folder 15: October–December 1852

have the Stripe - which I could have got for the same price - & prettier than the one for my room. I wish I could have made this purchase sooner - when I would have got a stripe one for your room & 6 extra yards like yours when you could have had the stripe if you preferred it - I found that the rods did not cost but $1 - per dozen. I therefore got 20 yds [yards] of cheap stair carpeting for the two stairs - I know that William will show Alic or old Peter how to put in the fixtures - This carpeting will be sent to go in the Florida on the 9^th & I hope will reach you safe & quick. I am putting up a box of our odd ends to send on at the same time. Which I hope will have a quicker passage than Lords [Lord's] had. Should it reach you perhaps you had best have it opened for fear it may have got wet. I can hardly tell yet what will be in it. When it is packed I will let you know what it contains.

After tea I got hold of a N.Y. [New York] paper & was much relieved by seeing that the Ohio had put in at Norfolk for coal. I yet hope to get my letters before I leave this place. Dear Tootee you would not believe it possible we could all be so sorry as we really are to leave any place at the North as we are to leave this. I am sorry because in the first place I have met with so much kindness & then I do so dislike a change - Your sisters would have me stay longer - they are so happy here - Lord of course would rather no [not] go so far from L. Malley & the little boys would gladly go along with us - because I suppose they are at school. Rhina I believe is the only one now going who is glad of it - because it seems to her like going home - or on the way home. Mrs Dagett & Mrs Olmstead really seem grieved that we are going. I feel very sad at the thought of never again looking on this beautiful green - It is indeed a beautiful spot. Taking it altogether I think we could not have selected a more pleasant spot. I would have been glad could G & F. have gone to Niagara & Boston. But it could not be & it is no use regretting it any more. I also regret having seen so little of Andrew & Louisa - Amanda & M^r Woolley - but

the fault was not mine. Neither do I blame them for preferring the one the luxuries of a City - & the others the love of variety -------- I do earnestly hope our dear Cousin[s] may not have cause to regret their precipitate return. How weary a summer you have had - & to think you suffer so much my poor child. Let us be thankful my darling that you have your husband & children well. I do hope you will have got over this vomiting before we get back - I always like to see you relish what I cook for you. I am glad to hear that M^r JHC was better when William left him. I hope ere this he is again quite well. I never had any much love for our neighbors - I have less now than ever for their neglect of you my child, but never mind God! willing - I hope your Mother sisters & brothers will ere long be again your neigh -bors. we shall not grieve if they continue to stay away. They have never showed themselves my neighbors when I have been in trouble - it is only when a plenty of fruit is to be had that they have been sociable. I wonder how I shall be able to order breakfast=din -ner & supper again. the ordering will be more easy than the finding Even that will be more bearable than the cares of a plantation. The more I think of it the greater is my dislike to a planter[']s life. But it will have to be endured to the end. We are all invited to take tea at the Baldwins tomorrow night - the next evening at Mrs Matthews' - The fact is it will be a hard matter for us to get off on Friday night = but I must make the effort, for it would be just the same if we staid [stayed] here until it was time for us to sail. "The beautiful Florence has just made the remark that she observed that the letter was *sailing". I declare Florence has been going on with her nonsense until I have laughter tears. She concluded with "I dare say you will add as soon as I am gone 'that fool Florence &c [etc.]'" - They have put every idea out of my head - I may as well try to write in the midst of a whirlwind as to write when the three girls are in the room & Florence in one of her funny humors ----

Georgia & Appy are much pleased with their visit to Stratsford [Stratford] This has been the residence of Mrs Devereux' ancesters [ancestors] from the first of their coming to America. The house they first lived in still stands - tho' [although] not occupied. I will leave G & Appy to tell you about the curious things they saw belonging to the Johnson family. They spent a very pleasant evening returning here about eight oclock. Lord of course went home with Lillie & Georgia. I shall not see him again tonight. If he was not quite so much in love I would get on better in my arrangements for leaving this. I have pretty nearly concluded not to sail before the 30^th October. I would gladly do so sooner - but you set forth the danger of my so doing in such strong terms. It may be best I should not venture home before that time. How much I do feel for the Cunninghams - what will become of those poor girls if they lose their brother John. What a pity he ever married - I wrote to Pheme some weeks ago - but have not received a reply I am truly sorry to hear that dear Sarah Bourke was sick I hope M^r Bourke did take her to the up Country. Marietta seems to be getting to be quite a resort. I have more than once wished I had gone there instead of coming to the North. Your sisters and brothers may have joined me there with safety in July & August - I would not only have avoided a great deal of expense but would not have this terrible sea to cross. I think it rather strange that Pussy children & grand children should be so very sickly - Have the negros [Negroes] had their beef? Dunham said there were old cows which would answwer answer for them. Tell them all howde [howdy] for me. Poor things they give me a great deal of trouble. - Has old Mrs Gale not yet tired of Mrs Stevens? No doubt her absence is a relief to you my poor child. Give our warm love to dear William & kiss those sweet babes for one & all of us. I hope you will find my women in sewing whenever there is nothing necessary for them to do for me. When I get back they will have enough to do your sisters are as bare of under clothes as tho' [though] they had not had any made for 6 years. What the mice did not eat - the pins did

I must stop now my own darling - I may add a few lines in the morning - May God protect us all & permit us all to meet once more is the constant prayer of your devoted Mother AM King

[written lengthwise, in middle-right of page, from bottom to top] All pretty well today 6^th It is a dull day & I fear we shall accomplish nothing God! bless you all Your Mother AM King

[upper right corner] New Haven 6^th Oct [written in pencil] (- 1852)

My own darling child,

I sent off a letter to you only this morning - but this days [day's] mail has brought me your dear letter of the 1^st & also letters from those beloved ones from California - Lord has a letter from your blessed Father. There is one for me some where but not yet come / one from our dear Butler for me - one to G & one to Flo --- May God! bless that dear son! he complains of not having heard from you since I left Retreat. Your Father has sent us sufficient to render us perfectfly comfortable whilst here. That dear boy Butler has sent me his mite $100. poor fellow his sick-ness was a great loss to him $600. he says he cannot afford to be sick again. I am writing in great con=fusion - but I fear you may not get your letters from California as soon as we have got [gotten] ours

Your Father sent me $2,000 this will enable me to pay all that I owe or may owe here & carry some home to pay back what I have had advanced for me - I wish he had sent it a month ago it would have saved me some heart-aches & sleepless nights - What a large sum it is - yet

Tootee dear how quickly money melts away - how gladly would I this minute transfer it to you, if there were not so many others whose wants must be supplied. Money - money - what a curse it has been to the human family.

I grieve to hear that you have been so sick - my own dear child I do hope you do not deceive me by saying you are entirely over your attack when such may not be the case. How grateful I am to hear your are so min dear children & William are well. May the Mercy of God! keep you so.

Your Father or Butler neither say a word about returning - Perhaps in his letter to me your Father may be more explicit --- You can very easily perceive that I write in considerable excitement. and can scarce make out at all to tell you answer your dear letter - We will not grieve for Mrs Bourke, or the chicken from among the chickens - I am but too glad these misfortunes are so light. I have to do a great deal this afternoon - & must stop writing now. I could have spun it out a little longer had not Mrs Martens called - she sat some time