Metadata
Title
Sarah Josepha Hale to David E. Hale
Creator
Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879
Date
1837-03-13
March 13, 1837
Medium
Manuscripts
Language
eng
Type
text
Collection
Sarah Josepha Hale Collection, The Athenaeum of Philadelphia
Identifier
46-M-154
Rights
http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html
Text
1837
Boston, March 13 -
My dear Son - I have just rec'd your
letter of Feby. 19th - And you have had no
letter from me since Dec. - I have
written two - one in Jan: the other on the
19th Feby. I hope they will reach you -
that they have done so.
I told you about Horatio's appointment
in my letters - He has a salary
of $2000 per annum, outfit of $1500
and travelling expenses and rations, the
same as a Naval officer. He is now
in Boston, expecting every day to be
summoned to Washington to meet the
Scientific Corps. (The Expedition will
not, probably sail till July, or August.
You will be in Boston before that time,
I trust. And now I have other news
for you. I have made arrangements
for your sisters to come to Boston
next month, and open a day
school the first of May. I shall
take a house and be at housekeeping,
I hope, when you come home
that we shall have a few pleasant weeks, all
together before Horatio sails - What do you
think of the plan? It will do well after we
are once established - but the beginning is
a somewhat formidable [?], and
calls for what we have not - cash. -
Horatio will furnish the funds as soon
as he can draw pay; but till he is called
to Washington he cannot ever obtain
his outfit. Therefore if you can forward
a little money soon it will
be very acceptable. The discount is not
very great - on U.S. bills only one percent.
The price of tuition for our pupils
will be $100 per year - therefore with
25 pupils, which I think we can
calculate upon - we shall have $2500,
per year. This, with my literary
income will make us quite independent
- and you may begin to
lay by your surplus revenue, in
order to settling in life, as the saying
[is?] - I do not intend to tax you
much longer, if I can help it.
- Willey is well, at New Hampton,
and brilliant, quite, as a scholar. If he lives
he promises to be quite a genius. -
- Now pray write immediately, a [good?]
long letter, and tell me about
movements of the army, and when
you hope to be at liberty to come
home. In June I shall expect to
see you, without fail - earlier, if
possible.
Your friends here are all in
good health. - Your destiny is often
a subject of inquiry, and much interest
is expressed to see you return safe.
I shall mail with this, a copy of
our last Seaman's Aid Report - and
a paper -
I have been very busy in several
literary engagements, and the Lady's Book
is very successful. - But when you
come here we shall pour the whole
story into your can. -
And now, my dear child, may
God bless and keep you - Your Affectionate
Mother
S.J. Hale
P.S. - You are now "twenty two" and
according to Willis, no longer "a boy" -
You recollect his poem on such an [occasion?]
- "I"m twenty two, I twenty two -
They gaily give me joy,
As if I should be glad to know
I am no more a boy." [etc.]
Well, I think you have had sufficient experience
of life to be twenty two in spirit
Ever yrs. S.J.H.
David E. Hale
Lt. U.S. Artillery
Dade's Battle Ground
Florida
Ft Dade
Boston, March 13 -
My dear Son - I have just rec'd your
letter of Feby. 19th - And you have had no
letter from me since Dec. - I have
written two - one in Jan: the other on the
19th Feby. I hope they will reach you -
that they have done so.
I told you about Horatio's appointment
in my letters - He has a salary
of $2000 per annum, outfit of $1500
and travelling expenses and rations, the
same as a Naval officer. He is now
in Boston, expecting every day to be
summoned to Washington to meet the
Scientific Corps. (The Expedition will
not, probably sail till July, or August.
You will be in Boston before that time,
I trust. And now I have other news
for you. I have made arrangements
for your sisters to come to Boston
next month, and open a day
school the first of May. I shall
take a house and be at housekeeping,
I hope, when you come home
that we shall have a few pleasant weeks, all
together before Horatio sails - What do you
think of the plan? It will do well after we
are once established - but the beginning is
a somewhat formidable [?], and
calls for what we have not - cash. -
Horatio will furnish the funds as soon
as he can draw pay; but till he is called
to Washington he cannot ever obtain
his outfit. Therefore if you can forward
a little money soon it will
be very acceptable. The discount is not
very great - on U.S. bills only one percent.
The price of tuition for our pupils
will be $100 per year - therefore with
25 pupils, which I think we can
calculate upon - we shall have $2500,
per year. This, with my literary
income will make us quite independent
- and you may begin to
lay by your surplus revenue, in
order to settling in life, as the saying
[is?] - I do not intend to tax you
much longer, if I can help it.
- Willey is well, at New Hampton,
and brilliant, quite, as a scholar. If he lives
he promises to be quite a genius. -
- Now pray write immediately, a [good?]
long letter, and tell me about
movements of the army, and when
you hope to be at liberty to come
home. In June I shall expect to
see you, without fail - earlier, if
possible.
Your friends here are all in
good health. - Your destiny is often
a subject of inquiry, and much interest
is expressed to see you return safe.
I shall mail with this, a copy of
our last Seaman's Aid Report - and
a paper -
I have been very busy in several
literary engagements, and the Lady's Book
is very successful. - But when you
come here we shall pour the whole
story into your can. -
And now, my dear child, may
God bless and keep you - Your Affectionate
Mother
S.J. Hale
P.S. - You are now "twenty two" and
according to Willis, no longer "a boy" -
You recollect his poem on such an [occasion?]
- "I"m twenty two, I twenty two -
They gaily give me joy,
As if I should be glad to know
I am no more a boy." [etc.]
Well, I think you have had sufficient experience
of life to be twenty two in spirit
Ever yrs. S.J.H.
David E. Hale
Lt. U.S. Artillery
Dade's Battle Ground
Florida
Ft Dade