10 January, 1871
My dear Mr O'Flaherty,
You have had some unusual mail arrive since leaving London. As you told me you would likely be returning next week, I would have held on to them until that time. Except that this morning these letters arrived. And I feel these may be of some urgency, so I have sent them along to you.
I hope that you are enjoying your stay in the country and that the wedding is a most pleasant and happy occasion for all concerned.
Yours most sincerely,
Mrs. Ploppy
8 January, 1871
Dear sir,
I write to you in my capacity as Executor of the estate of Mr Eamon Gavaghan. In his last Will and Testament Mr Gavaghan has made provision for you which shall consist of a modest annuity.
This news will no doubt come as something of a shock, as I am given to understand that you have never met the gentleman. Mr Gavaghan was a great admirer of pugilism in general and your career in particular. In his declining years he had begun devoting his remaining energies to the formation of a Society for the promotion of sports as a means to good health. Among his papers we have discovered an unfinished letter addressed to you asking you to by a spokesman for such a proposed society. The letter is dated just a few days before Mr Gavaghan's death.
It is perhaps this same impulse which caused him to make the provision for you in his Will.
I am sure you have many questions. I would be happy to answer them and assist you in any way that I can. There are some arrangements that must be completed before the Annutiy payments can begin. If it is not convenient for you to come to our offices, I would be quite happy to bring the necessary papers to you.
I await your instructions.
Until then I remain your servant,
Mr Gerald Bollard, Esq.
6 December, 1870
Mr. Seamus O'Flaherty
214c Dorset St.
London, England
Dear Seamus,
I hope this letter finds you in good health, good spirits, and good company. First, a bit of good news. You're going to be an uncle. Maggie says it'll be born in June. Mum says May. We'll see which one is right.
Things must be very interesting for you there in London. Now Molly, Maggie, and I did our best to keep those penny dreadfuls from Mum's notice, but we failed. It didn't help that Mr. Fagin had to go and put a poster for the new ‘thrilling serial' up in his store window for all the world to see. I thought you had put the fear of God into that Gottleib character. I guess he must have gotten the news you're out of the country.
Anyway, "Astounding Exploits" is running a story about you and that Rocket Outlaw battling anarchists or some such in the streets of London. It must be selling them lots of magazines, because they've started advertising another one to begin as soon as this one is run its course.
Rum luck for them poor rebels up on the Red River. Thought maybe the Canucks had come to their senses and were going to run the bloody Brits off the continent, but I guess things didn't go well. For awhile old Shaughnessy was trying to raise a Volunteer Brigade to go join ‘em, but that came to naught.
I don't know if you remember Billy, the O'Grady's youngest boy. After the war he finally settled down, married, and headed out west to stake a claim somewhere. Well, his mother received a letter that's got everyone quite worried. Claims there's an Indian uprising brewing out there. With the papers talking about mountains exploding, and then this news about the telegraph going dead, well, you can imagine people are fearing the worst.
Some loonie has been preaching on the street corners, saying it's the end of days. He's getting a bit of a following. There's talk of holding meetings in the union hall. They say the angel Gabriel has blown his trumpet. It's a lot of bloody nonsense, if you ask me.
Molly and Maggie send their love. Mum continues to pray for you every day. Take care of yourself.
Yours truly,
Jimmy
14 Jan 1871
Mrs. Ploppy
214 Dorset St.
London, England
Dear Mrs. Ploppy,
Thank you so very much for your quick thinking regarding my correspondence. You were quite right, the letters you sent were most unusual and greatly important to me. The funds I have enclosed should be the equivalent of six months rent and boarding. I do not know how much time I will be spending at the room due to recent events, but I deeply appreciate the care you have given my things. While I am away, I will miss dining with the household. If Mr. Eldridge gets out of hand, I’m sure three good knocks on the ceiling from my room will keep him on his toes.
Yours,
Seamus O’Flaherty
14 Jan 1871
Mr. James O’Flaherty
1832 Washington st.
Boston, Massachusetts
USA
Dear Jimmy-boy,
First and foremost, a hearty congratulations to you and the Mrs. I imagine that Mum is already beside herself with preparations and such. You possess all the qualities to be a fine father, Jimmy.
It’s that particular skill as a peace maker that I feel I should address, however. I deeply appreciate what must have been an extreme effort to keep Mum from the agitation that those horrible dime novels bring her. But please, take care not to sugar coat Mother’s attitude toward me. I know enough from the rest there that my name is still not spoken in her presence. As for “Astounding Exploits”, it matters not one bit whether or not there is one word of truth inside, only that the family name appears on the cover next to a horrible picture of “not her son”. We both know that while she prays every day, what she prays about will remain only the business of Mrs. Katherine O’Flaherty.
I’ve read with great interest the news from America. Obviously the reaction regarding the Canucks is covered much differently here. I’ve said many times after traveling abroad that there are good and bad people everywhere. This may not at all be well received in your neck of the woods, but after dealing day to day with some of its members here, the same can be said of members of the British government, there are some good people even here. I hope that more good folks back home are spending more effort gaining acceptance in their new country than carrying the grudges of the old one.
Since it appears now that I will not likely return to America in the near future, enclosed is a modest sum. Please consider this a present for my soon to arrive nephew or niece. Get a few nice things now, or set it aside for some necessary in the future. Of course, do not mention its source to Mum. This is a bonus for hard work from your employer.
I haven’t all the details, but I may be doing better for myself here than I previously expected. I will tell you the details as I receive them. Send my love to all. Send it silently to Mother.
Yours truly,
Seamus
14 Jan 1871
Mr. Gerald Bollard, Esq
(address) Chancery st.
London, England
Dear Squire,
You will soon receive contact from a Mr Featherstone regarding the legal specifics regarding the matter you have contacted me. I confess that I am a bit in shock regarding this news. I have dealt with admirers previously unknown to me, true, but usually their regard is tainted by a false mythology surrounding my activities after my boxing career or by equally false things printed about me. I would have dearly enjoyed conversing with a gentleman named Mr. Eamon Gavaghan regarding boxing and physical exercise. Though I never met him, I am saddened that I no longer have the chance.
I would very much like to know about the society Mr. Gavaghan was trying to form, and about the gentleman himself.
My thanks to you,
Seamus Micheal O’Flaherty
Proceed to Old pal McThorne, indeed!
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