ENPages That Need Review
Letter from Rachel Watson Gilder to Edmund Clarence Stedman
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out of strong contemporaries (like deKay's; whose sturdy genius made my forms seem weak.)
(You started me in an epthetic direction) When the other night, I saw you in the audience, with "the child.", it warmed me with courage & your kindly nodded approval made me feel I had not altogether failed. Gratefully as ever RW Gilder
Letter from Sophia Peabody Hawthorne to Rose Hawthorne Lathrop
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fine weather for his departure for England. I had written him a letter in the week to lament my not seeing him once more - which I directed to Oxford. He probably went in the steamer aboard which he was.
I felt pretty well that good day, and sewed the breadth of your grey dress - while Ann bound the wiggin of my shawl thibet and mended some clothes for me.
Una went to the dressmaker's and had her walking dress cut out, and brought home all your goods in her arms, and took out of the library for me Layard's Nineveh. We expected Mrs Cook after dinner, and Una meant to tell her how placable Mrs Willard was, and that she need not fear to go. But behold she came after seeing Mrs Willard, confiding in Una's mediation. And she had spent the whole afternoon with her knitting in the very jaws of her former enemy, in most sociable, amicable talk and offices. For Mrs Willard made some nice tea for her, and they had a
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{sideways on left of page] Today Sunday Ann went to noon mass so Una did not go to church till the afternoon. I am getting much better.
Una did not come to scold but to express pity for her wretchedness, she soon began to cry. I can facy the tones of Una's voice acting like Moses' rod on the rock. Se discovered that both the woman and her baby were ill, and that there was a a little dress cut out for the baby which the woman had no chance to make, because the bay was fractious and she herself poorly. So Una brought home the little dress to make for her. This was on 16th April. Have I told you that on that day Mrs Bull made me a long visit, bringing me a super bouquet of different colored verbenas, scarlet geraniums, heliotrope and rose geranium. She as altered exceedingly and looked wildly unhappy. Nearly all her front teeth have gone since I saw her, and she has left off coloring her hair as if she did not care how she looks. Her face was also much flushed. As usual she confided to me a great deal of misery, chiefly about the intellectual starvation of her children, and Ephraim's deep dejection thereat. I had a letter that day from MM Ray, saying she had heard of Mrs Vanderooster's illness only through me.
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[sideways on left of page]: Una is not at all strong, but I hope she will be really better when we go to Bratt. She needs change.
On 1/m Una went to Mrs Willard's as soon as she was dressed. She said she saw that the woman was of a fiece and reprehensible temper and character; but she was uc improved with her gentleness to her, and her gratitude which also was not fulsomly expressed! She said she asked very much to get some place for her little boy of nine, for her husband would take care of her and the baby, if the boy would be taken care of. Una observed that Mrs Willard was very fond of these children, and that they were of her. Pet names were frequent between them, and the boy tried to amuse the baby (whose name is Lily Florence). So that there seemed love in the midst of wron and violence. When Una went for the mail at night, she brought some scarlet braid to adorn the little dress. I thanked Heaven for so good a diversion of Una's thoughts and attention, and I felt sure she could get no [harm?] (being surrounded by "angels serviceable" - and that the poor, sinful woman would probably have her first taste of heaven from Una's ministrations. 18th was Saturday, and I thought of my darling's joy at the bright day and the music lesson. I was glad too that Frank Channing had so
{downwards on right side of page}: Goodbye with thoughts and love and feelings. Your own Masunia
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he is going to New York to live with him and his wife. I sent your bundle that day. Una went for mail, and was fetching the biggest carpet bag from the sadlers, when Mr Sauborne stepped up and took it from her and escorted her all the way home, as pleasant as [..oses], and gay as a lark. I am forever indebted to him for making Una laugh so severely as I heard her, coming into the gate. The Saubornes are going away the mid of June. In the evening she read aloud to me a magnificent lecture of Mr Emerson's upon Plato. Friday 24. A very coolcast day, [foggy] drew Lily up here in her carriage and came in to stay with me while Una went for the buggy. As to Ann she went up the tower to clean the study - and accomplished it all by four oclk. A letter came from Clara Holmes - with love in it but no interest. Also from Mrs Fields to me, asking me to go and spend two days with her. She does not know how I cannot do such things yet.
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2nd sheet real symposium. Was not that glorious? So much for St Paul's Charity - as expounded and enacted by the "heavenly Una" with "the milk white lamb" (her innocence] .. Had a letter from Dr Conrad in which he said I must take drives and ale! In the evening I was very happy in the bowels of the earth beneath the soil that had heaped over Ninevek. On Sunday Una went to church, and heard that Edward Emerson was at home and ill -- I wrote to Mr Waterstone about a home for the poor little boy and to Aunt E.P.P. And for the first time I descended the stairs on that day. On Monday it rained, and the only light we had was a letter from you, darling. I was not very well and lay abed till dinner, at times reading Ninevek. Tuesady dawned pleasantly, and Una resolved I should have my first drive. By the time she had the chaise, it clouded a little, but we went, and it was good to break bounds and
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breathe fresh air. It did me good.
22nd Wednesday was the finest possible day. Una went for a buggy, and while she was gone Lily Chase and some others arrived from Lexington to see her and you. Una drove up just as they were going away. So they came in a while. Then we had a delightful elysian drive, for the air was ambrosial. We took Raphael's angel and went to Mrs Edward Hoar's with it at last. We saw Mrs Hoar, but Florence was at school. Of course I did not get out.
In the m/n, I trimmed your jacket. Oh, I called to look at Aunt Lizzie Nat on our return from Lincoln.
She could not see me enough but with only two eyes, she said.
Mr Willard sent me a present
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of some ale, which I found by that means, Una had sent for on her own account. I found also that she is to present me with these drives!! I can do nothing but submit to her divine aids. The Lord will bless her.
We were much cheered by a happy note from Julian by that evening's mail - [no?] by the bag - at last arrived- 23rd. A letter came from kind Mr Waterstone, telling about an admirable home for the boy. So he will be saved. Also a note from Mr Jeffries, saying he would come up to see the place before he advertises it. We went to drive at eleven in a wild south wind. We went over the one arched bridge and saw Anursnee, and called at the old Manse but could see no one. We met Charles Emerson, driving out his father, who looked deathly. On Saturday they telegraphed for Haven, thinking he was fatally ill. But he is revived, and as soon as Haven is married,
Letter from Rose Hawthorne Lathrop to Roberts Brothers
Letter from Richard Henry Stoddard to Unknown
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Detenture Room C. U.
New York, Nov 26th 64
My dear Howard,
I send you a copy of my last, "Little Red Riding Hood," which you may notice in your [Club's?] Magazine, or not just as you fancy. Read it yourself, since it will give you some idea of what I may do for you in verse.
W Tiltin & Co send their "Enoch Arden to the world, Ill either not notice it at all, or give it hell, as the character of the illustrations may determine.
My best regards to your wife, and my worst to the [ " ? ? ] beast" Osgood, who reduced me, when here, into seeing "A. Wend." Let him be Anastasio Manzanilla. Hastily but "trooly"
R.H.S.
