hearts, nor parting no more. Our time in this world is very uncertain. There was a very young stout man at Quarryford got his death very sudently in a Sabbath morning the 21st of last month. James Cheray he went out in good helth into the stable, and one of his horses struck him in the underside of the belly and he died on the Wednesday night. And he left a sorrowful widdow and a son about 9 months of age. James did know him and his wife. She is left the house and is taking everything out of it, and she is away to her father's house at the Link. Send word how your stock is doing this winter. We have had a very good winter as yet. We had a very heavy fall of rain the end of last month. The waters is not been so very large for this long time. Our hill stock is very good at present. Our friends at Quarryford is all well at present, and sends their kind love to you all. And all the rest of our friends is well for anything we know. Wr i te when you hear from Richard and David. I am in my ordinary way of health, and abel to pop about. I have great reason to thank God for it. Give my compliments to Catherine and to Isabella, to James to Elisabeth and not forget yourself. And James and Margaret joins and well I send you the same. I remain your loving father, Richard ALLAN ****************************** Newlands To Andrew Allan Inverlair, by Fort William Dear Son and Daughter, I take this opertunity in writing you a few lines to let you know that we are all well at present I thank God for it. I received your letter and we was hapy to hear that you was all well but James. We was very sorrow to hear that he was so very pourly. I hope that he will get better again. The Lord's hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear. God is the only help when all other help doth faill, and he knows them that trust in him. We was very hapy to see a letter that came from Richard and to hear that they were all well. Richard and David is made a very good shift, and it is not been got without a very great deal of very sore work. And now they will make a very good living, and it is a very good thing to be one's own master. It is cost them a very great deal of money. I think that Richard is given you a very good offer, but I think that you cannot go away as long as so very pourly. You perhaps may never go. For we see things desired that is not ordained to be, for something will cast up to stop it. For it is not in man that can direct his own steps, but trust you in the lord with all your heart, and lean not to thine understanding. "In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your steps". When you write to Richard, give my compliments to him wife and to David. And I wish Richard and his wife and family may spared together and I wish him much joy of his young son. And bless him. We had a visit of John last week. He was at Halla fair. He was taking home 54 cattle and his wife and family was all well. And Richard and wife and family was all well. Our friends at Gordon is all well for anything we know. I did see David at Gifford. He has not been in our house for this 3 years and a half. You see, when a man gets up in this world, he not minds his nierest relashons. We had not a very good crope of potatoes but 9 peckful. We had about the half planted with what they call Irishracks, and the third part did not come above the ground, and some had 20 peckful. We had a very fine dry summir and harvest. We had a very coarse stormy day the 26th last month. It was very wet and sleety in the morning till about 9 o'clock. And it was a very heavy fall of snow all the day and the wind was very high and drifting. It is laying in wreaths on our hills yet. We have had a good deal of rain lately, our hill stock is very good this year. It was a very sudden death - At Priestlaw Adam DARLING died at half past 9 0'clock at night, and Miss Jane DARLING his sister died half past 2 in the morning. And I am in my ordinary way of helth at present, and able to pop about I thank God for it. I have lost my hearing very much within this few days. Thomas LOGAN and Sibbely is well and all the family, and they send their compliments to you all. Give my compliments to Catherine, to Isabella, to James and Elisabeth, to yourself. And James and Margaret send you the same. God bless you all, and crown you all with the riches of his grace. And eternal God be your refuge and around you all. Keep him everlasting. Your Father , Richard ALLAN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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