Beloved Sisters and Loving Friends

by Farah Jasmine Griffin

  [….] I am much pleased with the soles & have put them in my rubbers, for I’m obliged to wear them everyday now on acct. of the mud. The figs & gum drops I reserved exclusively to myself, & I shall hold on to the apples so long as they will last.

  Shall you require the pan again? If not, I thought I’d give it to Mrs. Thomas. She’s delighted with her tea & is much pleased with your piece of soap for which she thanks you much. Ned the boy that lives with us now, never tasted a piece of mince pie before & Mrs. Thos. told me he was in extasies over it—for I gave him a piece of mine, as Mr. Thos. ate all of him himself.

  [….] Three or four couples among the gentry have been united in marriage in this community within the past two weeks, & another in contemplation among the col’d. people in our neighborhood.

  Teachers arrived from Balto, this week for St. Michaels & Ferry Neck. The latter being a gentleman visited me at my school as he was en-route to his destination. He is so very fair & has such light hair I took him for a white man, yet I suspect he’s what may be called a bright mullatto.

  [….] We had for dinner, bacon, turkey, roast beef, boiled chicken, cabbage, sweet & Irish potatoes, turnips, bread & suet pudding; for dessert apple pie, sweet potatoe pudding or pie, with tomotoe and pear preserved. Just previous to our departure another table was spread with cake, small cakes, raisins & sweet cordial. We reached home soon after five o’clock. These people are determined to have a good time whenever they invite their f’ds.

  Your very kind letter reached me yesterday P.M. & its interesting contents were very cheering. My toe is better since I’ve under taken to doctor it, but its bad enough now at times. It is not my big toe, but a new corn that has recently appeared upon the top of the second toe, & sometimes it carries me high as a kite, figuratively speaking. I think the people collected a nice sum of money for Mr. Dyson, & I’m glad too, to hear they think favorably of aiding Miss Smith, for she is deserving of their sympathy. I don’t know how I should feel were I to be placed in her present condition, depending too, wholly upon myself for support as she is. And I hope although she’s a stranger to all, each one will or may consider the cause in which she’s laboring & then decide. Our people too, did well by Mr. John’s, I presume they do not or did not understand about refreshments being participated in by the company. The people are doing well by him & his family, &

  I hope he’ll manifest his appreciation of their regard for him, differently from what his predecessors have done. I think the weather with you last Sunday was just like that we had here.

  We’ve eaten the opossum. It was nice but so very very fat. I only ate two of its little legs.

  [….] I’m glad to hear the two little girls are again in possession of good health. How many teeth has Doll now, tell her I shall expect her to reserve some of thos big smacks for her Auntie Becca whose name she’s learned to call. I don’t think she ought to leave home for fear of taking cold & getting sick. I think today ’twill be better too for Leila for it did not benefit her any when she went on to Boston last winter. Tell Leila I don’t believe Jim plagues her one bit, & that it’s her who plagues him & I shall Doll to tell me all about it when I come. I understand now who all were that we’re taken into church. Is Miss Linason still at Madame Tyler’s establishment?

  The new teacher at Ferry Neck was a guest at Mr. Turners today. He’s a Virginian & is from Alexandria. His father preaches at one of the Zion churches in Balto. He is rather of a roving sort of a fellow I think, & will make a short stay in these parts. Now I’ve written all I can think of I’ll close. Mr. & Mrs. Thos. send love to you all. Remember me to my friends & accept much love to yourselves.

  From Rebecca.

  Note the tone of the next letter. Rebecca speaks of herself as part of the “we” of the Thomas family. In fact, one might read this as a letter from the Royal Oak household to the Hartford branch of the family.

  Royal Oak, April 11, 1869

  Sun 3 P.M.

  My dear Parents & Sister,

  [….] I have held school same number of pupils for a wonder, with neither increase or decrease. Vesta Tilghman is getting better again. The tumor is now coming out on her neck & it looks badly enough but since it’s been out she felt better. I presume ’tis the medicine she’s taking that’s sent it out. Her mother’s had the tooth & face ache very badly all the week from a cold I presume.

