folder 12: June 1852

home in October - and then when you my beloved Father and dear Butler come next oh that will be such perfect happiness -

Mr J.H.C. had left for Philadelphia ere your letter to William came - he has sent it on to his brother and written him on the subject --- I must now say good by [sic] my dearest Father --- I only wrote to tell you that William would go with my precious Mother - We are are all pretty well - And all pour in warmest love to you and dear Butler tell him I will write him by the next mail - Pray excuse all blunders for I write in great haste and confusion

God bless you my beloved Father and grant you may return safe and well to us. You own truly affectionate Daughter Hannah Page C -

Hon. Thos Butler King San Francisco

[top right] Sunday Night: 13^th June [written in pencil] [1852]

My own beloved child

It is very probable I may not have time to write tomorrow so I will just give you a few lines before I go to bed. Oh! my Tootee it does seem strange that I have you to write to in addition to my other dear absent ones - my sweet child I do feel this separation from you very much. I never see a little child in the street but I fancy I can see some resemblance to our dear little ones but not one of them is as pretty as yours. I wrote you by the Mail yesterday before the Southern Mail came in. I then had to go out shopping - a most disagreeable occupation to me. I was out all the morning trudge trudge. M^r Woolley Amanda & myself went to that famous London House store. I did run up a bill of $15-55. cts - but think I could have got just as good & as cheap at De Witts & Morgans M^r Woolley & Amanda did pretty much all their shopping there. I then came back to this truly friendly roof & after din-ner off again I went - in our perambulations we encoun-tered dear William - he was in McClesky & Nortons, he joined us - took us into an ice cream shop where he & M^r Woolley ate twice as much ice cream as we could. We then went to a new confectionary establishment kept by Monsieur N Lefont, Proprieter of the " Paris house" there we met Mrs McDonald & Sue Johnson eating ice cream. My object in going into this establishment was to pur-chace [sic] you some cake, as you forbid my getting candy for the chicks - it did seem hard that you all should be deprived of candy because dear Bob would have it & it would give her toothache. But as neither William or myself could bear that she should have an ache we passed by the

beuit beautiful candies - I must before I go further thank you for your comforting letter - thank you & M^r Dunham too for the comforting news you both give. I pray God!s mercy on those poor negros [sic] that they may indeed all be better, & may live to welcome me back. It is requires no little resolution on my part to keep from getting into the Planter tomorrow and going back to you. But for those dear ones who I have not seen for more than a year I certainly would do it. It worries me that I should be the cause of keeping Wil -liam so long from you. I know his presence is so necessary to your comfort & happiness. It is very selfish in me my permitting him to accompany me. God! in mercy protect you all & grant to your good husband a happy & safe return to you my love

Last evening M^r Cuyler & Margaret called - they staid [sic] here a long time. Margaret is the same old seven & sixpence - M^r Cuyler is no longer a handsome man, he was very kind however - Mrs Matthau had called when I was out. Lizzie I believe I mention-ed had called - I met her & Dick in the street, yesterday. In the presence of M^r Cuyler Margaret gave me an invitation to dine with them tomorrow & ask William to accompany me. All that M^r Cuyler said was to ask where William was staying - I did not say I would dine with them or that I would mention the matter to William - Mrs Johnston made a long call on me in the evening - & was the same as when we were on the Sand Hills. I had invitations from the Cuylers - Mrs Johnston & the Cunninghams to go to Church today. But some how I preferred to go with Cousin A & M^r Woolley to their church. So they called for me & the boys - We had a most excellent sermon on this morning from the Presiding Elder - on our way to church this evening we had

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the pleasure of meeting Mrs Charles Grant – she was in one of her nervous excited humors - saying what an attack of nervous -ness she had had the last few days – D^r Sulivan [sic] in attendance &c this evening she sent to ask me to go to church with her after tea but I was too tired - for after Church Amanda M^rW. the boys & myself had been overhauling the new part of the City. Everybody must have known that we were country folks. The City is really rapidly building up. If I could sell my lands on the Island & purchase a house here, the hire of the negros [sic] would maintain us beautifully. William should come too - he would soon find something to do. Is it not a delightful plan Let us think of it! - I feel such a kind of horror of St. Simon's. When we got back I found dear William & John Cunningham here, the former regretted very much he had not gone to walk with us - I felt even more sorry I think than he was, & had I thought of the walk before leaving for Church I would have sent Middleton for him. M^r C. says his wife is not so well today -- will you believe it that woman has had the conscience to miscarry. The Doctors say if she does again she will die right away, & if she could have kept it she would have recovered, this is what Sarah told me this evening. This was the reason she was so ill some time ago. Dear Sarah Bourke is just as kind to me as tho' she was my own child, so gentle - so thoughtful, poor child she has much to worry her at this time & yet any one to see her would not suspect anything. Poor B. has been in a frolic & will carry it on. I have not set eyes on him since I came, he stays out all day, at night he staggers home & is assisted up to his room. he is off again as soon as he gets up in the morning -- I am grieved for Sarah I would leave the house & go either to the Cunninghams / who have press'd me to divide my time with them - or to stay at the house Aman-da stops at - but I fear it will not only be talked of - but that

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[they] will be hurt if I do. I consulted William & he thinks I had best remain where I am. Poor poor Bourke - what a shipwreck he is making of his own & his sweet wifes [sic] happiness. It is impossible that anyone can be more amiable or patient than Sarah is -- I am trying to persuade her either to go with us North or go South this summer. If she goes South I know you & William will do all in your power to induce her to visit you. Remember my child that all all I have left behind in the way of comforts is at your service. The 1 dozen doiles [sic] only cost 56^1/4 cts. I send them to you, the 4 pair of gloves, I hope will fit you. The bread, I hope you will enjoy. As I send $1-worth which is more than you can use - I want you to send Dunham a loaf - & give a little of it to the sick negros [sic], two pieces of the ginger cake give to Ishmael if he is able to eat it. The two straw hats are for Neptune the black for dresses, & 2 black silk handkerchiefs are for Liddy and Linda, the two tin coffee pots are for Cupid & Toney. The iron pot is for Quamina. Tell my precious babies - that I will bring their toys when I return - & that they must think of me when they eat the cakes. I went through the market on the Sa-turday evening - how I wished you could have had some of the good things I there saw, such splendid beef, mutton, pork, & the finest vegetables I ever saw - tomatto [sic] in abundance, & even water melons, for which they asked one dollar a piece. I thought if I could just have transferred all that meat & all those vegetables to Retreat the negros [sic] would not have the conscience to be sick any more.

I have written you a long letter with very little in it. But I feel like a cat in a strange garret, & some what bewildered. I do hope we may not leave before the Mail gets in on Wednesday. And Oh! how I pray you may be able to give me good news of all I left behind - first of your own dear self & children, then my poor negros [sic] - M^r Dunham & the place & of Mrs Gale, tell her I have not seen her grand child - but Mrs Branch told me yesterday that she had seen him very lately & that he was perfectly well. I must say goodnight - Amanda will wish me to add a few lines for her in the morning Praying the choicest blessings on you my precious child, I am your devoted Mother AMK