Letter written by Henry Ebenezer MacDonald - Harris County Texas

John Hendry <john@thehendrys.freeserve.co.uk> 13 May 2001
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Transcript of a letter from Henry E. MacDonald of Houston, Texas, to his 
brother Roderick in Melbourne, Australia.

Houston Heights
Aug 27th 1906
My Dear Roderick
		Your welcome letter of July 1st received.  I would have 
answered it sooner, but I expected a letter from Glasgow which I only 
received last week.  I am glad to hear that you are well and enjoying good 
health.  As far as myself I am much better than I have been, but the 
rheumatism has a firm hold on me, and never expect to get rid of it.  My 
legs & arms gets so cramped I hardly can walk.  I hardly can hold the pen 
while writing.  It comes & goes away when ever it feels like it, otherwise 
I am all right.  Annie, Georgianna, Louis & the little boy are doing very 
well as far as health goes.  Now a word about our neices letter.  Mrs MacLeod 
letter was dated Aug 1st.  I ought to have got it sooner.  She says she had 
a kind letter from you and that she was writing you at that time, so you will 
get all the news from her.  It is rather strange in regard to what became of 
the money Alick had, as he was thinking of buying a house and then a shop.  
Surely, she says, he must have money to do that.  So you will have to do 
the best you can to recover it, if there is any way of getting at it.  I 
enclose a part of her letter in regard to a book “Gaelic”.  She says she 
will take a note of all the books, as soon as she gets time.  I guess she 
wrote you all the

Page 2

news, and Mrs MacLeod says she could not get my address only the H and T C 
RRd by accident.  I never received an answer from our nephew, although I 
answered his letter.
The Yellow Fever is again in New Orleans a few cases.  You say you have 
very cold weather.  We have very hot weather.  I have to sleep out doors 
and it is awfull hot at work on hot Engines.  As I work in the Round House 
I have to work on Engines that just come in.  They are hot and the weather 
is hot.  Texas will make a fine Cotton crop this year.  They can not get 
hands to pick it.  I am still with the H & T C RRd but I am getting tired.  
If I live and hold out  9 more years I will be pensioned.  Next year I will 
be 61, and if anything happens to me that I cannot work I will be entitled 
to a pension, but it is hard to tell, there will be many a thing happen 
between now & then.
As regards Mourning Paper it is not much of a custom here.  For all the 
years here I have only seen a few and that from foreing countries.  I will 
now close these few lines, hoping that You and Yours are all well.  I hope 
you will find out the ammount that Alick left.  It is yours and you ought 
to get it. It is no use for strangers to have it.  Be sure and write soon.  
With kindest regards to all.
I remain Your Affectionate Brother
				Henry