Hurley Family Emigrant Letters (Ref. U170)

U170/

hard to get employment at the moment. He had ‘hopes one time to have an independent fortune and to dazzle the natives. But thank God that we are so well’. 2pp

24 February 1899 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada, to ‘My Dear Mother’. Sorry to hear she is so weak, but hopes she will be stronger and ‘will see the new century and more’. Her sickness was a dampener on Christmas, ‘But death is as natural as going to sleep, and a few years of time is a small amount compared with eternity’. Sends regards to family members. Sister Kate’s ‘…wrongs are too deep…to be condoned.’ Received a letter from Michael, who is sending on a few pictures of the family. Suggests that his mother ‘…drink a little stout and have some light nutritious food…’. 2pp 3 May 1899 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada, to ‘My Dear Mother’. Sorry to hear she is confined to bed, and hopes ‘that with the advent of fine weather you would…be around frisking with the little ones and picking daisies (noneens)’. Mentions the death of uncle Bill and Jack Bushell. Glad to hear ‘the olive branch has been extended from sister Kate to brother Tim’. He had a letter from Michael, who is well. Hopes Michael will ‘find time to write a few lines to his mother’. Wishes God to ‘reward John and his wife for their kindness and unremitting care to you’. 2pp 19 October 1899 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada, to ‘My Dear Mother’. He is glad that she is feeling stronger, and ‘that you will live to see the new century’. Sends good wishes to the family. Says that ‘None of the boys large enough yet to go out to Africa to fight the Boers! Their American uncles, if they had any stomach for fighting…it would be to aid the Boers. You loyal British subjects cannot holler lest you would be sent to Cork Jail’. Requests her to send papers regularly. 2pp 13 February 1900 Letter from Denis Hurley, Carson City, Nevada, to ‘Dear brother and sister’, Clonakilty, County Cork. He was much affected in reading the account of his mother’s death. His mother was a ‘hard working industrious little woman truthful and honest in word and deed and never meddling or causing discord between neighbours…much devoted to the