Misc. Married Couples Letters Collection

No 8

Rockland 2 mo 23rd 1870 Fourth Day Evening.

Dear S, I am afraid this will be a poor return for the pleasure thy letters give us, for I have been "on the go" all day, had no nap, am just through hearing the childrens lessons, and feel generally tired and uninteresting. After closing my letter yesterday aft. and just before I started to [Lynden?], [Sister?], Nancy & Madge walked in. They were very agreeable, and Nancy accepted an invitation to stay all night. I had a little fire made in the front room, as well as in ours and put Henry & Frank over there, Robt. in the Crib, Cornelia with me, and Edith by herself in the Trundle Bed. We had another good night, and a real first rate breakfast at very little after 7.. oclk. Frank went to school & does not seem any the worse for it. After breakfast I [started?] the men over to the Dam and soon followed after but found the ice so "rotten" (inelegant but correct and expressive) and so difficult to land that we only got one load. I find the house is 3/4 full and keeping nicely. This load more than replaces what was melted, and the house is so large that I think we will get through the summer. Alban Gilpin has been very busy all day and will get his house full. He had

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Rock Spring Feb. 3rd 1885 (the 18th year of marriage)

Dear Carrie (presumably in Alex.) Why I have seated myself to write to thee tonight or what I have to say I will leave thee to find out, the only explanation I can give is that I am thinking of thec and want to be with thee and as that is impossible, the next thing is to write and tell thee so. If this should turn out a sentimental letter it ought to be left until tomorrow to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Feb. 4th. [a date wedding Nov. 20 of that year]. Thee says sometimes I have no sentiment and perhaps I have not as much now a days as would be best. I still have a good deal in connection with the past, and its association with thee. Thee will never know how desperate and discouraged I was after that event, and how strange it seems that I can look it was all for the best. Would I think so if I had not eventually acquired the desire of my heart, is a question that is of no moment now. [Perhaps he had proposed and she refused him? The excerpts of his diary edited by RBF Jr. for Montg. Co. Historical Soc. does not show an entry for 2/4/62.]

After seventeen years of married life I have no regret, except so far as my own shortcomings are concerned, in not properly enjoying and appreciating my good fortune. I am proud of my wife and each and every one of my children [the last of eight, Harry, was born the year before] and would not have any of them different; so as HCH says, I ought to be one of the happiest men living.

Rog [son, aged 8] and I went to Rockville this morning and got thy letter. Am sorry to hear Mother is not improving. Hope thee will send a better account tomorrow. We went to Olney and Rockland after dinner, found all well. The chocolate party was a great success, they took in over $90.00 and the expences were about $30.00 so Edie is quite elated, says she has had half a dozen applications for help already. She and some of the others were pretty well worn out with their exertions.

This evening Sarah Kirk is having a party and 5th-day evening Joe Hutton is to have another at the Grange hall.

Rog did not wnat to stay up so I did not insist as he is a great comfort to me both day and night. Mother was wishing thee would send Alice and Malcolm up there to stay [they were 6-1/2 and just over 4, resp.] in Alex. while Mother is so sick. If thee does conclude to send them before thee gets back, they had better go up there as I do not think they could get along well here. SMH talked of going down tomorrow evening if they did not hear better accounts tomorrow.

It is bed time and I know of nothing else that would interest thee so goodbye with much love

/s/ Roger B.F.

Rock Spring Mar 11th 1868

(one year after they became engaged)

My dear Carrie [who was visiting her parents in Alexandria and pregnant]

Just after dinner is not generally the best time to write letters, but as I expect to go away this evening thought this would be the only opportunity. I have not heard yet how you got to Laurel or whether you got there atall but as Henry promised to let me know if you met with any misfortune I feel quite easy as I have not heard from him. I hope thee will keep well and enjoy thy visit. It has been beautiful whether for it so far, and for that, as well as some other reasons, I hope it will keep so.

I left Rockland very soon aftre you left, called at Olney and the store and came to Rock Spring. The road was not any worse than when we went up and if this weather continues a few days the roads will be good again. I found everything right when I got here except that it was dreadfully lonesome in th house consequently I did not stay in it much. Fixed up a number of boxes for hens nests about in different places, did some work in the shop and mended carryall. After supper read as much of Dombey & Son as the "blues" and sleep would let me.

Got up this morning feeling much brighter and better and am now as comfortable as circumstances will allow. It is a bright beautiful day and I have taken advantage of it to make a hotbed which I did this morning. I find by my journal that I made it once on the 6th of this month and once as late as the 26th. I also found that two years ago I planted peas and beets on the 12th of this month.

