Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-05-05
attended her mother in the most dutiful an
affectionate manner.
am, &c. A. d.
LETTER II.
Letter from Judge Thomson to Mr.. Rae
Bnphamtop. Browne County, State of


N. Y, August %, 1S4l.
John Rae, Esq.-Dear Sir-Your favor Of
The 49, h ul' reached me on the OH inst.
I am truly happy to hear that my dear and crrly
friend, Mrs. Cunningham, is we'll. The ex-
llanaion you gave me Of the institution where
she resided was perfectly satisfactorily.
should like to know the name Of the benevo-
lent founder. hope your business will permit
you to see Mrs. Cunningham frequently. Say
every thing kind to her for me. In November,
our mutual friend, John Johnston. forwarded
you a draft for her use, (say eco sterlng)-
You will oblige by sending occasionally Gal.
loway newspaper. After an absence Of sixty
years, it does not appear that much change has
taken place in the landed property, in the
or in Wagtonshire. You are DESTROYS
TO know my native place. My father was from
Dairy, my mother from Borgue. Fortune
brought them together about the middle Of the
last century, as eervents, at the house OF MIR.
M'Millan, of Rarwhinnock. in the parish Of
Tawynholm. They were married there and
went to live as cotters With, of @,
who. have often heard my mother say, was one
rents soon left Lochfergus ard went into Dor.
que, in the same humble capacity. There
was born on the nth of July, 1865. After be.
ing some years at the parish school there, Twas
put 10 hoard at an uncle's, who farmed at Cas-.
tlecrave in the parish Of Berwick,l and walked
three miles daily, in the summer, to Mr.. Cor.
don's school in Kirkcudbright. In the winter,
| boarded at the house Of Hugh Johnston, in the
Miburn. | recolect a family of your name
there, that were wrights.
During several summers passed the house
Of Adam Sharpe, Mary's father and his chill
drcn. of which Mary was the eldes', also went
to Mr. Gordon's School. We generally went
and returned together, and formed an attach.
ment founded on the most innocent love and
youthful friendship; and had been the heir Of
the farest estate in Galloway, Mary would have
had the offer Of my hand but alas! poverty
was an insuperable bar. and we were children
Of about fourteen years Of age. Mary's parents
were both from Borgue, and there was only a
few months difference in our ages. ] cannot
mate being made public. The good old book.
seller is no, to let the left hand know what the
right hand doth. My means OF liheralhy were
all disposed Of previous to my knowledge OF
Mrs. C's situation. | wish she could get her
daughter 20 write a letter for her TO me.
have. if my executors are honest-whch
hone they are-secured to Mary f6OO, which
will support her in comfort, and something be
left To reward her daughter. My schoolmates
that recolect, were James Mitchell. son Of
of the ancient DR.. Mitchell; Alexander Gordon
son o! our schoolmaster; Thomas Bean, Jas
Lddesdals, David Mcclellan, James, John and
Robert Clarke, .oIs of Dr.. Clarke. William
Johnston, and his brother John, went to Mr.
Monnoch's school. My health is such that
have little prospec; Of surviving the commne
winter. Should it be SO, | cannot complain
! my days Of pilgrimage have already surpasse,
the ordinary age allotted to man. My ancestry
are truly plebian, and my poor father, out o
twenty years penurious economy, laid up wha
paid for a steerage passage for inc in Glas
gov ship to Jamaica, where ! landed in May
1888, a poor lad unbefriended and pennyles
] lived there fifteen years, and left in August
| was one OF 24young men who were my fellow
passengers in the Glasgow ship, and have beef
for the last forty.two years the only survivor
and the only one Of them that had saved an
property worth notice. have been two week
writing this letter. Should you not again hea
from me, you will hear Of me from your frien
John Johnston who is very wealthy, and as res
pectabe as any man can be. Since the deaf
Of my ancient friend Robert Lenox, he is tn
only one left to me in the city Of New York.
AIN exhausted, and must finish. Truly you
friend,
(Signed) WM THOMSON.
| DHiondiHptOH, DrOOme 70, ~. 1.
October l6, ls4l.
Mr.. John Rae.-Dear Sir BY letter fror
our mutual friend John Johnston, Esq, he in
forms the that Oh the 29h ultimo he has remit
ted to you. on my account, for the use of II,
dear friend, Mary Cunningham, set Of e,
change for f24 q, ID. sterling, which doul
not will come to hand safe. and be duly hono
cd. This sum hope, together with the othe
81 Mt
place he in tolerable comfortable circumstance
Be so kind as I" present to her my sincere low
and regard; and (say) that she may depend @
the like sum annually, during my life. | hav
, also left her f6O0 sterling, payable in two yea
, from my decease, interest annually. But, n
) dear sir, it would probably be best that litt
: should be made public on this subject, as
might lead TO the curtailment OF her preset
comfortable lOcatOn. She owes much TO yo
/. hope you see her often ] am deslrous to r,
ceive letter from her; her daughter can a
as amanuenis
hope the good sense of Britain and the Unite
I States will perceive the advantage of peace
. War between those States would disturb al
, retard the civilization of the whole human rae
= The human passions are yet far from beiI
a chastened by the mild precep,s Of our holy r
J ligion. Yours sincerely
:. loigheuJ WIN. THOMPSON
g P.S.--My health has been very poor for
n year past. w. H.
s Mr. John Rae. 10 Charlotte Place, Lverpo
il LETTER iii.
e From Judge Thompson TO Mary Sharpe, (N
e Cunningham.)
j. Binghampton. Broome Co., N. Y.
:, ebIuary %, 1912.
: Mrs. Mary Cunningham My earliest a
e most beloved friend MIR. Rae's letter of I
l. 29th of November, l54l, did not reach me un
y the I'd Of February, 1912. In two days after
came to hand RENTED to my friend John job
- sion, Esq, Of the city of New York, clio s,t
: ling, for thy immediate relief, which he writ
N to me he has done. ] was truly happy to lea
l. that thee was still numbered with the Twin
a but was much distressed to think how mu
o' thy feelings must have been wounded By the
e mutations thee has been compelled to subu
70 to. Thee did me justice in believing thar, il
., knew thy distress, would be willing to ass
thee; and cannot express how much am
m debted to thee for the present call But,
'e dear Mary, why was thy situation not ina
D. known to me twenty years ago! How happy
,e would made me to have averted from the won
ne ] have ever loved above all others, the dlstr,
a and notifications she has undergone. 1t woul
70 liz, al: - II L