  The other children who have been ailing in our neighborhood are recovering. A white woman here has a cancer in her breast just as Mrs. Freeman had I should judge, & she’s suffering very much from it. She’s had it a long time & has tried many remedies for it but without success. She lies very low with it now.

  Then there’s a case of the “black measles” at the Oak. I’m told a young white man has them. It is this woman’s son. A colored woman down ther is also very ill & under the Dr. It seems to be quite sickly all around us now.

  We’re as a family about the same as usual though we’ve our little ups & downs with the rest. Yet we’re all able to keep at work and to eat our daily allowance.

  We’re glad to hear of the continued good health of you all, & trust it may ever remain the same. We thought you must have had snow last Sun. & were not surprised to hear that you were favored with a squall. ’Twas quite cold too with us & the wind was very searching. There’s no wind today. I rec’d. your welcome epistle Friday noon, & enjoyed a perusal of it soon after eating my dinner. In regards to your being asleep Ma when writing, I do not think it’s constantly, but only now and then a polite nod or I may say a gentle inclination of the head, & sometimes a more impulsive jerk I presume, many pages are written, & this accounts for the unfinished sentences etc. that occasionally occur in your letters. I do not complain, but I’m let to smile & conjecture oftentimes, for I well know how matters were at the time of writing. [….]

  Old man Moore is quite feeble & it is thought will be sent to the Poor House. He keeps about but is failing fast. The papers you spoke of sending have not reached me yet. I presume they’re along the route somewhere. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas unite in sending love to you all. Remember me to the friends and accept best love to yourselves.

  From your absent Rebecca

  Primus Institute, April 12, 1869

  Mon. noon

  My dear Sister[Bell],

  I have just returned from dinner & favored with a ride, having still a few moments to spare I take up my pen to write you a few lines. Tis a lovely day though rather wet just the reverse of what yesterday was. I have quite a full school today & the children are now enjoying themselves upon the road in front of the schoolhouse.

  The little package came safely to hand on last Wed. A.M. I was pleased to rec. your letter & also very much pleased with the little cloak & sacque. I like it far better than if it had been plain goods. I think it really handsome. I have sent it to the little one for whom ’twas made, & it had given great pleasure & delight. Even the little child is delighted with it & seems aware that it’s for herself. The little one is not as you thought a boy, but another cunning, bright & active little girl just like little Dollie Dutton. And I am glad to hear that she had the pleasure of Christening it. I wish you’d get her one for me, as she felt so about taking off that I want her to have one of her own, so you’ll oblige me very much to get some more of the same material & to make one for her. Tell her Auntie says she must have one, get it for her to travel in. I am in every way satisfied with the cloak & I am greatly obliged to you for making it etc. But I did not intend you should make it gratis. I wanted you to take your pay for trouble etc. I thank heartily for your kind offer to do anything for me. I do not doubt that in the least, for you’ve always done this & I do not hesitate to acknowledge it.

  5 P.M. Home—I don’t know what to think of Doll & all her little antics. She must be a real cunning little rogue. I should think sh’d need watching all the time. I was wanting to know whether she ever visited her absent Auntie’s room—but what’s the attraction there? I presume she has a dim recollection of
what enjoyment herself & Auntie frequently took together there, & she probably tries to make you all know what it was & you fail to understand her, or to comprehend her meaning. She’d probably like you to feel that ’twas left in her care.

  Jim must have had a real jubilee over that mouse. Tell him his mistress don’t want him to get her counterpane so dirty still as he’s lain on it so long I shall not object to his doing so now till I come.

  Ma neglected to tell me the message about the turkies. I regret to know he should have felt so very badly about them, but trust he shared a portion of one of not of those hanging in the cellar at that time.

  I think you’ll have favorable weather this month to enable you to make your long contemplated visit. I hope ’twill agree with Dolls health so as to fatten her up. I shall be delighted to get her picture for I long to see just how she looks. Leila’s a hard case I suspect. Tell her I shall be compelled to give he Jesse unless she really does stop annoying Jim. I suppose she, Doll & Jim have a happy time together. The latter being the persecuted & most peaceable of the three. I thank you once again for getting & making the cloak & little sacque. All I now desire is to have little Doll to have one & this is the only favor I will ask of you for the present. Tell her the accepted kiss was splendid though Auntie failed to find it & in return sends a dozen. Tell her she must be a good girl till Auntie comes. Give love to both the little ones and accept the same to yourself. Mr. & Mrs. Thos. join me. The day has been fine. Yr. affect’te. Si.

