1 MOSSVALE, BANGOR, CO. DOWN March 24/16 Dear Col. Crawford I yesterday received from Ernest
my usual weekly drawing,
& must thank you for your goodness
in telling him to pay this amount
to me whether at the office or not. I know this is only in keeping
with all the kindness you have
shewn me, both before & since
your father died, but as I am
fully aware that any business you have, can be carried on
perfectly well without me 2 I feel it would not be fair
to take this money in view of
your present financial difficulties.
Ernest is really doing all the
work & will naturally & fairly
expect more salary than he now
has & as I will be perfectly
satisfied & content with half
my usual wages, you can at
once give him an advance without
in the least increasing the office
expenses in any way. I need hardly say that it
is most painful for me to be
obliged to give up my position in the old firm, after such a long
and pleasant service. With all
the several members of the firm I
have always had the happiest relations
and I feel I owe them more than
it would ever be possible for me
to repay, if I were to live for a century
longer. I cannot however get
over the fact that I am now in
my 80 th year & that I no longer
feel that I am fit to take on
great responsibilities in connection
with business. I am not given
to complaining about my health
but I must say that I never felt
any winter so severely as this one,
and I am almost certain that
only for your kindness in giving
me shorter hours & a whole Saturday 3 holiday, I would not have
been able to hold out so long.
I need hardly say that anything
it is in my power to do for you
or the firm in any way, I shall
always be ready to do. I am
counting on feeling better when
the weather improves & when
I will be able to take more
outside exercise than is now
possible. With kind regards
Ever yours truly W. S. McKee 4 Bangor 25 Mar 16
Private Colonel F. H. Crawford, A Crawford & Son, Wilson St., Belfast.