Dairy of James Burke-Gaffney

.... detail to be added ...

John after his retirement from the Indian Service lived on the Isle of Jersey. He and Jessie are now living in Ireland, at the time I write (January 26, I907).  Were it not for his wonderful affection, if I may not use the stronger expression, love. for his brother Tom, I fear he would not care to live in Ireland, the climate being too damp for him. Their life long love I believe is rarely found between brothers.  They have corresponded regularly with each other, weekly, for over forty years! 

Next in succession was poor Edward – our mothers darling as we always called him. I do not well recollect, but I believe he was rather a delicate child, and had to wear heavy flannels, seldom worn by the children in Ireland. He grew up, however to vigorous manhood, was the tallest of all the boys~ over six feet, and was fuller of fun and spirit than any of my brothers. Like my Father he was fond of all manly ports, athletics, hunting and fishing. He took a trip to America with some friends, merely intended as a short visit, but remained in New York for a few years, when he married a Miss Laura Andrews who was only about seventeen years old when they were married, and died within a year of his marriage, having a little son, Edward, who lived only about twelve months. This child was born about two months after my arrival in America. I was his godfather. After Edward's death in July 1871, I felt as if this child were my own and loved it dearly;  it was a blow only second to that of the death of his father when he too died. I was dearly attached to Laura, but as she married greatly to my sorrow within a year after her husband's death, I ceased all intimacy with her and she dropped as completely out of my life as if I had never known her. Her second husbands name was Brown, and I am under the impression he was arrested not long after his marriage for embezzlement.

Edward too, like John, had studied medicine but followed the drug business in preference to being a physician, although he did practice occasionally. He was surgeon of the 9th Regiment of the N.Y. National Guards at his death. He was a most lovable character and had hosts of friends. He was by far the best looking of all the boys. He is buried, with his baby beside him, in the family lot of the Madden's of Roundout, Ulster Co., New York.   M.J. Madden and Edward appeared as fond of each other as were my brother Tom and John heretofore referred to. This Mr. Madden and his good wife were the best friends I ever had, and I really loved them as if they were my own blood relatives. I hope I may be able to pay them greater tribute when I reach my own Memoirs.

Next comes my sister Helen. She is better known to my children than any of their aunts. She, Josephine and I were more intimately associated as a trio than the others of the family as we were the middle members, too young for the elder and too old for the younger ones. We studied together and they helped me along as they were so much brighter. I  owe all the best instincts of my nature to their care of me, and whatever little good there may be in me is due to their loving dispositions, and this comradeship continued until I became of age and started out in the world, and has been kept alive by a constant correspondence ever since. Helen had a taste for literature and art. After couple of years study in Augsburg, Bavaria, she returned but to enter a convent at Rathfarnham near Dublin in the Order of Loretta. She has spent some years in English and Irish houses of this Order, and is now in the Coleja de la B.V.F. at Zala, Viscaya, Spain, after having spent several years in Gibraltar and their convent, Castellyn de la Cuesta, Seville, Spain. She has kept up her literary tastes, and occasionally writes little stories for magazines under the pen name of "Elizabeth" which is also her name in religion.

There is little more to be said of the life of a religious, unless she may be an exception to most of those who renounce the world - she has never seemed to have lost love of her kindred and takes the strongest interest in their lives – particularly so in my life I believe, as I always have been obliged at her solicitation to enter very fully into the details of any work I might be engaged in, notably in any of great interest: such as, tunnels or bridges – in the last tunnels I constructed on the George's Creek and Cumberland Railroad. 

Chapter 10

For these she sent me a little form of prayer she wished me to repeat every day I inspected the progress of the work, which I did faithfully, she promising to repeat the same every day herself for my success. We never have had a man even seriously hurt during the building of these tunnels, and as the borings of one of these tunnels became close together, the centers I gave in each breast were bored through and together, and the drills met point to point as if in one hole. This was exceptionally good luck, and may be attributed to her good prayers when it is considered that the grade from the Upper portal was descending 2% and the grade from the lower portal ascending also 2%. Up to the time I left the service of the Georges Creek and Cumberland Railroad Co. I believe I never rode through these tunnels without repeating this prayer.  I may say here I have had singular good fortune in never having a man even seriously injured on any works I have had charge of and I feel that this may be attributed to the pious prayers of good sisters Helen and Josephine, in religion known as Elizabeth and Columba.

And this naturally brings me to the latter, Josephine, although I was born between these two sisters I will leave myself to the last. Josephine was the sweetest of sisters a brother could desire. While Helen was equally affectionate in a different manner, and being older than I, Josephine was more demonstrative and looked upon me as older brother and superior to her in strength as in her younger days was as fond of outdoor sport as we boys. She could and would play cricket with the best of us -- this is somewhat like our American Base Ball. Withall she was refined and ladylike in every and her influence had much to do with keeping down the savage instincts inherent in boys. Her influence on me I feel has followed me through life in attracting me to what was pure and womanly -- and deterring me from anything that was contrary to these virtues. although so full of life and its innocent pleasures, she was of a very pious nature and in her early years, not yet more than fifteen or sixteen, it was she that set the time for the nightly rosary. If from unexplained cause this devotion was delayed a little later than usual, and being sleepy, I might try to steal off bed, her watchful eye would detect me, and without any delay, before I could reach the door knob, she would drop on her knees and begin to recite the prayers. Father, Mother and all would put down books or work, or even unfinished a game of whist, without a single remonstrance. In very shame I would also of course join in no matter how sleepy I might have at first felt.

So kind and gentle was she that I must relate one incident which has ever lingered in my memory -- one night as I was retiring to my room and passing by her door she came out half disrobed and clasped her arms around my neck asking me to forgive her for some imaginary unkindness during the day. I cannot remember at all what this slight offense was, be it great or little, her tears and love more than compensated me for the deed. She was very much admired by our male friends, but always seemed to care more for the society of her brothers than any of the young men.  Daniel 0'Connell, the grandson of the Great O'Connell, was an ardent admirer of hers, and had ample opportunity of showing his affection, as in return compliment of the kind attention paid my father by his grandfather fifty years previously.  Father used to send a carriage into Ballrnrobe every Saturday and return him in time for Monday morning opening of the bank of which he was cashier. 

I had no idea I would have spread myself into a second volume but my reminiscences grow as I dwell on them.

But to proceed with my sister Josephine, or Columba as she now  loves to be called. One very happy memory of her is in connection with our First Holy Communion.  We were prepared for this great event in our lives by the good sisters of the "Poor Claresas they were called, in their convent at Harrods Cross, Dublin. The good old Reverend Mother had me in her especial charge, and her dear kindly old face is as fresh in my memory now as it was forty-five years ago.