  Rebecca.

  Hopkins Neck, Royal Oak, Monday Apr. 19, 1869

  My dear Parents & Sister,

  I’ve just finished my supper & have been from the schoolhouse only a half hour being partly detained by several of pupils who had unlearned lessons to commit to memory. It has been rather cloudy and very windy today, still the air’s been soft & warm & altogether the day’s been a pleasant one. For the first time today I had no fire at school on acc’t. of its being so warm. We sat without a fire here at home yesterday for it was a real summer like day, it being warm and delightful with not a cloud in the sky till night, [….] I rec’d. a letter from Carrie with yours on Saturday. She’s well, enjoying herself and flying around as usual. She sends love to you all, & thanks you Ma for your kind & good wishes in her behalf & says she needs all the encouragement from friends that she can get. She had a festival there just after the holidays but didn’t do near so well as she expected. She has 28 pupils. Miss Hoy has a large school averaging 60 pupils, her sister about 50 & Mr. Butler’s son has had 91 this winter & now has 60. She’s been told that she’s in the darkest part of the county, the measles & whooping have been among her pupils & her school’s been very much reduced thereby.

  Prof. Day seems to be upon a preaching tour again, he having preached twice recently in the town of Lewisburgh where her married sister lives, then again a Harrisburgh, Pa. I presume he’s trying to produce a sensation again now. Carrie & he are not such good friends now as they have been for some reason known only to themselves. Her former suitor Richard Mason has charge of a school under the Asson. She thinks him capable of filling the station but he lacks energy & inclination. Miss Addie Green has declined teaching any longer under the Asson. & I think he is placed over her school. Carrie has no dealings with the Asson. This term she informs me. She is under the Quakers of Penn. Also her sister is employed by the same. Very unexpectedly yesterday P.M. we rec’d. a call from Miss Snowden & her assist. T hey were going to pay a visit to Miss Laws at St. M. & so called in. I was pleased to see them & the half hour they spent with us was a very sociable & agreeable one. They came in a covered carriage & in style. Miss Snowden is becoming more naturalized & comes upon a level with the rest of her co-laborers, professing much friendship for me. They’re coming to spend a Sabbath with us ’ere the term expires. Mrs. Thomas invited them.

  [….] The earth’s being prepared for corn now. Forward potatoes have already been planted. The wheat is coming on finely & looks like a beautiful green carpet. The trees have begun to blossom, & some of them such as peaches & cherries, are in full bloom. And all nature is coming forth and clothing herself in beauty and fragrance. The little birds fill the air all around us every pleasant morn’g. with their sweetest and happiest songs. One can’t but feel cheerful when all around is teeming with life and good cheer. I enjoy it all.

  Mrs. Thos. has set one of her turkies upon twenty three eggs, & she’s put the balance of their eggs under a hen. Both have stopped laying now. Her two muscovia ducks have commenced laying the past week. Most of the hens have about stopped laying & several are setting. She’s asked me whether you’d any hens setting yet, & I tell her I don’t think you’ve thought of so doing yet. Her little ducks are coming on finely now so that she anticipates having fried chickens Whit Sunday. One of her very largest & best hens has recently been stolen from her she thinks, & she’s had a great time lamenting her loss.

  [….] Josephine sent me one of her characteristic letters last week and is well. I expect she’ll come walking in here some of these pleasant Saturdays, when if she’d let me know I’d. make arrangements to meet her.

  [….] I’m glad to hear of the continued blessing of health bestowed upon you all, but poor little Doll I do wish her teeth could hurry & come through so as to cease from troubling her so much. Are those little pimples gone from off her arms & face yet? What ails Leila to make her so cross—a cold or is she still teething?

  [….] Tell Doll her Auntie says she must stop climbing about so much or She’ll get her little head cracked and that will be awful.

