Cathy Greene, Brooklyn, to her mother, Mrs. Catherine Greene, Ballylarkin, Callan, Co. Kilkenny, 1 August 1884. My dear Mamma What on earth is the matter with you all, that none of ye would think of writing to me. The fact is I am hearth sick fretting. I cannot sleep the night and if I chance to sleep I wake up with the most frightful dreams to think its now going, and gone into the third month since you wrote to me I feel as if I'm dead to the world. I'm left the place I was employed They failed in business I was out of place all summer and don't know how long. This is a world of troubles. I would battle with the world and would never feel dissatisfied if I would hear often from you. And know candidly how things are going on but what to think of how ye are now forgetting me I dont know but one thing I know if I dont hear from ye prior to the arrival of this letter at Ballylarkin I will be almost dead. I dream of ye every night a few nights ago, I saw a toom stone, white with black letters in memory of some person who died in 1884 the first letter of the name was 'M.' and what followed I could not realize last night I saw Johnny and the 'Mare also a lot of clay turned up. I feel so nervice I faint often into a swone like often now. I know its from anxiety about ye, and what is best for ye to do. I sometimes think you would come here and that health would fail and like almost all the Irish drop off one by one. There is no place like home if one could at all live there but if not dont hesitate about coming here I trust ye are well and that my frightful dreams wont be realized. Cathy. with love to one & all for God sake write soon your lonely daughter Cathy