Hobartown
August 9th 1871
My dear Mother

I received your ever welcome letter by the mail and also the newspapers. I am glad to hear that you are so well and that Sam has arrived safely in the land of promise. I think it may prove to be the best course that he could have taken to leave this colony, as I am sorry to say that things have been getting worse and worse this some time back especially in this portion of it. You may form some idea of the state of matters when I tell you that I have not had a full weeks work in 3 months and I am not as bad in that respect as many others. It is a great trial to be able and willing to work and to be unable to get employment. To be as it were wasting one’s existence and going back in the world. I am sorry to have to tell you these things but I put off the evil day as long as possible hoping that things would change for the better and foreseeing in a measure the state of things made me take the request in a former letter. Altho! Thank to the kindness of some of the "Brethren" we have not wanted. Still we have been pretty considerably straightened in our circumstances although we have acted with the strictest economy and knowing at the same time that you had a heavy pressure at home made me delicate in saying anything about our wants. But we cannot be much of Christians if we cannot trust Him in adversity as well as prosperity, as well as for our temporal as well as our spiritual wants. Thank God we are all enjoying good health which is one great blessing and in the natural course of events things cannot be like this always. I have to inform you that the ship "British Constitution" arrived safe here last week but the package which is on board has not been landed yet but we expect to receive it in a day or so. I send you a paper and by it you will see that our society is going ahead here but more so in the adjoining Colony. I am sorry that we have not been able to send you dear Willy’s carte yet. He was one year old yesterday. Annie is getting a great girl now. Luke did not come over from Sydney as he could not leave his ship and has gone back to London and intends returning to H.town. He will probably arrive in October. I am sorry that I was too late last mail in posting my letter but I shall try and be more punctual in future. Annie thanks Grandma for the pretty picture and is always talking about her dolly. Give my love to sisters and brothers and believe me yours affect

James C Parkinson

Chris will write next mail. Willy has cut 5 teeth.