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13/11/2006 |
Letter from Margaret Duncan Castel (nee Ritchie) to her sister Isabella. 55 Marischal St. March 11th (1914) Dear Sister Just a few lines in answer to your welcome letter. I began a letter to you long ago but could not manage it but I am getting a little stronger now though I am not much use. I am troubled with my heart at times so my nerves are not very strong I got such a shock with my husband's death. This has been a sad time for me and mine. He died on the 5th of May. He went out on the Monday morning looking real well like and Jeannie had given him his breakfast as I was ill and had been for a fortnight before. He was sent away with travelers' hampers up Marischal St. It had been too much for him. He stood up to speak to a man, he just threw up his hands and fell down and never spoke again. We had such a sore time I was not able to do anything I could scarcely realise for a long time it was so sudden. I feel very lonely at times that I don't know what to do but I must bear my great loss the best I can. I have my family to think of and lots to do. I have Jack and little Ella and Jeannie and two lodgers Bella and Maggie are both (Dr) Davidsons. Bella is s(t)aying but I don't know about Maggie she would like some more wages. She was in tonight being her evening out. As you see we are here it is a big change and I will never think it like home. You will remember where auntie Gordon [Gordon Arthur Robertson m. to Benjamin Ritchie] lived, it is the flat above the Crown Inn, she was in the attics. It was rather big for us but we had to take it or want, we could not stay where we were. It is rather a big rent but we will have to struggle away for a time. I had in Hugh Clark [married to Margaret's sister Sarah, d. 1912] today he has hurt his side he had been (pruning a hedge) and had slipped some way and Georgeina [Hugh & Sarah Clark had a dau called Georgina] is not very well. I had a letter from Lizzie [sister Elizabeth, m. Francis Stott] today they are all fine and [sister] Jane is still at Knockhall. I never hear from [sister] Mary. Was it not very sad about Sandy Castel's death just two months and two days after John without any warning. They were just about a month back to Canada. Mrs Castel [Margaret Kemp] has all her family with her except two [Robert & Benjamin] and they are in Regina. Sandy is buried in a cemetery more than twenty miles from them I think it is their nearest town Lloydminster. Well how are you getting on yourselves. Are you getting good crops, I hope you are but I suppose it will be a while before you will have spring weather. Well I will need to stop give my kindest love to Mary and Andrew jun'r trusting this will find you all well as this leaves me. With kindest love to all from all here Your loving sister Margaret Don't be long in writing. Excuse the writing I don't see too well. |