WCP5579

35 Edward St.

Hampton Road.

Tu. Sept 16th. 1856.

Dear John and Mary,

We received the welcome news on Friday 12 Sept1 [sic] of the birth of the son¹ and heir! May he prove a blessing to you both. Your Father² brought me the letter, said your dear mother³ cried and laughed over it[.] She had been very anxious about your well doing, and when she heard all was well over, her feelings were to[o] much for her. It was very kind of Mrs. Newal⁴ to be with you. Pray tell her that both the Grandmas⁵ thank her for her neighborly [sic] attention, and for writing to give us the immediate intelligence of the event. Your sister⁶ was very disappointed when she found her letter only contained an old one of her own writing addressed to you with seeds. No doubt before this you will have found outthe [sic] mistake, and she hopes to have that letter with further news of your progressing. We do not know now on what day the Babe was born. Your friends's⁷ [sic] letter was dated Aug[ust].3rd. We should like to hear on what day and hour he presented himself. [I] Am glad you have so good a nurse at least I hope she has proved herself so. Did you require the assistance of a doctor? We hope the next mail will bring good news with the "Columbia Gazette"⁸ announcing the birth. Pray, when is the Christening to take place? Do not make a woman of him by taking him to their Church. The simple primitive manner of messages and Baptisms of what you term Presbetism [Presbyterianism] is very beautiful and all that is required before "God", who requires no outward show of ceremonies.

Mr.⁹ and Mrs. Sims and myself met in Upper albany Street on Sunday 14th. Your Mother gave us a very nice dinner with "Stout" and desert [sic] of apples and filberts. We contributed the wine and cake with almonds and raisins. We had quite an innocent Jollification, drank our Grandson's health in a bumper of good old Port, and another to the health of you both. Then Fanny made us fill again to the health of the Two Grandmammas¹⁰, and Grand Papa. Your Parents looked very well and your sister was quite merry upon the occasion. I could not help fancying Mrs. Sims would have liked to have been in John's situation (the Father of a fine boy) but the time is too far gone to expect that now. There is an unsettledness about Thomas Sims at times which would be dissipated by the prattle this of a little one. Fanny is an excellen[t] wife, and amuses and rouses him when he is in a "key too low".

Your Father said if he were 10 years younger, he'd work himself over to California to have a look at the Boy. Mother "sighed" and said she should liketo [sic] hug the dear little lamb. "Well, well" Father said "this ca[n]'t be yet awhile if ever. We ought to be thankful Mary has got over her hour, and her baby spared to her. After dinner Mr. and Mrs. Sims went out for a walk round the Park, and we old folks took our repose. When the young folks returned we had tea, after this Mr. Sims went to Chapel, and the servant went out. At [half] past eight we had supper and finished with a glass of Grog and cake, renewing the health of the Father, Mother, and Babe, and terminated the evening with singing some some hymns. Mr. Sims and Mrs. Webster¹¹ were the chief va vocalists. Mrs. Sims and Mrs. Wallace joined in the Chorous.¹²

Mon. 16th. I am going to treat Father and Mother this evening to see your "Big Tree" now exhibiting in the Adelaide Gallery¹³ at 1/2/6 each. They give a printed account with a print of the tree (gratis) taken from a Daguerreotype on the spot, so I will enclose one. We shal [sic] go from hence in the Waterloo about 7 which will set us down at the do [sic] door. Your Sister reminded me yesterday of my promise to give an oyster supper when I heard I was a Grandmama. This I did not remember but we shall stop on our return at Conduit Street, when I will fulfil [2] my promise, and give an oyster supper. Master Wallace ought to rise and make one of his best bows for the honors conferred on him, but I d [sic] dare say he loves to lay snug at his Mother's breast and take his rest.

Tell John he must write to one of us on this special occasion. I suppose he will have been retained Chief Engineer (or Superintendant) on the 3rd. of the month. Tell us what the boy's name is to be.¹⁴