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19 Aug 63 John Halifax Father ______________________________________________________________________________________________

Halifax N.S.

August 19th 1863

My dear Father

I ought to be in bed, for one side of my head is swollen up and I am deaf as a post which, unless I get over it may be awkward this day fortnight, the 2nd, but I must try and write to you if the pain will allow me, to try and thank you sufficiently. I know I cannot do it, for the exceedingly handsome present you have made to me and Frances. Indeed you have started us at the dinner table and not on a very small scale.

I wish now, if it were possible, for you and my Mother to be here on the 2nd. Such an event in my life and you not here, does not seem at all correct. Putting correctness aside, it is the one thing wanting to complete our happiness, for I know that you would so much have liked to have been at it.

I must leave off – the pain in my head is intense. Leeches tomorrow morning.

August 20th

Have just got rid of the deputy sawbones who came to put on leeches and with my head tied up, to persuade the blood to keep flowing, I am pretty. This won’t last long, but I am to keep the bites open for three or four hours.

I doubted my capacity for writing and bleeding. I trust that the plan is answering, but as I have to get up and bathe every five minutes it somewhat limits me for writing. At present, answering most successful bleeding first rate, just investigated, but what I do want collectedness for, is to thank you sufficiently for all the handsome and valuable presents you have made us.

First the necklace and brooch for Frances is very handsome and very pretty (terms not at all synonymous) and she is very pleased with it. We had to hurry through unpacking the case from Hancocks yesterday evening. I, unpacking each thing and after a look (for we had time for no more), packing them up again.

For the present, don’t imagine from that, that we did not appreciate the things as we came upon them and the never ending ‘very handsome’ and ‘very pretty’ and ‘the good taste’ as far as we were judges could have proved to you had you been by, that it was no want of admiration of all we unpacked that hurried us through.

Really, I don’t know how to thank you, and I said the best way of thanking you would be to let you see it in use and that I cannot manage. I wish I could.

I have been very busy for the last four hours alternately writing official letters and swabbing at my ear. Having now lost blood enough to satisfy the most sanguinary Sangrado,* I shall try cold application and stop this amusement. The flies are terrible here and the more so from the smell of blood. I hope that the inflammation will be reduced and that my ear will soon get round.

I have to go away next week for a few days, and do not want to bring back something worse on top of this. It would be pleasant for the following week although Frances requests me to keep all my ailments for then. That is not to say that I am going to if I can help it.

In the innocence of my heart I went to the customs to pass the boxes from England and found a pleasant 10 per cent duty. I had not a penny at the moment, and now I only get my pay quarterly here and ditto the half pay from home, so I am quite out until the first of October. So I opened an account at the Halifax Bank, the Collins family bank, and drew on Cox for £100 to start me. I know that just at the moment I shall have to draw a good deal, but when we are once settled, we shall be able to see what we are about.

I fear much, altho’ I don’t want to, that I must sell some shares and if after all, as they were saved, or rather what purchased them was, to be of use on an emergency! of this sort. It will scarcely be like disposing of ones capital. Of course I don’t want to spend the money if it can be helped but here at first I have to get me furniture, and the duty &c. then my horse dying and one thing and another, mount up until the very amount surprises one.

Rely upon it, I will draw as little as I can and until we see what we are doing and can make arrangements. I hope Cox & Co will continue to honour my cheques.

I must finish now. Thanking you again and again for all your kindness & hoping you will thank all those who have so kindly sent mementoes of their friendship for me.

Believe me ever, my dear Father

Your affectionate Son

J Wimburn Laurie

I am so vexed to hear about Arthur. No doubt there are many most promising careers open in India but he must know that a man who won’t work in the Army is not a man to get on out of it, as the same energy is required.

* Sangrado – A fictional character in Le Sage’s ‘Gil Blas’, a physician whose sole remedies were bleeding and the drinking of hot water