Your two very welcome letters received the first one on Tuesday morning May 9th just as I was giving yours to the Post man to mail and the second one this morning which I didn't expect.  Many thanks indeed it is so nice to get them.  I am so happy to know your hand is so much better and that you are going on so well, T. G.  Well we are doing fine.  Sheila and Nancy have improved so and everything agrees with them.  They have not half the Dainties and they are much better off.  Nancy asking for Bread and Jam or butter all day long.  They both are very fond of Michael and Grandma.  I am so glad their [sic] is a man around.  I could fill a book about them.  Mother enjoys every minute of Nancy but she says Sheila beats all children she ever knew (for speed).  Well I went to Killarney yesterday and took Nancy along as it was a nice day.  Mike drove us to the Station and met us at the Mail Train 8 p.m.  Nancy was tired and said she would prefer being home with the chickens.  Well I could not buy a crib of any kind only cradle some Town.  Curled hair mattresses 5£ and five Guineas and I could not get from my heart to give the money for it so I bought a fibre one at 1£-15s- which was 2£-10s- and it will answer the purpose so us three are sleeping on it.  2s to send it every thing seems so expensive.  I got Sheila a little nursery chair for 6s-6d not as nice as what I had.  Rocking chairs they will go without.  I may go to Cork later on when I have some more money.  I am sending on 9 blanks for you.  Get them printed.  I paid 3d each and 1s-6d for developing tht is more than they will cost you.  3 got spoiled.  Some body took us on the ship and the Stewardess and Sheila didn't come out.  That is Thompson the table steward holding Sheila and the other children with their Mother taken with Nancy and Sheila on the ship were from California and last but not least will be all donkey as you will see.  Well let's hope the next lot will be better.  Well my dear Iam getting used to this place every day and know I will get to like it.  I don't have time to feel lonely.  Sheila takes all my time.  We sleep until 8.30 or 9 a.m. so I think that will do us good.  The air is beautiful oh the rosy cheeks of Nancy as she is out all day long.  I put her in overalls to day and send her down earting [sic] the garden with Mike.  I have the news of the world here I got in Killarney for 2d- will I save it for you hardly.  I can hardly realize we are so far away.  Believe me I won't waste your money so as we won't be apart.  The trip is worth it all but that you are not with us.  I could not get all my trunks on our tickets from Queenstown so 3 were sent by rail which came next day.  13s (excess) not as bad.  Tell Anna if you see her I received both her cards and letter and will write her by next mail as Mother is writing her now.  Be sure and tell her all the news and that everything is o.k.  Did you bring up my camp chair from the cellar has any body asked for me  tell them we are having a fine time  The weather is lovely.  Many thanks for sending me on the battery.  I didn’t try to fix the Phono graph.  Mother had taken it to Killarney.  They said the sound was injured.  I may send to England later on.  It is advertised here in the news of the world 50S but we have lots of music in Sheila.  The Cuckoo clock I fixed fine.  It amuses everybody.  They had never seen one.  The little dolls house got quite a shaking up.  I didn’t put it together yet.  Dear Hub some time you are sending papers send me 2 of those moth proof papers for my clothes.  Ask Anna.  Get them in the ten cent store or I think they have them in the Drug Stores.  More expensive.  Called moth proof garments which may be cloth.  No hurry.  It is 10 30 now p.m. I put the kiddies to bed before I write but I generally go with them.  You said you could picture me on my desk chair little time I spent on it--  Sheila wanted to be on the go.  Yes it was quite cold as we passed the Banks but they said our Captain got far beyond them safety first- oh I was glad to get off.  Never again alone with two children.  It is a little too much for 8 days.  None the worse so far T. G.  Will say good night with love and kisses from your dear wife and Babies.

xxxxxxxxx (from Ma Ma)
xxx from Nancy
xxx from Sheila
Nancy says she is first every time.  Thanks for the gloss of my picture.  I thought I lost it on the steamer.