I have not heard how Uncle Roger [Brooke] has been since day before yesterday so am going up to see after him. His family seem very uneasy about him, and from what I have heard they have cause to be. Grandmother is better. Have heard nothing later from Aunt Mary H. or Hali's [sp?] children. Henry seemed worried that no plan had been made about the time of your coming home. He had intended talking about it at breakfast he said, but forgot it. He said he thought you had better have staid until 2nd day as it was such an undertaking for Sarah to get away. Carrie's sister, Henry's wife, had also gone to Alex. evidently] I think it likely he will be very willing to see her back on seventh-day, and I know I am selfish enough to want [underlined: thee] back, and for some other reason this time that "because the girl does not make me comfortable," for I have nothing to complain of in that way this time.

How often has thee thought of this day last year? I have thought of it several times. It was just about such another day as this one, bright and beautiful, does it not seem strange that we have been each other's mutual acknowledgement for one whole year? I hope that many anniversarys of this day may come to both of us and that we may always be able to rejoice as we do now, that (continued)

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Rock Spring Sep 21st 1868

My dear Carrie (who is in Alexandria with her parents, two weeks before the birth of her first child)

Thee has been in my thoughts very often today and for thy dear sake I wish I felt more in the mood for writing to thee, but I have been at work hard today and do not feel very bright and interesting, so please "take the will for the deed" and excuse me this time.

After leaving thee on 7th day I came to Wash. and dispatched my business in time to leave Frank's office at 9 o'cl in company with him. We were however afterwards detained so that we did not get out of town until 10 o'cl. Had a very pleasant ride with Frank to Rockville, where I left him to attend a radical meeting composed of himself and four others. And I came on home, found everything getting along right so far as I had time to see. Willie and I made an arrangement to go with his horse and my buggy to the Club but his horse was too lame to use so we had to go with tired Mab. Left here at 2-1/2 o'cl, called with Willie at Mr. Abert's and went on over that horribly rough road to Dr. Palmer's.

On getting in sight of Wm. Lea's found there were no horses to be seen and concluded we were mistaken in the day, so went on to Warwick's and learned from Anna that we were really sold as the Club is to meet next seventh-day. Had a pleasant call to Alloway but thee may imagine how cheap we felt at coming way down there with a tired horse and over such bad roads, and to help the joke we met Cousin Caleb and instead of speaking to us he called out very gravely "no Club", we conluded as we had started out with the purpose of attending a Club meeting (and by this time felt that we could do justice to what is said to be the principle attraction on such occasions) we would go to Rockland. We got there while the gentlement were at supper and after they were through did full justice to a very nice supper ourselves. Sarah inquired particularly after thee and how the eruption was thee had been suffering with. When I told her it was better, she said she hoped we would soon hear good news from thee and I sincerely hope we may.

I left Willie at Rockland to wait on Miss Kirk home and I went to Olney and though but 8-1/2 o'cl. the ladies has all retired which vexed me very much as I had expected to have a pleasent evening. I however made up for this yesterday morning bt having a delightful talk with Miss Louise. She and I agree in out fondness for Burns and Scott but not with ickens as she is a great admirer of him. She saw me looking at thy picture in the parlor and said she would not tell me all that she had said about it for fear it woud make me too vain.

Instead of going to meeting I went up Falling Green and had a pleasant visit, staid until 3 o'cl. Called at Olney and went to Willow Grove for Willie intending to come home before night but he would not hear to it, so I had to stay to supper; Mary Sherman, Mary Ayre and her cousin Tilly Thrift were there. After supper Mary Sherman lit a pipe and offered it to me and I accepted it,

2021.0006.0003 [?] 2-2 Roger BF to Mary Hallowell -2- 12/13/'61

cause to regret such a step, but should it be otherwise though it would be the greatest trial I was ever subjected to I hope I should not forget to rely upon that all wise and merciful Being who orders all things for the best and whose strong arm is able to protect us from all harm.

[P inserted for readability] Thee said thee wished I had been at Rockland to hear Uncle B, I always enjoy hearing him speak on such matters and also in listening to his preaching because I believe he is good and is sincere in what he sayd. I regret that we are all not more concerned about our future welfare and though I cannot feel that security it is the privilege of some to feel, I think that everything should be subordinate to a preparation for that life which has no end. I am often struck with the little difference it makes how things go in this life which is but a few days at most, so we are making a preparation for the one to come.

[P inserted for readability] Thee said though it was difficult to believe, we would have to believe that the way of the righteous man is the easiest, I have not a doubt but that it is the case for where this confidance is felt the ups or downs of this life are harmless in their effect and our true pleasures are not diminished, as Cowper says,

Religion does not censure or exclude Unnumbered pleasures harmlessly pursued.

It is time for me to stop preaching without I was better than I am for it is said thou must remove the beam from thine own eye that thee mayst see more clearly to take the mote from thy brothers eye.

What will we most likely be doing eight weeks from now, how soon the time will be here. I can hardly realize what is to take place, Mary's marriage to Willie Brooke but with all sincerity I wish you a long and happy life and that I may ever remain thy attached cousin,

/s/ R. B. Farquhar