1 Tuesday
The doctor was
in to-day & was
very pleased with
Susan's progress.
She will soon be
well D[eo]G[ratias]
Slán leat
C. Nic D.
Coláirte/
19ad Marta '23 Dear Liam I suppose you have heard of
poor Charlie's execution before this, you
must have got a terrible shock, I am
sure you are heartbroken for I
know that Charlie was the idol of
the whole family. But he is happy
now, for he never regretted the course
he took, and would never ask
for a more glorious death Susie knows nothing about
it yet, probably she told you in
her letter that she was laid
up with a cold, she had a
rather bad cold, but she is
very much improved now, she 2 was not allowed up yet, but
the Doctor will be coming on his
usual weekly visit tomorrow and
she will probably be allowed sit
up for a few hours on the
coming days. I am allowed in
to see her every day and she
is in real good form, she
loves talking about the three of
you especially poor Charlie, she
had a letter from Tom and
one from your Mother on
Thursday last — the day we
heard the sad news here. Tom
seems to be in good form, he
was asking for Irish Books and
seems to be studying, he is
allowed receive and write one
letter a week, he can get
in Irish Books too — I brought
the ones he wanted to the gate 3
on Sat. last. I had a letter from
Florrie Mahony to—day, she is really
heart—broken, Mrs. Mahony was in
to see Susie, but of course she
wouldn't be allowed to the
Infirmary for fear Susan would
suspect something I was in Whelan's on Sat. and
they said that Susan should
go out to them as soon as
she is able to sit up, and
that they would break the
sad news by degrees to her, I
think she would like to go
there too, and it would be
more suited to her frame of mind
too for they are all grown up
would understand her feelings
whereas in Leixlip there are
a crowd of youngsters who
would not understand Sheila O'Brien was up here
twice, but she was not in to 4 see Susan, the nuns are very careful
about her and want her to get
strong herself before she hears
anything, for she would never be
able to bear it now. It is very
hard to hear her talking so
happily about the three of you, she
was delighted to have your's
and Tom's letters. It is very
hard to think that Charlie
is dead, for I knew him as
well from hearing Susan
always talking about him &
from his letters which were
certainly unusual types. All we
can do now is pray for him
& pray that God may help you
all to bear the cross I must finish now by offering
you my sincerest sympathy, &
hoping you will soon be free Slán [agus] beannacht dé leat
Mise - Cara do dúrí, Kathleen Durcan