Hobartown
8th August 1874
My dear Mother,

I received your always welcome letter on arrival of the mail and newspapers correct. I am glad to hear that your have recovered from your illness and hope that your excursion to old Killough may do you good. Chris is much obliged for the handkerchief and we hope to be able to send you something by one of the English ships this season of which you will have due notice. I generally wear any kind of woollen socks in winter and cotton in summer since the old stock was exhausted. I am glad that Kate likes her situation. Do not forget to remember me to her. I suppose she will be adding Russ? to the number of her accomplishments. There has been more bustle and stir about the Wharf this winter than usual on account of the many English ships coming with Railway Material and I think that things are gradually on the mend in this country. Thank God we are all better off by a great deal this year then we were last, and hope in a few more months, if we are spared to get "our heads above water". We have had a very severe winter on sea and land, but there is every prospect of a plentiful summer. The Orange men in Sydney had a religious service in the Exhibition Building on Sunday the 12th of July where there were about six thousand present and on the 13th also a large meeting. We had us a lively little tea-party and about 200 present, three Protestant clergy present and apologies from the like number but we are very dead here, but perhaps the fact that we are to have a Roman Catholic Governor here shortly named Wield whose ancestor was the founder of Stoneyhurst college may be the means of stirring up the languishing spirit of John Bull on the principal that opp,osition is the life of trade. Please send me some seed of the Purple Rocket as there are none here that I know of. Give my love to sisters and brothers and believe me ,

Ever your affect,

James C. Parkinson.

PS this is Willys birthday and the 18th is his mothers.