From Thomas Waters Jr. to his parents, Elizabeth Waters and Thomas Waters Sr. (October 1851)

[Thomas Waters to his parents]

[from transcripts]

October 1851. Digby, Nova Scotia

Dear Father and Mother

You see by my using ruled paper that with my American wife I have taken up American letter writing or rather paper, there is no other sort of writing paper to be got here.  I received your last letter on the 23rd Sept. and was much pleased  like wise one from Ben enclosing one from Mary.  I also received one from you some time previous.  I was at sea when they arrived at Digby but got them upon my arrival here.  The Scotia anchored in Halifax after a smart run of 26 days all well on board.  I have not yet received the parcel you mentioned was on board but no doubt will shortly for which I am much obliged [sic]  I am writing this letter alongside of your grandchild and the mother is doing well.  Amy was safely delivered on the 7th of this month at 7 in the morning of a daughter. I am going to call her Elizabeth after its Grandmother and Aunt, the old women say it looks like me but I can’t see much resemblance excepting the same colored eyes, a dimple in the chin and our family mark I believe a mark in the underlip. I was at sea but arrived two days after the occurrence and am stopping one day home as my vessel is loading in St Mary’s Bay some distance from here.  I start off tomorrow morning.  I am employed in the coasting trade between the United States and our Province and calculate to go shortly to the West Indies.  It is now what they call here Indian Summer and it certainly is delightful ashore.  I live surrounded by orchards.  I can or could pick apples out of my window and they are laying all around the house but they are not so good as the ones we have at home and very few of them will keep any time, it is amusing to see the squirrels pick the sweet apples throwing the sour ones away, we have a great variety of birds in summer but nearly all leave us in winter.  I am much obliged to Ben for doing as much as he did for me and hope some day to repay him.  I hope the mill will come soon as I shall have a month’s spare time shortly.  Your letter which I received before this last was marked by you prepaid but I had to pay full postage on its arrival here, and likewise the last one Ben sent me, it was marked prepaid but I had to pay again.  It is not for the sake of the postage because I would rather pay double than not get them but there must be some mistake in stamping.  I am going to write to Uncle, Aunt and Mary but you must not tell them so as I have promised so often that I am afraid they won’t believe it but since my starting this summer I have had but little time and less news. I hope they are all well.  I should like to have seen the Exhibition but business before pleasure.  Capt. Dakin would have brought the mill but it would have cost him too much, in fact more than the price of the mill, he would have had to enter it no less than eight times in different Custom houses besides it being handled so much the case would have given way if not extra strong.

Hoping all are well I must conclude as I am in a hurry, have you heard from little Joseph lately.

I remain

 Your affectionate son

Thomas Waters

N.B. Write soon and often and write to Amy.