[Thomas Waters to his parents]
addressed to Capt T. Waters R.M.
Wednesday evening
[Postmark Glasgow AUG 3 1854]
Dear Father & Mother
I received your kind letter with the notes enclosed and happened to be very busy at the time, indeed all the time while in port. I have to keep on the stretch more so now as the “L.J.” [Louise Jewett} is a new vessel and requires a great many things that could not be attended to before I left St John, consequently my time is fully employ’d, a sailor has not much of a chance to become a very smart business man and what perhaps would appear nothing to a thorough one is a great deal to me, moreover I have a new mate this time and I consider it my duty to watch him till I know more about him, and my second mate I had to discharge as he was incapable, therefore if you will be so kind as to get the notes cashed it will save me.much trouble, and then you can either send a part of it back reserving the interest due or keep the whole of it. I will not send any more till you demand it for I know I can never be out of your debt even if I were to pay the 50£ for it is the nature of things that children will allways be indebted to kind parents, but I thought that as my Brother and Sisters were commencing for themselves and it must needs take a great deal of money, that I ought to return even if it was but a little so much as I could well spare. I hope I did not show any temper in my letter for perhaps I was vex’d when I wrote it. I received a letter yesterday from Amy and from her letter I should suppose that she is lowspirited, she says she is not well and never expects to be any better moreover Mary is sick but Lizzie is very well. I send you enclosed the daguerreotype in hopes of soon seeing the originals, there is a disagreeable difference in Amy’s looks but I hope she will improve in health and spirits, in the meantime write to her as often as you well can and oblige
Your affectionate son
Thomas
I find I shall not be loaded till I dont know when, for while I was in Glasgow the L.J. being in Bowling, the agent at Bowling refused to deliver iron so I must away to Glasgow tomorrow when I will post this letter, write to me as soon and as often as you can. for me to get those notes refunded I must write to Edinburg enclosing stamps to pay double commission, wait for an answer and then go from here to Glasgow, from Glasgow to Greenock and of course travel back again to my vessel, at the least I should lose a day and that is worth more to me than 15£ so you see I had as well throw them overboard