Care of William Trench Esq.
11 Rutland Street
Dublin
We are living in the city now

Cincinnati
December 2nd 1854

My dear Miss Lascelles

Your very kind and thoughtful latter has reached me. I need not say how rejoiced I was to hear from you. I have to thank you on behalf of all but particularly my father for your consideration in writing to us of our dear Aunt's death. I regret greatly that my father did now write to her since he came here. He has yet not got a situation suitable to his strength and age and this alone made him put him off writing from week to week. He tells me that he had intended sending her something monthly if possible and that while in Belfast he paid upwards of £30 for her - this is all right and as it should be when it was needed and if it could be spared. I had supposed that my dear Aunts wants were few and that surely those about her would not let her want for any little comfort she might need. We did not tell my father of our Aunt's departure for more than a week as he was recovering from a severe attack of cold and cough. He is now, thank God, well and so is my mother. They are boarding a few streets from us. I gave your dear bits of flowers to Mamma and I suppose she will write her own thanks to you. My own health is you will be glad to hear is greatly improved. Indeed I have many mercies to be thankful for. Kate has been with us the last week. I am thankful that she is very comfortably settled for a beginning. She has but one little boy to take charge of. Mr and Mrs Neff are kind Christian people - the most respectable in the city so that she has again got among friends and in a good home. They are to allow her the use of her school-room for 3 or 4 more pupils whom they would wish their boy to associate with during the hours of study; and she is to receive additional remuneration. You will see this a nice arrangement. I can see her every Sunday as she sits with us in church and I am so glad to have her in the city as she can be near to comfort Mother and Father. My mind is much relieved since she got a situation as the poor thing grieved sadly at giving up her good situation at home. It s about impossible to succeed here at once and then what with homesickness, want of means, and the prospect of being long idle the health and spirit soon gives way - William spends every Sunday with us. Father and Mother are very dependent on him and Johnnie - Kate will so ever add her help and I do the washing and some other little help. I tell you all dear Miss Lascelles as I know you will be interested. I feel much obliged to Mr and Mrs Surch for their love and kind message and please give them our …ted love and say it would delight us to hear from them. We heard last night that Mrs Heathers is in New York and will be in Cincinnati and look forward to the pleasure of seeing her and having news from all back in old Ireland and from many dear and beloved friends. Kate had a letter from Bessie and Catherine Aitchenson a few days after your letter. We had heard from Mr Richardson of Downpatrick of Mrs Johston's death. Father often goes to see him, his health is delicate. My hand is so cramped with cold that I can scarcely form the letters although I am sitting close by the fire. The Ohio is expected to freeze. The cold is so intense and as the river has not risen yet and little coal in the city it will be a severe winter for the poor. Mr Kerr, John's Uncle has been married since my friends came. He lived with us. They are boarding. We are still housekeeping as we prefer it. Marketing, house rent, washing, everything is much dearer than two years ago when I came. Washing is 3/- a dozen. Johnnie is now partner in the house he first went into in San Francisco. The firm is Johnston and Morgan. The change for a time will not be more lucrative than his salary was, but his position is better and we may hope to see him, if spared, in a year or so when he may have business to the state. He did not see James Parkinson though he rowed out to the vessel. I suppose by this time he has returned James' letter to Mrs Parkinson as he wrote to Kate saying he would do. I find by Catherine's letter that James is in Australia. I am sorry to hear that you still complain still of your back. I remember when I parted with you were suffering with pain and weakness. I find sponging with cold water most beneficial and only think I have become a very fair horse woman. I took lessons at a riding school and find the exercise very useful to me. When at home in Ireland I used to be afraid to go near a horse and should never have thought of such a thing but for John - I wish you had seen or known him. I am sure you would like him. I often think how like a troubled dream my past life seems now. I have seen Kate almost every day since she went to Mrs Neff's. She will write to you and now dear Miss Lascelles before I come to the bottom of the page and have room to say it clearly do write to us often. I know you will not think it a trouble. I was glad to hear the news in and about Killough. We often in the winter see people from Belfast. Father has just been in, my house is his first visit in the morning and his last at night. He desires his kind remembrance and thanks to you. This will reach you about Xmas. May you spend it as happily and peacefully my dear Mrs Lascelles as we all wish you. I will write to Mrs Parkinson in this cover. Now that I have a smaller household to attend to I shall have time to pay all my debts to my friends in the letter way. I do not forget them and I am sure they will not forget me. Accept my kind love my dear Miss Lascelles and believe me yours sincerely and affectionately,

Nannie Cinnamon