Metadata
Title
Sarah Josepha Hale to David E. Hale
Creator
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Date
1839-03-18
March 18, 1839
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-151
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
Boston, March 18, 1839
My dear Son -
I was very glad to see your
hand-writing once more. You do
not know how these long intervals
of silence trouble me. I imagine
you are sick - and suffer a thousand
inquietuds [inquietudes]. Pray do not allow so
long an interval to pass again.
You can always find subjects
that will interest me. Tell me
of your going on - of your
"sweet-heart" - of the state of the
country, &c [etc.] - By the way, the state
of the country is truly "horrible" - You
must write often, or I shall fear
you are burned out or up. -
I do not think there will be
actual, formal war - but there
may be a little skirmishing. You
know that Gen. Scott is in Maine.
The people there have the war fever
quite [warm?] - but it will die
away, I think - Little Vic will
not like to go to war with her
best customer. Who will buy
all the Birmingham [wines?] [etc.]
A war would be bad enough for America,
but much worse, it appears to me, for
England.
I had a letter from Horatio - dated
Jan. 4th the day of sailing from Rio -
They are round the Cape before this -
expect to reach Valparaiso next
month, I believe. He was well and
in good spirits. Everything had gone
on prosperously. - Willey has gone
back to College and Greek - Josepha
writes of parties, balls, beaux, [etc.]
and Fanny is up to the eyes in
engagements to parties - has two for
this week. - Cousin Sarah is smiling
is ever, and Miss Buell is busy in
preparing for the wedding - Miss [G.?]
Andrews is to be married on
Wednesday (this week)
I wish I had the $300 to send
you in this letter - and if, you
do not readily obtain it - if you
tailor disappoints you, let me
know it immediately - I can spare
$100 - perhaps 200 - for a few months,
Till you can [?] it to repay -
Perhaps you may obtain $100 of
same of the officers at the Point -
that is, in case you are disappointed
from N.Y. -
I send you two papers to-day - I
have mailed papers every day
or two - Do they reach you? Have
you visited at St Albans? Or do you
intend going there? [Mrs?] Yates will
send you a letter of introduction to
some of [her?] friends there, if you
wish it. - Dr. Yates has been quite
ill - Mrs. Putnam is dangerously sick -
no hopes of recovery -
Our S.A. Soc. Fair is going on,
prosperously - it is to be on the 24
of April - at Armory Hall, where
you saw "Bunker Hill" - What a
wonderful show that is! I was quite
astonished at variety and precision
of the various scenes illustrated.
I wish I could send you some
books - Nicholas Nickelby is not yet
finished - when it is I will find
some means to forward it.
P[ED: paper torn] keep a faithful guard out
ev[ED: paper torn] night - for, I shall think
of you every time I lay my
head on my pillow -
May God guard and bless you,
Yr. Affectionate Mother
F. sends oceans of love.
My dear Son -
I was very glad to see your
hand-writing once more. You do
not know how these long intervals
of silence trouble me. I imagine
you are sick - and suffer a thousand
inquietuds [inquietudes]. Pray do not allow so
long an interval to pass again.
You can always find subjects
that will interest me. Tell me
of your going on - of your
"sweet-heart" - of the state of the
country, &c [etc.] - By the way, the state
of the country is truly "horrible" - You
must write often, or I shall fear
you are burned out or up. -
I do not think there will be
actual, formal war - but there
may be a little skirmishing. You
know that Gen. Scott is in Maine.
The people there have the war fever
quite [warm?] - but it will die
away, I think - Little Vic will
not like to go to war with her
best customer. Who will buy
all the Birmingham [wines?] [etc.]
A war would be bad enough for America,
but much worse, it appears to me, for
England.
I had a letter from Horatio - dated
Jan. 4th the day of sailing from Rio -
They are round the Cape before this -
expect to reach Valparaiso next
month, I believe. He was well and
in good spirits. Everything had gone
on prosperously. - Willey has gone
back to College and Greek - Josepha
writes of parties, balls, beaux, [etc.]
and Fanny is up to the eyes in
engagements to parties - has two for
this week. - Cousin Sarah is smiling
is ever, and Miss Buell is busy in
preparing for the wedding - Miss [G.?]
Andrews is to be married on
Wednesday (this week)
I wish I had the $300 to send
you in this letter - and if, you
do not readily obtain it - if you
tailor disappoints you, let me
know it immediately - I can spare
$100 - perhaps 200 - for a few months,
Till you can [?] it to repay -
Perhaps you may obtain $100 of
same of the officers at the Point -
that is, in case you are disappointed
from N.Y. -
I send you two papers to-day - I
have mailed papers every day
or two - Do they reach you? Have
you visited at St Albans? Or do you
intend going there? [Mrs?] Yates will
send you a letter of introduction to
some of [her?] friends there, if you
wish it. - Dr. Yates has been quite
ill - Mrs. Putnam is dangerously sick -
no hopes of recovery -
Our S.A. Soc. Fair is going on,
prosperously - it is to be on the 24
of April - at Armory Hall, where
you saw "Bunker Hill" - What a
wonderful show that is! I was quite
astonished at variety and precision
of the various scenes illustrated.
I wish I could send you some
books - Nicholas Nickelby is not yet
finished - when it is I will find
some means to forward it.
P[ED: paper torn] keep a faithful guard out
ev[ED: paper torn] night - for, I shall think
of you every time I lay my
head on my pillow -
May God guard and bless you,
Yr. Affectionate Mother
F. sends oceans of love.