This is the fourth and last letter written by an orphan train rider that I will be submitting. I wish I had many more to share with you.
This boy appears content with his lot living on a farm. Many children ended up on farms and their treatment varried widely. They bided their time until they were eighteen, then decided if they wanted to remain or move on.
This boy doesn't seem to have had much schooling, as his letter reveals.
May 22, 1878
Mr. Tracy
Dear Sir. I received a letter some time ago and hasten to reply it is raining today so I have time to write we are pretty busy now in getting the land ready for corn we intend planting in about two days we had a temperance revival here last week there was 200 signed the pledge we will have another meeting tomorrow night it is a blue ribbon movement I am wearing the ribbon that cut and left a big scar on my hand I received the book you sent me and was pleased with it how are times in New York by this time hope they are better will you ask Mr. Trott what became of that young man that was working for him when I worked for him I guess he would know me times are awful hard out here now there is scarcely any money out here I expect you are doing good work now I have no more to say at present so I will close wishing you good success in your work I remain
Ireland 1947. Seven weeks of relentless snow. Guard Eamon Foley is searching for a missing child.
At Toby Appleyard’s farm, he discovers the kitchen littered with dead cats. And the skeletal remains of a woman. Upstairs, Toby is dead in his bed.
