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Show Lochee 10th April 1893 Dear Uncle I duly received your kind and welcome letter and have to apologize for not answering it earlier, and also apologize for not having written you long ago. It is a difficult thing to give good reasons for neglecting to do one's duty. I can give you three for not writing you before this, but I am afraid they will not entirely exonerate me. First, like yourself, I am a bad correspondent. Second, unlike what I suppose to be the quiet, easy-going, and primeval-like way you have of living in your part of the world, we here live at such high pressure. Competition is so keen, things go at such breakneck speed; there is nothing in our heads but business, business, business, and when we retire to the quiet of our bed chambers we do business over again in our dreams. Alas, I often say to myself that it should be so, and think we have gone through some very sad and painful experiences since I last wrote you. Since then four of our children have been taken from us by death. My mother also died about five years ago. Six years since my wife and I and all the family were laid down with typhoid fever. Our house and ourselves were at the mercy of nurses and the doctor. Our oldest daughter about 13 years died of this fever, while my wife was confined to one room, myself in another, neither of us able to see her carried away to her last resting place. This, as you can understand, was a severe trial. But every cloud has its silver lining. Our night of sorrow seemed somewhat dark and long, but the sun of health and happiness, I am glad to say, is again shining on us all. I have still seven children alive, three girls and four boys, our oldest a young woman 17 years and our youngest alive 4 ½ years. I have also to inform you that both uncle Thomas Wallace and aunt died last year, but this will not surprise you as they have each lived to a ripe old age. The only two of their family now living at Cragie Loch are John and Janet. They are still keeping on the place; in fact they have managed it for the last number of years. They work to one another's hands and live very agreeably together and were both very kind to their father and mother. Alexander, the oldest son, carries on a meal mill somewhere about Glenisla. David went to America about 16 years ago or thereabout, but I cannot give you his address. Margaret is married to a blacksmith who has a place of his own and doing well. Isabella's husband is a farm servant, a very steady decent man. But I must stop in the meantime, although I have a lot more to say. If all's well I promise you that another and longer letter will be on its way before this one reaches you. Until then, trusting that you and yours are all well, I am your affectionate nephew David Esplin |
