Dec 2nd   1903                                                                                                           
237 Rathdown St.

Carlton

 Melbourne

 

My dear Niece[1],

            I was very grieved to see by your letter this morning that your dear Dadda[2] was ill.  I do hope, dear, he has had a change for the better before this. I shall be quite anxious till I hear from you again.  I enclose a few stamps little money.  May be you will want to get some little thing for him or for Mama.  How I wish I was near you to help nurse both your dear parents.

  We are not settled yet.  I fear it's not going to be very soon, but God know what is best, and if we have our health it is the principal thing.  We are all pretty well at present only the good man is feeling a little poorly and Mary[3] is not very strong.  I wish we were over some place near you, this climate is rather trying.  In my last letter from Ireland the news that poor old Mrs. Jackson[4] had passed away was the principal event.  She never recovered after the news of David's[5] death, but she was a good age (89.)  It was stupid of me not to remember the postage and only put a penny on my last letter.  I hope you will write to me very soon.  God bless you, dear and make your dear father and mother well again is the sincere prayer of your loving Aunt

                                            Sallie Whiteside[6]

 

The children join me in love and kisses to all

 

                                       For Saidie.

 



[1] Sarah Elizabeth MCCULLAGH, daughter of Thomas MCCULLAGH and Sarah IRWIN. Although referred to here as Saidie, she was almost always called Daisy. She was known as “Aunty Dais” (pronounced daze). Apparently when she was very young her father used to call her "my little daisy" and the nickname stuck

[2] Thomas MCCULLAGH (1854-1920), brother of “Sallie” WHITESIDE née MCCULLAGH

[3] Mary Ione WHITESIDE

[4] Elizabeth (née OLIVER) JACKSON d. 23 October 1903

[5] David JACKSON, son of Elizabeth (née OLIVER) JACKSON d. July 27 1903 in Yokohama

[6] Sarah  “Sallie” WHITESIDE née MCCULLAGH b. 1852.