With what delight I can be to tell you how good the children are getting along.  Also my dear Belle with a good nights rest and the children...words cannot express how they can eat.  We are out the most of the time.  We have a nice cow and splendid eggs twenty each day.  I only wish you could partake of some of my large duck eggs but some future day perhaps.  Mike is doing well at work each day.  Our children but they are yours have astonished our neighbours.  Nancy moreover from her bright sayings.  I have several sayings and words taught her already in Gaelic, nothing ever surprised me more than how she can speak it.  As for her sayings in English you cant beat her.  I took her to Mike to the garden a mile away and she certainly was the life of me.  Will leave this space now for Belle and she hs improved wonderfully.  T. God.  Nancy is now in the garden watching the Hawke and says if she caught up to him she'd cut him in two with the knife.  Bye Bye until next week and all kisses from the children.  xxxx

You will think me mean writing this note with Mother's letter but am taking a chance that it will go to Rathmore to day if we see some one pass by.  Many thanks for your registered letter received this morning and 5£ which I did not in the least expect.  I will write you a long letter for next mail hoping your hand is better by now and glad.  Bert arrived ok.  We all are doing fine.  Weather very changeable.  Love and kisses from your dear wife and darling babys [sic].  xxxxxxxxx

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Your very welcome letter of May 5th received with 5£ enclosed which was quite a surprise to me.  Many many thanks for same.  You are too good to me.  Well I am happy to know your hand is coming along alright that is what you would tell me anyhow but your handwriting speaks well.  I hope you do not miss us so much now that you have Birt [sic] with you.  It is just 2 weeks to day since we arrived here.  I wish it was the end of two years.  I have not got to like it yet but I hope to after spending so much to get here and everything cost so here at least I think so, seems to me a Pound dont go so far as 5 Dollars.  I have spent quite some since I came.  I thought 20£ would last me quite a while. I bought a single bed for Mother £1-7 as she gave me hers.  Even a bathtub for the children I paid 10 shillings, for aud Hartleys marmalade 1s-10d, and Janes 2s-2d (2 lb.) jars.  Little oranges for 9d (12 dozen) and apples I would not spend money on prunes you could not get in Millstreet.  I sent for jam--but to town yesterday as Nancy got a rash on her body since she came.  I think the change of food and the new laid eggs it is disappearing now T. G.  I could not buy Lux here but I got a supply of it in Killarney.  They are not allowed to sell anything of English manufacture.  Can you beat it?  They are even getting in the jam from Dublin.  Stout is 3s-6d per half doz.  Mother brought me that much yesterday.  I said its first and last it would not do me any good and to pay that much for it I drink the milk instead.  Mrs. Moynihan (Bridget) says to Mother "take home a bottle of whiskey."  "No" Mother says we prefer water instead.  I would like to see myself pay 16s-6d and then the skelpers [sic] get some.

Well we are going along fine anyhow they take life so easy here.  Mother says I do too much as I am at the wash tub every day.  Well the 2£ you have sent me I will save untill [sic] I have some more with it and will go to Cork in a months time or less to get Sheila's crib and perhaps an oil stove.  Sometimes I say I wont bother but 3 in a bed is too much when it gets warm.  The Phonograph I could not fix.  It is the sound got injured altho [sic] I took it all apart all to no use.

I am enclosing a clipping of a Phono--from the late news of the world.  I must have left those other clippings behind on top of the books, I think.  Do you think this would be the same place?  I am in no hurry to get it.  We have lots of music in Sheila.  She is great fun every evening after 7 p.m., she starts a circus stunt and puts her head on the floor and looks between her legs backwards.  Then she goes all around the kitchen singing.  She has got very good on her feet.  I do hope I can get shoes in town to suit her.  If not, I will send for some to you.  Mother and Michael are gone to a Funeral.  May Cronins, father of Gneeveguilda, tell Anna Peter.  Well how is the sugar house?  Give me all the news.  Anybody asks for us say we are having a fine time.  I was sorry to hear about poor Dad.  Pleased to hear of Elsie's good news.  did you send those Photos to Eleanor?  I will be glad to receive some American papers.  I get the Daily Mail often.  It's an English paper.  Well I could keep on writing but think I will close for the present.

Sheila is now sleeping--Nancy chasing the chickens at 4 p.m.  Mother has 36 little chicks and more coming.  We had baked veal to day.  It was very tasty.  A quarter for 1s-3d.  Limerick bacon is 2s-3d per lb. too dear for me.  Some days I eat 4 eggs.  I will be a chicken again when you see me.  With love and kisses from us three.

Nancy says first xxx
Sheila xxx
Mama xxxxxx

Dear Hub

Just received your second registered letter pm on waiting-- many thanks.

Anna:  Most likely this is Anna (a.k.a. Hannah) Murphy, Belle's sister, born September 9, 1889.