  I don’t know how Miss Porter’s2 going to get along so many of her help leaving her just now. T he injured girl’s fall must have been a very severe one. Poor girl ’tis too bad. I hope she’ll be spared to reach her home. The last papers you sent have rec’d. and read throughout. I shall be very glad of those S.S. papers & when you see the lady thank her kindly for me. So I suppose Mr. Mitchells debt on the ch. is now canceled. Accept my love to yourselves & remember me to the fds. Mr. & Mrs. Thos. desire to be remembered to you all. Yr. absent Daughter.

  Royal Oak, July 3, 1869

  Mon. 7½ P.M.

  My dear Parents,

  This P.M. I returned from school with a dull headache, but as it seems to be wearing off I proceed to my very agreeable task of writing to the good “old folks at home.”

  Just at this time both my brain & hands are full in closing up our affairs & with our contemplated picnic & exhibition I find there is a great deal to do. Not withstanding two of our men were selected to take charge & they having appointed a committee of arrangements to aid them. Yet they’re all looking up to me & at last pushed me forward so Sat. night I commenced begging for money to get our confectionery, cream etc. with & today I have $11.40 cash in hand & the eleven dolls. [….] is enroute to Balto, tonight for some of our things. Don’t you think I’ve done well? There was Quarterly Meeting here yesterday so I went out A.M. & then again at night. At the close of each sendee I took aim & fired, scarcely one of my neighborhood people escaped me, & those who’ve not given money will donate refreshments pies, chickens, fishes, cake, bread, etc. are promised, and I expect we’ll have an abundance. This week I purpose devoting principally to drilling my children. I spent a half day at Easton Sat. Miss Snowden & Miss Ball have charge of th Union S.S. there & today they were to have a picnic and celebration for the Fourth. A speaker from Balto, was to address them. The whites here had an excursion today upon a sail boat. On Thurs. there’s to be an excursion from Balto. The S.S. of the Sharp St. Ch. the one we attended Sun A.M. give it. They’re coming to St. M. & will partake of refreshments in a grove just below the town. I think of going down to see how they manage their affairs.

  My attendance at school was very small all last week but today Eve been recruited. Had twenty-five present. Harvesting is all over & now some are preparing for maching out their wheat, an operation I’ve not yet seen, but hope to ere I leave.

  [….] I’m sorry too that you di
d not know about the free entrance into the coliseum, so that you could have a glimpse of the inside. I presume little Doll thought ’twas splendid walking upon the Commons, & I’m glad she could enjoy it. I am truly glad she has the little rocking chair. Now she can take her satisfaction in rocking. But if she’s not feeling well I think you’d better write for Bell to bring her home. ’Tis really too bad that she should have those gatherings upon her face. I hope something may be found to relieve her of them entirely.

  […] I hope that queer woman will be gone ’ere I come. Whose room does she occupy. Mrs. Saunders is so desirous of white society I don’t why she could not have made arrangements to have accommodated her, instead of framing such an excuse and sending her to our house. [….]

  The cherries, currants, & strawberries have certainly done well this season. I shall be glad to taste a good currant pie when I get home. I guess Nelson was delighted to get them.

  I shall not take much more of that sulphur, shall only use the little I have already mixed. There was a good crowd went up to Springf’d. the occasion must have been quite a grand one. I suppose Gertrude & her brother were among the number. I’m glad to hear that Aunt Em is better and hope she’ll continue to enjoy good health now. I suppose Sarah is progressing with her music & studies.

  How does Jim enjoy the hot weather? I presume he desired you to tell his mistress that he is longing to see her etc. I look at little Doll’s picture so much I imagine I can see her just as she is. I think Bell ought to bring her home before she gets sick. Give my love to them all. I hope they’re still thriving.

  I suspect Josephine has skedaddled again. I was expecting to have her prepare and read a composition at our picnic, but instead she sent a blank book containing some articles of her own production, & requests me to select from it whatever I choose while in the meantime she runs up to Balto, as she says. But she’s not cheating me at all wherever she runs too. I imagine she’s closed her school, Miss Snowden told me she was to have some kind of an entertainment on last Mon. night.