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cannot but be thankful that she has exchanged so much languishing & pain & affliction for that hour when there is nothing but peace & joy - your dear little girl was too young to Know Sin, & I doubt not you will both derive much consolation in the thought that she is also among the ransomed in heaven.
Previous to the receipt of your letter when we first heard of your affliction, Isabella expressed a strong desire to be with your dear wife in this her hour of trial, & she is now preparing to go by Tuesdays Boat, which she will do should nothing unforseen happen. I trust her presence may be comforting to you all - I have some idea of going to Florida in a week or two on Business, & shall probably be absent about two weeks. I should like very much to stop & see you, but at this season of the year my time is valuable, & I must hurry back as quick as possible to my post - whenever I have an opportunity hereon, I mean to pay you a visit, for I now have stood in ceremony with you & I hope you will not miss me, when you come to town recollect I have always a room for you & yours & a hearty welcome - I hope you will all Keep well, dont let sorrow depress you too much remember that our dear ones are in a far happier state of bliss than they could ere attain on her earth & with Kindest regards to Mrs Couper believe me My dear William Very Sincerely Yours [signed] N. Cunningham
[right of page] Savannah Oct. 16 / 52
My dear Uncle William,
It is with the deepest sorrow & regret, that I learn of the death of little Bell, & I can assure you, most sincerely, do I sympathize, with Hannah & Yourself.
I heard it reported, & Should Have written you before, but could ^ not realize the truth of the report, & thought best, to wait until I could have the report authenticated. I am glad to find, through Mr Cunningham, that Hannah is Calm, & trust she will be able to control her grief, & resign herself, to her severe Affliction. Miss Isa, Cunningham will in all probability, be with you, on the Coming Tuesday night, & I hope may be able to Comfort Hannah.
Excuse this poor Attempt, at expressing my feelings, & believe me, it is, but a part of what I feel, for both of you, in your Sorrow.
With much love to Hannah, & the little ones, I remain dear Uncle William, Most affectionately, Your Nephew, [signed] Jno. Fraser
W. A. Couper Esq
[written in pencil, top left corner] [Mr. William Audley Couper Frederica St. Simons Isld. Georgia]
[right of page] Allentown. Oct. 17th 1852
My dear Sister and Brother
In vain do I try to find words with which to express the grief and sympathy I feel for you under this sad, sad trial, with which it has pleased God in his inscrutable wisdom to visit you. For the dear little Angel, who has thus soon returned to the happy Heaven whence she came, I cannot feel such anguish as that which must naturally render you now miserable, for I firmly believe she is far happier than tho' she still were on earth; and O! let me entreat you both, to view calmly this chattering, and allow it to draw your hearts more towards God! that in due time you may join this little darling in eternal happiness!
I am a poor person to write a letter of condolence, tho' I may feel never so deeply, for thank Heaven I have seldom been called upon to perform so sad a task; and a worse one
perhaps, to influence you to look rightly upon the visitations of the Almighty, but whatever I do say O! trust me, I feel and believe. Owing to my almost constant absence from home since dear Isabel was born I never saw much of her, but from what I did see, and from what I have ever heard of her, I know that she was one of the most lovely of children, but let this not heighten but rather temper our grief, for we must feel that she is a better Angel above.
This mournful intelligence met me most suddenly on my return late last night from New York where I I [sic] had been since the first of the week; in my absence your letter had arrived and been opened by Mother who was anxious on account of your long silence - I hastened to her room and found her in extreme grief, which my efforts could but little alleviate. She grieves for Bel intensely, but not less for you dearest Sister - her heart seems near to breaking. She feels so much for your sorrow.
Poor Appy seems well nigh heart-broken - I believe Bel was her particular favorite and she has been working all the Summer for the dear little Girl. Georgia, Flora, and I try to fulfil our duty of consoling Mother. Cuyler too feels very deeply. Mother reproaches herself that she did not go home when Mr Woolly did, for then she would have been with you, dear Sister, and now she fears Cousin Amanda will not remain 'till we arrive, but I am sure she will not leave you.
We sail from New York on the 30th inst. and will remain in Savannah only until the first boat leaves for St Simons. O! my dearest Sister let me beg you to bear up against this greatest misfortune of your life - try to Keep a stout heart, and do not see this one calamity tho' great it is, forget and count as nought, all the blessings which still surround you. From what Mother tells me I conceive it to be particularly incumbant upon you at this time to be guard against too great depression spirits, and I hope that you appreciate this both on your own account and on that of another.