N. Salem         1861

           

My Dear Aunt

               I take my pen in hand to write a few lines this afternoon. I have quite a bad cold. It is snowing today & is very cold. We have had such warm weather that we have had to have the doors open. Hannah Cable has the rheumatism very bad. she has no use of her hands or feet. it is 2 weeks that she has had to lie on her back she cant be moved without great pain. Grand-Mother has been quite unwell for a few days past. My Aunt Caroline looks very bad but she will never own that she is sick. Aunt E. looks the same as ever except a little older & Aunt Ann I do not see often enough to know how she looks. Uncle Walters little Walter is a great fleshy boy. he / looks just as Daniel & Halcyon Gilbert used too. I dont suppose that I should know any of the boys now but I can remember them as they used to look & it seems as if they must be just about as large as they were then but they are men grown. Emeline French was buried the 27^th of December her household goods were sold at auction March 16 Aunt Susan Bloomer died March 14, 1861 & was buried the 16^th. she was 92 years of age. (How Betsy will miss her.) she was blind 25 years. the widow Vail had a new set of teeth last fall & people think that she wants to & will get married soon. I pity the man. I dont know but that she may trap father. she was here & spent the evening this winter. I wish that you could have been behind the door & seen all. there / are some singular people in this world. I am not alone in that respect. I have not any thing of any importance to write so I think it will not be without worth reading. Dont never tell or let any body see what I write to you it is such old scribbling. Phebe Richards is in N.Y. she has been there 6 weeks her husband was to Grandmother's the other day. I write & write until I get tired & then I wait for you to write & then I have to answer my own letters (tedious isn't it) but never mind. I wish you would write wont you? I am going to have clam soup for supper. I wish you were going to be here to eat some. A day or 2 has passed since I left off writing. Charlie Griffin is very sick. The Doctor in the place does not know what is the matter with him. So today he sent for Dr. Shove. / he is coming tomorrow & then we shall know what is the disease. Dr Farrar says that Charlie is the sickest patient he has ever had since he has been in the place. Before I close this letter I will wait & see what Dr Shove says about Charlie. Monday morn Charlie is no more. It is a week today since he was taken sick. they sent for Dr Shove Wednesday & there came a dreadful snow storm & he did not get here until Saturday night. Charlie had the lung fever. he had the best of care. He died this morning. no doubt he is better off Aunt Caroline is nearly crazy. I am going down there right away. I will write the particulars another time. Charlie has been deranged all the time. as I am in a hurry no more at present.

 

M. E. Townsend

 

March 25 1861                                                                                    

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